Harlon Barnett to take over as interim head coach with Mark Dantonio’s help

Harlon Barnett will reportedly take over as interim head coach of Michigan State football after Mel Tucker was fired.

Secondary coach Harlon Barnett has just been named interim head coach for the Michigan State football team, according to a report from Brett McMurphy. It also has been announced that Mark Dantonio will assist as well in an undefined role. This news likely comes as no surprise to anyone after the allegations and investigation became public about Mel Tucker.

Mel Tucker fired as Michigan State’s coach, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett will be MSU’s interim coach w/former coach Mark Dantonio expected to assist in an undefined role. MSU investigating allegations Tucker sexually harassed activist/rape…

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 10, 2023

Update: Brett McMurphy updated his report and Mel Tucker has been suspended until the Title IX investigation concludes.

In short, Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor who now works with educating athletes about sexual violence, accused Tucker of sexual harassment. Click here to read more about the specifics of this accusation and investigation.

With drama now surrounding the program, Barnett and Dantonio have been tasked with righting the ship. Barnett has been the Secondary coach since Mel Tucker was initially hired by Michigan State. He has done an excellent job coaching the players on the field and recruiting star athletes into the program. The task in front of him now will be the hardest for him yet.

Tall task in front of Harlon Barnett

The head coach of any major college football program is never an easy job. Being the head guy who is responsible for all of the major decisions both on and off the field is as difficult as it sounds. Barnett is now tasked with doing just that. To make matters even harder, he has to take over in the middle of a season. I would argue this adjustment would be much easier during the offseason, but he has no time to prepare now. Barnett will have to adjust on the fly as the Spartans are in the middle of their season with the expectation to compete and win still on their minds.

The hardest part for Barnett however is how to handle all of the off-field drama. It goes without saying that Tucker did him no favors. Barnett has many important things he needs to do with Tucker now away from the program. First, he needs to navigate all the difficult questions that are coming his way. How the team is handling the news, how he personally feels about the allegations, and if he knew anything about it are just a few questions likely coming his way.

Barnett also needs to restore hope in the program with the fan base. Most of Spartan Nation, myself included, are taken aback by this news. Nobody saw this coming and now we don’t know what to think. Can he get the fanbase to buy back into the team? I really hope so because each student-athlete deserves that from us.

The season ahead

There is one last thing that is important for Harlon Barnett — can he still win football games? This is no doubt a secondary point to everything else going on, but it is still important. Players and coaches still want to win. Students, alumni, and fans also still want to see them win. Can Barnett get it done with all of the off-field distractions?

We will find out fast as Michigan State has a difficult schedule on the horizon. The number eight team in the country, Washington, comes to town this weekend, followed by Maryland then a road trip to Iowa before their bye week. Our record could go downhill fast, but can he lead us to victory still?

One thing I do know is Mark Dantonio getting involved is a great thing. He is one of Michigan State’s best and most respected coaches of all time. His presence alone should do wonders for the locker room and will help restore faith in the program.

I don’t know what to expect from this team moving forward. However, maybe having no expectations is OK. Maybe wins and losses shouldn’t matter that much anymore. Maybe our attention should be more on setting the correct standard for the team and restoring faith in our coaching staff and program. Time will tell how this season plays out, but the most important thing is helping our players and staff get through this tough time. I hope Barnett and Dantonio are up for the difficult task in front of them.