Michigan State officially fires coach Mel Tucker for cause - ESPN

Michigan State University has fired football coach Mel Tucker for cause Wednesday, formally completing a process that was initiated last week.

Tucker is under university investigation for a sexual misconduct complaint brought forward by Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault awareness speaker.

In a statement, the university said it had terminated Tucker's contract «for his admitted and undisputed behaviors which have brought public disrespect, contempt and ridicule upon the university; and constitute a material breach of his agreement, and moral turpitude.»

Michigan State suspended Tucker without pay Sept. 10, and athletic director Alan Haller informed Tucker in a letter Sept. 18 that the university intended to fire him for cause. The school opened up an investigation into Tracy's complaint back in December 2022, and there remains an upcoming university hearing on the matter.

The formal firing loomed as the final step in the university separating from Tucker, who has nearly $79 million remaining on his contract. By firing him for cause, Michigan State is attempting to not pay Tucker any of the remaining money.

Haller claimed in the letter the school had «amassed a body of undisputed evidence of misconduct that warrants termination for cause.»

Tucker and his attorneys pushed back in pointed language against the firing for cause in both a statement last week and a letter from his attorneys Monday, which called the proposed termination «unjustified for several reasons.» In a statement on Sept. 19, Tucker said MSU «does not care about my rights, the truth, or its future liability for policing its employees' private lives.»

Haller said in Wednesday's termination notice that Tucker's responses provided «a litany of excuses.»

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