The NCAA is looking into Michigan State University’s football program.
Emily Gerkin-Guerrant, the school’s vice president and chief communications, confirmed MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz has acknowledged the probe of the football program eyeing the tenure of former coach Mel Tucker from 2020-23.
“Michigan State Athletics has cooperated with the NCAA to review a potential matter concerning the football program under the former staff and will continue to do so for the duration of the process,” the school’s athletic department said in a statement Thursday. “NCAA rules do not permit the University to provide any additional details at this time.”
MSU did not immediately respond to request for comment on whether this inquiry was self-reported or initiated by the NCAA.
Tucker was 20-14 overall and 12-13 in Big Ten play during his three-plus seasons as MSU's head coach before being fired after coaching two games in 2023.
After the Spartans’ winningest coach in school history Mark Dantonio abruptly retired Feb. 4, 2020, then-MSU athletic director Bill Beekman hired Tucker eight days later on Feb. 12.
Tucker went 2-5 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, including an upset win at Michigan, then in 2021 went 11-2 to finish No. 8 in the country after a Peach Bowl victory over Pitt. As rumors spread of potential interest from other programs during that season, donors scurried and hurried to fund a 10-year, $95 million extension for Tucker that did not include a buyout clause.
That turned out to be his high point and the Spartans have not made a bowl game since. MSU went 5-7 in 2022, and Tucker was suspended two games into the 2023 season for alleged sexual improprieties during a spring 2022 phone call with prominent rape survivor and women’s rights activist Brenda Tracy. Tracy filed a Title IX complaint with the university in December 2022.
