Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker announced that four of his players will be suspended for their parts in brawls that took players after their loss to the University of Michigan on Saturday.
Tucker said that “after reviewing the disturbing electronic evidence collected to date of the altercations between Michigan State and the University of Michigan student-athletes,” he had no choice but to take disciplinary action.
Tucker has suspended Tank Brown, Chary Crump, Angelo Grose, and Zion Young following their actions.
“We are currently working with law enforcement, Michigan State, and Michigan campus leadership, and the Big Ten Conference to further evaluate the events in Ann Arbor,” said Tucker.
All four of these players have seen game action, with Grose being the starting safety for the Spartans’ defense.
The length of the suspensions was not announced at the press conference and neither were the exact reasons for the dolling them out.
Many social media videos detailed the nasty events that happened on Saturday night, and Tucker undoubtedly felt that some actions must be taken.
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In videos, Spartans players ganged up on Michigan player Ja’Den McBurrows in the tunnel, in what appeared to be a ten-against-one fight.
The players were seen kicking and shoving McBurrows.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said that two of his players were attacked on Saturday by the Spartans.
“Two of our players were assaulted,” Harbaugh said. “I saw on the one video. Ten-on-one. It was pretty bad. It needs to be investigated.”
In this video shared by Barstool Sports, it is clear that this altercation goes way beyond what may be acceptable in a sporting event.
This was an inexcusable beatdown and a pathetic show of sportsmanship.
1 Michigan Wolverine vs an entire army of Spartans. Who you got?!? pic.twitter.com/0bxR5hFcPy
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 30, 2022
The second video is even more violent, showing Spartans players swinging a helmet at the head of an injured Michigan player, who is trying desperately to escape.
The 2nd Jumping harbaugh was referring to
Just kick them all off or suspend them pic.twitter.com/SWooBiVTLo
— GBP (@GoBluePoole) October 30, 2022
According to the University of Michigan Deputy Chief of Police Melissa Overton, Michigan State police have begun conducting an investigation into the events.
“Situations like these, and the safety of the community, are taken very seriously,” said Overton.
Brawls occur every once in a while in college football, especially in rivalry games like this where tensions run high.
In this instance, however, the administrators are drawing a clear line and going after players who seek to injure opponents who are off the field.
Many are saying that this issue may not be a sports issue at all, but rather a criminal issue with assault charges being mentioned for those Michigan State players who attacked their rivals with helmets.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel was also disgusted by those videos.
“What happened after the game was completely unacceptable,” said Manuel. “I talked to the commissioner. He’s looking into it. The police is looking into it because they’ve seen the video. This is not how we should interact after the game… This is not what the rivalry should be about. It should not be how it is remembered.”
By: Goose