Michigan State Football

Michigan State redshirt sophomore defensive back Khary Crump has accepted a plea deal stemming from an altercation earlier this season in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium.

Per Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, the 21-year-old "agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor counts of assault/battery and disorderly conduct person-jostling."

Crump had originally faced a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon after he was seen on video swinging his helmet at Michigan defensive back Gemon Green after the Spartans' 29-7 loss to the Wolverines on Oct. 29 as both teams walked to the locker room.

Green was consulted on the plea deal, and Crump was required to write a letter of apology to him as part of the agreement, per Solari.

"This is a step," Crump said in a statement to Solari. "Writing the apology to Gemon was a step. I am taking this step by step. I am working on KJ the man, KJ the student and KJ the athlete. All I can say is stay tuned."

Crump's attorney Mike Nichols told Solari that his client will formally accept the plea deal during a virtual hearing on Jan. 5 and all charges will be dismissed and wiped from his record "once he completes his probation under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act." Nichols added that Crump, who had transferred to Michigan State from Arizona in 2021, doesn't intend to enter the transfer portal this offseason.

"The apology that he wrote to Gemon was heartfelt. … Slowly but surely, he is pulling himself out of a horribly dark place," Nichols said. "I predict that in the end, this kid is going to be one hell of a comeback story."

In addition to Crump, six other Spartans players were charged in two incidents involving Green and fellow Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. All seven of them were suspended by Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker for the final four games of the season.

However, Crump is the only one not to be reinstated, as he still faces an eight-game suspension levied by the Big Ten to start the 2023 season.

The Michigan State Spartans will be without cornerback Khary Crump for eight games during the 2023 campaign due to disciplinary action stemming from the team's altercation with Michigan following the rivals' matchup on Oct. 29.

The Big Ten announced Monday that Crump will be suspended for the eight games in addition to the four games he was already suspended for this season after the contest.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren released a statement following the investigation of the altercation:

"The Big Ten Conference has a standard of excellence both academically and athletically that has been built over 127 years. Our standards require that our student-athletes, coaches and staff members represent the conference, and their member institutions, with the highest level of decorum and sportsmanship. We are taking disciplinary action and will continue to work with our member institutions to strengthen their gameday procedures and ensure our honored traditions."

Crump was the only one who will be punished into next season, as the Big Ten determined that Michigan State's self-imposed suspensions of Itayvion "Tank" Brown, Angelo Grose, Justin White, Jacoby Windmon, Brandon Wright, Zion Young and Malcolm Jones were sufficient.

The Big Ten also fined Michigan State $100,000 and issued a public reprimand to Michigan because it failed to "provide adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving playing arenas" with its single tunnel where the incident occurred.

"The conference determined that during the postgame, seven Michigan State University football student-athletes participated in the hitting, kicking or using of their helmet to strike University of Michigan student-athletes," the Big Ten said.

While the Wolverines won the game with relative ease 29-7, the tunnel altercation made the most headlines. Social media posts captured multiple Spartans players becoming physical with Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows.

"Two of our players were assaulted," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. "I saw on the one video. Ten on one. It was pretty bad. It needs to be investigated."

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker expressed his disappointment in his players' behavior:

https://twitter.com/Coach_mtucker/status/1586708506757021697

As for Crump, he finished his sophomore season with one tackle and one pass defended.

The Spartans will be without him for their first eight games next season when they face Central Michigan, Richmond, Washington, Maryland, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan and Minnesota.

Seven Michigan State players face criminal charges stemming from the postgame altercation with a Michigan player Oct. 29.

Khary Crump was charged with felonious assault, the only felony among the charges. Jacoby Windon was charged with assault and battery, while Itayvion Brown, Angelo Grose, Justin White, Brandon Wright and Zion Young each face one count of aggravated assault.

Several players were captured on video fighting a Michigan player in the tunnel after the Wolverines earned a 29-7 win:

Footage of the scuffling pic.twitter.com/cipLWi5RBS

— Matt Charboneau (@mattcharboneau) October 30, 2022

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh had said he expected criminal charges from the incident, saying there "needs to be accountability."

Grose, Brown, Crump and Young were all suspended by Michigan State shortly after the fight, while White, Windmon, Wright and Malcolm Jones were also suspended a few days later.

Jones is the only one in the group who was not charged.

"I'm extremely saddened by this incident and the unacceptable behavior depicted by members of our football program," Michigan State President Samuel Stanley said in a statement. "On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student-athletes who were injured.

"There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense but should never be violent."

Michigan State ends its regular season Saturday with a road game against Penn State.

