Mel Tucker, the Michigan State head football coach, has been suspended without pay for allegedly sexually harassing a colleague.

Tucker, one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, is accused of sexually harassing Brenda Tracy, a prominent sexual assault prevention advocate who has made educating athletes about sexual violence her life’s work.

In a December complaint filed to the Michigan State Title IX office, Tracy claims that Tucker made sexual comments toward her and masturbated for several minutes during a phone call on April 28, 2022. 

Tracy was sexually assaulted by four men — two Oregon State University football players, a junior college player, and a high school recruiter. Tucker hired Tracy to speak to the Spartans football team about sexual assault awareness in August 2021.

Tucker adamantly denied claims that he sexually harassed Tracy in a statement Monday and called an upcoming hearing about the claims “a sham.”

Tucker said he developed an “intimate, adult relationship” with Tracy and that her claims that he harassed her are “completely false.” 

He said an upcoming hearing to assess whether he violated university policy is “ridiculously flawed and not designed to arrive at the truth.”  

Tucker said that Tracy did not object during the April 2022 phone call when he masturbated and that she did not cut off her relationship with him or the football program afterward. 

In November 2021, Tucker agreed to a 10-year, $95 million contract with Michigan State, which secured the coach after interest in him had emerged from several prominent programs. 

Hours later, Tracy posted a response on social media, referring to an acronym, DARVO, that stands for “deny, attack and reverse victim and offender.”

“This is just more of the same DARVO, deflection, victim blaming, and lies that I’ve been dealing with now for months. Coach Tucker has been delaying and trying to stop the investigative process since the beginning. He can’t afford to go to a hearing that determines the credibility of the participating parties,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“I believe this statement is his way of getting out of participating in the hearing.” 

Recently, Mickey Joseph, Nebrask’s interim football coach for nine games this season who was charged with felony assault, is no longer part of the Cornhuskers’ program, the athletic department announced Friday.