Michigan State Athletic Director Alan Haller wanted to remove former football coach Mel Tucker from the team months before the 2023 season but was prevented from doing so by the school’s administration, according to sources familiar with Haller’s comments to the university’s board of trustees in September.
Haller fired Tucker for cause on Sept. 27, citing, in part, Tucker’s admission to a sexual encounter with a woman hired to speak to the team, sexual assault awareness speaker Brenda Tracy.
Tucker, who had a consensual relationship with Tracy, remained in charge during the investigation, and Haller had sought earlier action.
The university declined to comment on whether administrators discouraged Haller from acting sooner.
Tucker has expressed disappointment with the investigation, calling it “a sham,” and may sue for wrongful termination.
Tracy shared her story after learning someone from Michigan State leaked details of her complaint to a reporter. The university is investigating the leak.