The fallout continues from this weekend after multiple Michigan State football players got into a postgame altercation with a Michigan player.

The Spartans announced they have suspended four additional players for their involvement in the altercation: Justin White, Jacoby Windmon, Malcolm Jones and Brandon Wright. The four of them join Angelo Grose, Itayvion Brown, Khary Crump and Zion Young, who were suspended Sunday.

Michigan State's announcement, which was jointly made by director of athletics Alan Haller and head coach Mel Tucker, stated that the suspensions were decided upon as university officials "continue to gather and review electronic evidence of the altercations." The university is also working with law enforcement and the Big Ten conference "to evaluate additional facts and evidence surrounding the events" that took place Saturday.

As Larry Lage of the Associated Press detailed, a fight broke out in the Michigan Stadium tunnel after the Wolverines' 29-7 win, and videos surfaced on social media showing multiple Spartans players "pushing, punching and kicking" Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. His teammate and fellow defensive back Gemon Green was also seen on video surrounded by police and yelling toward Michigan State players.

"Two of our players were assaulted," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I saw on the one video. Ten-on-one. It was pretty bad. It needs to be investigated."

Tucker said in a statement on Twitter that there was "no excuse" for the actions of Michigan State players. The university's president, Samuel Stanley, also addressed the matter.

"I'm extremely saddened by this incident and the unacceptable behavior depicted by members of our football program," Stanley said. "On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student-athletes who were injured. There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense but should never be violent."

Michigan State fell to 3-5 with Saturday's loss, and things won't get easier this week, as the team will be massively short-handed in a road matchup against the Illinois Illini, who are 7-1.

Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh said he expects criminal charges after police complete an investigation into an alleged attack by Michigan State players on U-M players after Saturday night's rivalry game.

"I don't accept any excuses," Harbaugh told reporters Monday in regards to questions about what led up to the altercation.

For those who wonder, yes, there are plenty of security cameras in the stadium tunnel that are being reviewed by police.

— Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) October 31, 2022

Spartans head coach Mel Tucker suspended four players Sunday—linebacker Tank Brown, cornerback Khary Crump, safety Angelo Grose and defensive end Zion Young—after reviewing what he called "disturbing electronic evidence" of the situation.

Video obtained by the Detroit News on Saturday showed a group of Michigan State players surrounding Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrow. A source told the Detroit News that U-M defensive back Gemon Green was also part of the altercation.

"What happened after the game is completely unacceptable," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. "This is not how we should interact after a game. This is not the way another team should grab a player and do what they did. It's completely and totally unacceptable. This is not what a rivalry should be about, not how it should be remembered. For that to happen is unacceptable."

Manuel added police are "addressing" the situation, and the school is leaving it in their hands.

University of Michigan Deputy Chief of Police Melissa Overton released this statement on the incident with Michigan State in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium. pic.twitter.com/zwGqAkWXDU

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) October 30, 2022

Saturday's game took place at Michigan Stadium, home of the Wolverines. U-M scored a 29-7 win to remain undefeated at 8-0.

The postgame altercation has overshadowed the contest, however, and Harbaugh said Monday it seems like a "very, very open-and-shut" case.

"Right now, we have an ongoing police investigation. What happened in the tunnel was egregious," Harbaugh said. "It's sickening to watch the videos, the ones that are on social media right now, and also the ABC tunnel cam that's in a higher elevation and shows much more of what took place."

He added both U-M players involved suffered injuries and stated Green's status for Saturday's road game against Rutgers is uncertain.

"It's been a challenge. It's been traumatic," Harbaugh said. "But we're in it right now. So, we'll face the challenge head on and support our players in every way possible."

Michigan State, which stands at 3-5 after Saturday's loss, is also back in action Saturday, facing another road test against No. 14 Illinois.

The Michigan State Spartans lost more than just Saturday's game against the archrival Michigan Wolverines.

The postgame altercation between a number of Spartans and far fewer Wolverines made headlines, and Michigan State announced it suspended safety Angelo Grose, linebacker Itayvion Brown, cornerback Khary Crump and defensive end Zion Young.

Michigan State's announcement said it decided on the punishments "after reviewing the disturbing electronic evidence collected." It also said it is working with law enforcement to review the situation.

As Larry Lage of the Associated Press noted, the scuffle happened in the tunnel after the game, with social media posts capturing multiple Spartans getting physical with Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. It's unclear at the moment what led to the altercation.

"I'm extremely saddened by this incident and the unacceptable behavior depicted by members of our football program," Michigan State president Samuel Stanley said. "On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student athletes who were injured.

"There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense but should never be violent."

