Several Michigan State football players have been suspended after video showed them beating up a football player from rival Michigan over the weekend while the teams played in Ann Arbor.
The Michigan State Spartans announced that they have suspended multiple players for an alleged violent assault that occurred in the tunnel at Michigan’s stadium after the game ended. Michigan dominated Michigan State 29-7.
“Based on the alarming evidence that Coach Mel Tucker and I have been provided involving a small number of our football student-athletes and University of Michigan student-athletes at Michigan Stadium, we are in alignment that it is necessary to take preliminary action and suspend four football student-athletes,” Alan Haller, MSU Vice President & Director of Athletics, said in a statement. “The behavior we reviewed was both uncharacteristic of our football program and unacceptable.”
Haller said that they were sorry for the incident and that they were working with law enforcement as they conduct an investigation into the attack. He said that they were working to “ensure this type of behavior never happens again.”
The team suspended student-athletes Tank Brown, Khary Crump, Angelo Grose, Zion Young, Malcolm Jones, Justin White, Jacoby Windmon, and Brandon Wright.
“The suspensions are effective immediately,” a separate statement said. “We are transparently working with law enforcement and the Big Ten Conference to evaluate additional facts and evidence surrounding the events in Ann Arbor. We will continue to take appropriate action in this matter as we learn more. The student-athlete suspensions will remain in place until the investigations are completed.”
Video showed Michigan State players allegedly pushing, hitting, and throwing around a Michigan player wearing No. 1, which appears to be sophomore defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows.
One of the videos appeared to show a Michigan State player using his helmet as a weapon as it was used to strike the Michigan player near the head.
Footage of the scuffling pic.twitter.com/cipLWi5RBS
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) October 30, 2022
I’ll never forget the day Michigan State fans defended their team jumping Michigan players and using their helmets as weapons because the Michigan players went back to their locker room early.
Wild. pic.twitter.com/zrN5Ea0yji
— Jack McGuire (@JackMacCFB) October 30, 2022
— Kyle Austin (@kylebaustin) October 30, 2022
A little more footage. Mel Tucker in there trying to get his players to the locker room pic.twitter.com/V7FIqzNArf
— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) October 30, 2022
ESPN captured tunnel video of the Michigan State incident with Michigan after the game on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/Woq3UDl8Xj
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 31, 2022
“The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, personnel, and the Spartan community remain our number one priority,” Michigan State Head Coach Mel Tucker said in an initial statement. “You have my promise that we are committed to fairness, transparency, and accountability, and that we will continue to take appropriate action in this matter. Our core values and the responsibility that comes with wearing a State green and white jersey must never be compromised.”
During a press conference, Tucker said the school was “deeply sorry” for the incident and claimed that it did not “represent our culture.”
