Michigan State football officially moving on from Mel Tucker

After a tumultuous week, Michigan State football has officially served Mel Tucker with termination papers.

In what is probably the least surprising news you’ll hear today, MSU athletic director Alan Haller announced that he informed Mel Tucker of a notice to terminate him with cause.

The move has been expected since last weekend. That is when news broke that the Michigan State football coach was under investigation for allegedly sexually harassing Brenda Tracy. Free Press writer Chris Solari first reported the news on Monday.

MSU tells football coach Mel Tucker it plans to fire him for cause per the university. pic.twitter.com/dOim17krgR

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) September 18, 2023

Haller’s statement said, “I, with the support of the administration and board, have provided Mel Tucker with written notice of intent to terminate his contract with cause.” Haller later stated that the action “does not conclude the ongoing Office for Civil Rights case” and “that rigorous process will continue.”

In Haller’s letter, he mentions that Coach Tucker was in violation of the “Early Termination Provisions” stating:

• Coach materially breached this agreement
• The coach engaged in “any conduct which constitutes the moral turpitude or which in the University’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt, or ridicule upon the university.”

MSU notifying Mel Tucker of having cause to fire him will presumably get them out of paying the vast majority, if not all, of his remaining contract. Mel signed his now-infamous 10-year, $95 million extension in October of last year. He is owed approximately $75 million of that deal. With cause to fire, however, MSU is expected to no longer be liable to pay that.

According to the press release, Mel has seven calendar days to notify the university of any response. He will have to then provide reasons he may have not to be terminated.

The saga is far from over. The Office of Civil Rights investigation hearing is still slated for Oct. 5-6. Once Mel is officially terminated, MSU will be what is potentially the most important coaching search in program history.

Stay with us here at Spartan Shadows as more news breaks regarding this process.