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker tweeted that there was "no excuse" for the incident:

https://twitter.com/Coach_mtucker/status/1586708504739549184

"Two of our players were assaulted," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I saw on the one video. Ten-on-one. It was pretty bad. It needs to be investigated."

Michigan State's announcement said the investigation is still ongoing even though it decided on the four suspensions.

The Spartans are 3-5 on the season and one of the most disappointing teams in the country after they went 11-2 last season and won the Peach Bowl against Pittsburgh. Next up is a road trip to face the 7-1 Illinois Fighting Illini, and they will presumably be without those players.

Grose is the most notable of the players who may be missing, as he has 53 tackles and four passes defended on the season. Young has 21 tackles and one sack.

The Michigan State Spartans defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers 31-21 in the 2021 Peach Bowl on Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to close out the season with an 11-2 record, the program's best finish since 2015. 

The Spartans finished third in the Big Ten East Division to earn their first bowl appearance since 2019, when they defeated Wake Forest in the Pinstripe Bowl. 

Michigan State's performance on Thursday was impressive, especially because the team was without star running back Kenneth Walker III, who opted out to prepare for the 2022 NFL draft. 

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Notable Stats

Payton Thorne, QB, MSU: 29/50 for 354 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT and 10 CAR for 4 YDS

Davis Beville, QB, PITT: 14/18 for 149 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT 

Jayden Reed, WR, MSU: 6 REC for 80 YDS, 2 TD

Jordan Addison, WR, PITT: 7 REC for 114 YDS

Jalen Nailor, WR, MSU: 6 REC for 108 YDS

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Late Push From MSU Seals Win Despite Poor Rushing Performance

Obviously, replacing Walker is no easy task. The Walter Camp and Doak Walker Award winner finished with 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground in his first season with the Spartans after transferring from Wake Forest. 

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker even acknowledged that it would be challenging to replace Walker while meeting with reporters earlier this week.

"It's hard to replace a guy like Ken, you really can't do that, but we have other players obviously on our roster at that position that are going to be next man up and they're going to step up and get the job done," Tucker said. "We have a plan for that, and I feel really good about our run game right now in our preparation."

Walker averaged 137.2 yards per game this season. The Spartans opted to give Jordon Simmons most of his workload on Thursday, and it didn't work out so well. 

Simmons finished the game with just 23 yards on 16 carries. As a whole, the MSU offense finished with just 56 rushing yards, which is far lower than the 185.6 yards on the ground they were averaging entering the Peach Bowl. 

Despite Simmons' underwhelming performance, fans should look forward to seeing him as the team's top running back in 2022. He entered the Peach Bowl with 54 carries for 255 yards, in addition to six receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown.

Simmons also led Michigan State in rushing last year and proved he could be a top running back earlier this season when he rushed for 121 yards against Youngstown State in September. 

Despite the poor rushing performance, Payton Thorne got the job done under center, leading two late touchdown drives to capture the win. Receivers Jalen Nailor and Jayden Reed, who finished with a combined 188 yards, were also instrumental in the win. 

Jayden Reed climbed the ladder AND rocked the baby 👶 pic.twitter.com/s2vETumzPL

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 31, 2021

It should also be noted that Tucker agreed to a 10-year, $95 million contract earlier this season to continue serving as MSU's head coach. He's been a big reason the Spartans turned things around in 2021, and he'll only continue to have a positive impact on the program moving forward. 

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Pittsburgh Defense Comes Up Big, but Offense Falters Without Pickett

For Pittsburgh, Thursday's Peach Bowl was supposed to be all about junior quarterback Nick Patti, who has sat behind Pickett throughout his college career.

However, Patti exited in the first frame after rushing for a 16-yard touchdown with 7:57 left in the quarter. He went to the sideline and was taken to the locker room by Pittsburgh's medical staff.

Patti later emerged from the locker room with his jersey off and his left arm in a sling, signaling that he was done for the night. Sophomore quarterback Davis Beville was then thrust into the starting lineup.

Not much was expected from the third-string quarterback, and he didn't do enough under center. He completed 14 of 18 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown and one late, costly interception.

Pittsburgh's top receiver Jordan Addison had seven catches for 114 yards and no touchdowns. Entering Thursday night, Addison was averaging 113.8 yards per game. It was his second straight game without a touchdown catch.

The big reason the Panthers were even in Thursday's game was because of their defense.

The Spartans were controlling play through much of the first half until Panthers defensive back Brandon Hill picked off MSU quarterback Payton Thorne with 2:03 remaining in the second quarter.

