Mel Tucker: Difference between revisions

With the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] forcing a late start for Big Ten teams in the [[2020 Michigan State Spartans football team|2020 season]], Tucker's Spartans made their debut on October 24, 2020. MSU turned the ball over seven times in Tucker's head coaching debut and lost to [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Rutgers]], 38–27. MSU rebounded the following week to defeat in-state rival [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]], 27–24, for Tucker's first win as a Spartan. After lopsided losses to Iowa and Indiana, Michigan State upset No. 8-ranked [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern]], 29–20, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season. Tucker would finish the abbreviated 2020 season with a 2–5 record.

 

Unranked to begin the [[2021 Michigan State Spartans football team|2021 season]], Tucker's Spartans jumped out to a 8–0 start, including a come-from-behind win over in-state rival and No. 6-ranked [[2022 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]], causing the Spartans to move up to No. 5 in the AP poll and No. 6 in the Coaches poll. In the process, Tucker became the first MSU head coach to beat Michigan in his first two career meetings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theonlycolors.com/2021/10/31/22755270/michigan-state-spartans-jump-no-5-ap-poll-and-no-6-in-coaches-poll|title=Michigan State Spartans jump to No. 5 in AP Poll and No. 6 in Coaches Poll|last=Knight|first=Kevin|website=theonlycolors.com|date=October 31, 2021|access-date=November 1, 2021}}</ref> Tucker's Spartans were ranked No. 3 in the initial CFP rankings released Nov. 2.

 

On November 30, Tucker won the Big Ten Coach of the Year awards, being named both the [[Woody Hayes|Hayes]]-[[Bo Schembechler|Schembechler]] Coach of the Year (coaches' vote) and the [[Dave McClain (American football)|Dave McClain]] Coach of the Year (media vote).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2021/11/michigan-states-mel-tucker-sweeps-big-ten-coach-of-the-year-awards.html|title=Michigan State's Mel Tucker sweeps Big Ten Coach of the Year awards|last=Wenzel|first=Matt|website=MLive.com|date=November 30, 2021|access-date=December 1, 2021}}</ref>

 

MSU began the 2022 season ranked in both the AP and Coaches' polls.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10044153-preseason-college-football-rankings-2022-top-25-coaches-poll-released | title=Preseason College Football Rankings 2022: Top 25 Coaches Poll Released | website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref> But after opening the season with wins over [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western Michigan]] and [[Akron Zips football|Akron]], the Spartans lost their next four games, against [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]], [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]], [[Maryland Terrapins football|Maryland]] and [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]], all by double-digit margins.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spartanswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/08/msu-football-drops-fourth-straight-game-in-another-double-digit-loss-vs-ohio-state/ | title=MSU football drops fourth straight game in another double-digit loss vs. Ohio State | date=October 8, 2022 }}</ref> After ending the losing streak with a double-overtime home win against [[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]], the Spartans again lost by double-digits, this time to [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]]. The season concluded with another double digit loss to Penn State and no bowl game for the second time in three years.<ref>[https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2022/10/30/wolverines-use-dominant-second-half-to-kick-away-spartans-move-to-8-0/69602987007/ Wolverines avenge last season's loss, kick away Spartans to reach 8-0]</ref>

 

MSU won their first two games under Tucker, defeating [[Central Michigan University|Central Michigan]] 31–7 and [[University of Richmond|Richmond]] 45–14. Michigan State suspended Tucker after two games and he was officially fired on September 27, 2023.

 

On September 10, 2023, ''[[USA Today]]'' published a story detailing alleged sexual harassment by Tucker of Brenda Tracy. Tracy, a rape survivor and anti-sexual violence advocate, had visited Michigan State's campus several times to speak with the team. Tracy alleged a pattern of inappropriate behavior, culminating in Tucker masturbating during a phone call. The incident is alleged to have occurred in April 2022. Tucker characterized the [[phone sex]] as consensual.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jacoby |first=Kenny |date=September 10, 2023 |title=Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker accused of sexually harassing rape survivor |language=en-US |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/09/10/michigan-state-football-coach-sexual-harassment-claim/70679703007/ |access-date=September 10, 2023}}</ref> Michigan State suspended Tucker without pay later that day, with [[Harlon Barnett]] taking over as interim head coach.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Solari |first=Chris |date=September 10, 2023 |title=Michigan State suspends head football coach Mel Tucker; Harlon Barnett serving as interim|language=en-US |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2023/09/10/michigan-state-football-coach-mel-tucker-job-status-sexual-misconduct-allegations-brenda-tracy/70817372007/|access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref> On September 18, the university announced it had begun the process of terminating Tucker for cause as a result of the allegations, while allowing an ongoing university investigation to continue.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lage|first=Larry|date=September 18, 2023|title=Michigan State tells football coach Mel Tucker it will fire him for misconduct with rape survivor|language=en-US|work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-mel-tucker-fired-246ff49e66a8a1a3f692d6710da791ae#:~:text=Michigan%20State%20informed%20suspended%20football,back%20more%20than%20a%20year.|access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref> In a letter from his attorneys, Tucker disputed the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 25, 2023 |title=Tucker responds formally to MSU firing attempt |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38491036/mel-tucker-responds-formally-msu-attempt-fire-cause |access-date=September 27, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Tucker was officially fired by Michigan State on September 27, 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2023 |title=MSU fires Tucker for bringing 'ridicule' to program |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38504840/sources-michigan-state-expected-fire-mel-tucker-wed |access-date=September 27, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> On July 31, 2024, he filed a wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit against the university.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2024/08/01/mel-tucker-files-lawsuit-michigan-state/74628530007/ "Almost a year after MSU firing, football coach Mel Tucker files suit"] ''USA Today''. Retrieved 2024-08-02.</ref>