EAST LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – On the eve of his termination proceedings, suspended MSU head football coach Mel Tucker and his attorney released a 12-page document that attempts to spell out why MSU does not have cause to fire the coach from his 10-year, $95 million contract over sexual harassment allegations.

Upon being suspended from his coaching duties without pay two weeks ago, Tucker first claimed racism, then cited a “serious medical condition.” MSU announced it suspended Tucker after a USA Today story reported that he engaged in nonconsensual phone sex with a rape survivor and masturbated while on the phone with her. Tucker claims it was consensual.

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The claimant, Brenda Tracy, is the founder of Set the Expectation. Her organization was tasked with helping change the culture at MSU after the fallout from the Larry Nassar scandal.  Both Tracy and Tucker acknowledge they struck up a friendship that turned flirtatious, but that relationship changed course after the phone call in April 2022. Tracy filed a complaint in December 2022 and MSU started its investigation. It concluded its investigation on July 25 and recommended that Tucker be present at a hearing on October 5 during a “by-week.”

In the documents released on Monday, Tucker’s attorney claims that the football coach “fully cooperated with the investigation” and that “only after  Ms. Tracy (and potentially others) leaked the 1200-page confidential investigation file to the national press, did the University suddenly decide this same information warrants termination. The University is punishing Tucker for its failure to abide by its own confidentiality rules and for Ms. Tracy’s leak,” the document said. Tucker’s attorney also claimed, “Tucker did not breach the Agreement in any capacity, much less a material one. He did not engage in unprofessional or unethical behavior or ‘moral turpitude.’”

Last week, MSU Athletic Director Alan Haller announced the university’s intent to start termination proceedings with Tucker.

The entire document can be read here.