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Michigan State fired former football coach Mel Tucker for cause Sept. 27.
While the university hopes to be off the hook for the remaining $80 million of the guaranteed 10-year contract extension Tucker signed in late 2021, the school still had to pay buyouts for its other outgoing coaches.
MSU paid more than $3.3 million in January to 10 former assistant coaches, including interim head coach Harlon Barnett, according to documents obtained by the Free Press through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker looks on during the second quarter of the 45-14 win against Richmond on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
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That is on top of the $3 million buyout paid to Oregon State after MSU hired new head coach Jonathan Smith. The school also paid buyouts of $50,000 apiece for six of his former assistant coaches with the Beavers who followed Smith to East Lansing, a total of $300,000. MSU also paid Minnesota $330,000 to hire new Spartans defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, bringing the total cost of total buyouts paid for old and new staff to nearly $7 million since Smith’s hiring Nov. 25.
The biggest payout went to former offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, who received a nearly $1.1 million buyout. Johnson took the same coaching role with Wyoming on Jan. 4. Former defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton received the second-highest buyout of more than $800,000.
Michigan State’s offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, center, walks among the players during the opening day of MSU’s football fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in East Lansing.
Barnett, who last week was reportedly hired as the defensive backs coach at Northwestern, received more than $600,000 from MSU in…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-football-paid-3-111244212.html
Author : Detroit Free Press
Publish date : 2024-02-12 11:12:44
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