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Michigan State is getting closer to wrapping up an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations that happened when Mel Tucker was still coaching the team. The school received a notice of allegations on April 29 related to violations they self-reported back in August 2023, according to the Division I Infractions dashboard. So far, the NCAA hasn’t shared any specifics about what they found.
Matt Larson, a spokesperson for MSU’s athletic department, told Spartan Tailgate that while the university knows the notice has been issued, they haven’t actually received the document yet. He confirmed these allegations stem from recruiting violations during Tucker’s time — something university president Kevin Guskiewicz first mentioned during an April meeting with the Detroit News.
“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,” Larson explained to Spartan Tailgate. “NCAA rules don’t permit the university to provide any additional details at this time.”
We still don’t know if these violations are considered Level I or Level II infractions — the most serious categories in the NCAA’s rulebook. The Spartans now have 90 days to formally respond to the allegations.
This comes at a challenging time for MSU’s athletic leadership.
The Spartans are currently operating without a permanent athletic director after Alan Haller left earlier this month. For now, legendary basketball coach Tom Izzo and deputy AD Jennifer Smith are sharing the responsibilities as co-interim athletic directors — an unusual arrangement that adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
Tucker’s firing in September 2023 came after activist Brenda Tracy accused him of sexual harassment during her work with the program that began in 2021. This NCAA investigation represents yet another problem from Tucker’s time in East Lansing, where he compiled a 20-14 record over just over three seasons. His 2021 campaign — when the Spartans went 11-2, won the Peach Bowl, and finished in the top 10 — seemed to signal a bright future that never materialized.
Following that breakthrough season, Tucker signed a massive 10-year, $95 million extension that briefly made him among the highest-paid coaches in college football. When he was fired for cause, he forfeited nearly $80 million in guaranteed money that was still owed to him.
Tucker isn’t going quietly, though. He filed a lawsuit against Michigan State in July 2024, claiming he was wrongfully terminated and that the university violated his constitutional rights to due process and equal protection after the sexual harassment allegations surfaced.
