Four Michigan State football players suspended after ganging up on 2 Michigan players after game — clobbering one with a helmet; punching, kicking another in hallway

Michigan State Spartans head coach Mel Tucker made good on a promise to "take swift and appropriate action" after unsportsmanlike conduct turned violent in Ann Arbor on Saturday. Four MSU athletes have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the assaults on Michigan Wolverines players Ja’Den McBurrows and Gemon Green.

On Sunday, Tucker announced that upon reviewing "disturbing electronic evidence collected to date," linebacker Itayvion Brown, cornerback Khary Crump, safety Angelo Grose, and defensive end Zion Young were suspended, "effective immediately."

The four athletes allegedly targeted McBurrows and Green in the Michigan Stadium tunnel after the Spartans' 29-7 defeat in Ann Arbor by the University of Michigan Wolverines.

On Monday, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that Green was the first punched. McBurrows allegedly tried to break it up and was subsequently dragged into the hallway and beaten.

Green's father told ESPN that the family is planning to press charges.

The universities' campus police are presently conducting joint investigations.

Suspensions and apologies

Tucker's statement indicated that MSU was working with law enforcement, Michigan campus leadership, and the Big Ten conference to "evaluate the events in Ann Arbor, including but not limited to, additional student-athlete participation in the altercations and contributing factors. The initial student-athlete suspensions will remain in place until the investigations are completed."

Alan Haller, MSU vice president and director of athletics, also issued a statement Sunday night, writing, "Based on the alarming evidence that Coach Mel Tucker and I have been provided ... we are in alignment that it is necessary to take preliminary action and suspend four football student-athletes.

Haller said the four Spartans' behavior was "both uncharacteristic of our football program and unacceptable."

The incident

In the postgame conference, Harbaugh noted that he had only seen footage of McBurrows' "10-on-1" attack, which he characterized as "pretty, pretty bad."

Footage of the second attack has since been released, showing one Spartans player bludgeoning Gemon Green with a helmet.

Josh Henschke of Maize & Blue Review reported that McBurrows suffered "several contusions upper and lower," while Green suffered bruising.

One video shows several Spartans ganging up on defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows in the Michigan Stadium tunnel, throwing punches and landing kicks and throwing him to the ground:

MSU players appear to pull down McBurrows in another video taken behind police officers at a T-junction in the tunnel:

In a newly released clip, 6-foot Khary Crump appears to use his helmet to swing at Green as the Wolverines player attempted to return to his team's locker room:

WJRT reported that the attacks were preceded by trash talk between members of both teams. It is unclear whether the Wolverines escalated the situation by drawing attention to how they had managed 276 rushing yards over MSU's 37 or had once again taken home the Paul Bunyan trophy.

University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel indicated that Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren was looking into the fight.

Spartans coach Mel Tucker tweeted after the alleged assaults, writing, "Our program has a responsibility to uphold the highest level of sportsmanship. While emotions were very high at the conclusion of our rivalry game at Michigan Stadium, there is no excuse for behavior that puts our team or our opponents at risk."

University of Michigan Deputy Chief of Police Melissa Overton released a statement, indicating that University of Michigan Police were collaborating with MSU Police and investigating the postgame incident.