DUNK ON THEM @BrandonHill_6 🔥 @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/JV8LwGog5K

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) December 31, 2021

The Panthers turned that pick into a touchdown when Beville hit wide receiver Jared Wayne for a four-yard score just before halftime. That score helped give Pittsburgh a 14-10 lead.

.@DBthaQB11 ➡️ @jwayne_ 🎯@Pitt_FB takes the lead before half 😤 pic.twitter.com/mUEnKZD16q

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) December 31, 2021

The Spartans got the ball to start the second half, but the Pittsburgh defense forced Thorne into another costly turnover when defensive lineman John Morgan III recovered a fumble for a touchdown to help give the Panthers a 21-10 lead.

"BING BONG"

Pitt's defense adds a score of its own 💪 pic.twitter.com/sY4Q019L5d

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 31, 2021

The Panthers held the Spartans scoreless in the third quarter, but the defense eventually ran out of gas, allowing two four-quarter TDs.

In terms of the quarterback position, the Panthers are still in a good spot for 2022 after receiving a commitment from Kedon Slovis, who announced he would be transferring to Pittsburgh from USC earlier this month. 

"I was so excited when Coach Narduzzi called, because I knew that Pitt and this program were the right fit for me to keep developing into the best leader I can be," Slovis wrote in a piece for The Players' Tribune. "I'm ready to win now — and talking to the players who are returning, and seeing how hungry they are for next season, that got me pumped. They have a lot of talented players coming back. And, man … getting to throw the ball to the guy who just won the Biletnikoff?? That's something you don't pass up. The culture and identity that Coach Narduzzi has created is everything I want to be a part of."

Michigan State star Kenneth Walker III is turning pro coming off a breakout 2021 season. 

Walker announced on Twitter he will skip the Peach Bowl and begin preparing for the 2022 NFL draft. 

💚🤍 pic.twitter.com/Mjnt3axKqV

— 𝒦ℰ𝒩𝒩ℰ𝒯ℋ 𝒲𝒜ℒ𝒦ℰℛ ℐℐℐ🤍 (@Kenneth_Walker9) December 16, 2021

Spartans head coach Mel Tucker posted a farewell message to Walker on Twitter following the running back's announcement:

https://twitter.com/Coach_mtucker/status/1471573562922254336

Walker began his college career at Wake Forest, where he played from 2019-20. He was the No. 3 running back as a freshman, behind quarterback Jamie Newman, who led the team in carries, and Cade Carney. 

Despite only carrying the ball 98 times, Walker racked up 579 yards on the ground and scored four touchdowns. He continued to play at a high level in 2020 with 579 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 119 attempts in seven games. 

After entering the transfer portal in January, Walker announced he would be attending Michigan State. The Spartans only had two rushing touchdowns for the entire 2020 season. 

Walker turned into arguably the best running back in the nation in 2021. He ran for 1,646 yards and 18 touchdowns on 264 attempts in 12 games. The 21-year-old won the Walter Camp Award, Doak Walker Award and was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year. 

He also finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. The Spartans posted their first 10-win season since 2017 with Walker leading the offense. 

B/R's latest big board for the 2022 draft has Walker ranked as the top running back and No. 23 overall player in the class. 

Michigan State will take on ACC champion Pitt without Walker in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.     

Tate Myre, who was killed in the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan on Nov. 30, will be an honorary member of the Michigan State Spartans' football recruiting class. 

Head coach Mel Tucker announced on Wednesday that Myre will be included in the Spartans' 2022 class. 

We would like to welcome Tate Myre as an honorary Spartan Dawg to our #Proce22Driven class 💚 #SD4L #OxfordStrong pic.twitter.com/QD64s0HKnP

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 15, 2021

Myre was among four students killed. Six other students were injured in the attack. 

Per Sarah Rahal of the Detroit News, Myre played tight end and running back for the football team and hoped to play in college at Michigan State, Grand Valley State, Wayne State or Texas A&M. 

It is with great grief that one of the victims of the tragic event at OHS today was one of our own, Tate Myre. Tate was on varsity since his freshman year and was an honor student. Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all. You will be missed, Tate 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/AKJCH1UWBG

— Oxford Football (@OxfordFBall) December 1, 2021

Per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Myre was a 2023 football recruit and had taken a recruiting visit to Toledo days before the shooting. 

Several Michigan-based sports teams honored the victims of the shooting. The University of Michigan football team wore a jersey patch during the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa.

The Detroit Lions had special decals on their helmets and wore custom T-shirts and hats for their Dec. 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings, in addition to holding a moment of silence. 

Myre received a regional award from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association in February.