Michigan State has named secondary coach Harlon Barnett as the interim head coach to serve in place of Mel Tucker.

Tucker was suspended by the university without pay on Sunday after an investigation into alleged sexual harassment was made public late Saturday evening. Tucker will face a hearing on Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 to determine whether he violated university rules banning sexual harassment and exploitation.

“Harlon Barnett will serve as acting head coach while Mark Dantonio will become an associate head coach,” athletic director Alan Haller said at a news conference on Sunday. “A former Spartan student-athlete with 21 years of coaching experience, including 15 on the spartan sideline, Coach Barnett has an incredible connection to our university and takes incredible pride in being a Spartan.

“He establishes relationships with student-athletes and is focused on their well-being first and foremost.”

Barnett briefly worked with Florida State in 2018 and 2019, but has otherwise been on the Spartan coaching staff since 2007.

Michigan State faces No. 8 Washington at home next Saturday, Sept. 16.

According to a report from USA Today’s Kenny Jacoby, MSU’s Title IX office received a complaint in December of 2022 from Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor and sexual assault prevention educator, alleging that Tucker made sexual comments about her and masturbated during a phone call with her without her consent in April of 2022.

The university hired an outside Title IX attorney to investigate the complaint, and that investigation was concluded in July.