Big Ten issues Michigan State largest-ever $100K fine for Michigan Stadium tunnel incident

The Big Ten has come down hard on Michigan State, issuing the university the largest fine the conference has ever handed out in wake of the postgame altercation at Michigan on Oct. 29.

In an announcement released on Monday afternoon, more than four weeks after the incident, the Big Ten revealed it had levied a $100,000 fine against Michigan State.

“The Big Ten Conference has a standard of excellence both academically and athletically that has been built over 127 years,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “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.”

The Big Ten also extended the suspension of redshirt sophomore Khary Crump another eight games on top of the four he’s already served. Crump was seen in a video swinging his helmet at a Michigan player and last week was charged with one count of felonious assault.

Six other players including redshirt sophomore Itayvion Brown, junior Angelo Grose, redshirt junior Justin White, senior Brandon Wright, freshman Zion Young and senior Jacoby Windmon were charged with one count of aggravated assault and were suspended for the final four games of the season. The Big Ten declared those punishments to be sufficient and added no further penalty.

Michigan State also announced Monday that Brown, Grose, White, Windmon, Wright and Young will be immediately reinstated.

An eighth player, freshman Malcolm Jones, served a three-game suspension and was not charged. He was reinstated to the team last week before Michigan State played Penn State.

A joint statement from Tucker and Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller read: "We accept the findings from the Big Ten Conference and are ready to move forward as a football program. We are committed to supporting our student-athletes and will continue to do so throughout this process."

A Michigan State football staff member was also involved in a separate sportsmanship incident after the game, which the Big Ten said was in violation of the conference's sportsmanship policy. That staff member, according to a source, is no longer with the program.

The Big Ten also issued a public reprimand to Michigan saying the university did not meet the standards of the Big Ten Conference Football Game Management Manual policy. The policy requires the conference member institution game host to provide adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving playing arenas.

"On behalf of the University of Michigan and our athletic department, I appreciate the thoroughness with which the Big Ten Conference and Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office have approached this matter in response to the October 29 football game vs. Michigan State University," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement Monday. "We remain focused on providing the safest possible gameday environment for all participants and attendees, which includes public spaces at Michigan Stadium and around the locker rooms. 

"We accept the Big Ten Conference’s findings in full. The conference office’s reprimand of U-M was in response to a fan making physical contact with the MSU coach — which is wholly unacceptable. The offender was quickly identified and swiftly ejected from the Stadium by our Event Team. In addition, to reduce the possibility of future incidents, we proactively implemented changes ahead of our final home game by increasing security personnel in areas around the playing surface. Security and procedural reviews will remain a constant focal point of future event planning and reviews.  I remain grateful for and proud of our student-athletes, Jim (Harbaugh), our coaches and medical staff for how they conducted themselves during and immediately following the contest. Their care for our two injured student-athletes and concern for one another under stressful circumstances speak volumes for their collective character. "

More: Big Ten punishment for tunnel incident draws Tom Izzo's ire: 'I'm not happy with it'

The penalties stem from the moments after Michigan’s 29-7 victory over Michigan State on Oct. 29. As Michigan State’s players headed up the tunnel to their locker room, two separate altercations broke out. One included Crump, as an ABC video released several days after the game showed him swinging his helmet at Michigan’s Gemon Green. Michigan State’s Windmon also appears to be involved in the altercation with Green.

In another video published by The News, Michigan’s Ja’Den McBurrows is seen being thrown to the floor as Brown, Grose and Young appear to be punching and kicking McBurrows, before he jumps back to his feet.

Within two days, Tucker had suspended eight players and the University of Michigan Police were in the midst of the investigation. By Nov. 12, the investigation was complete and had been handed over to the prosecutor, at which point, the Big Ten began its review. The conference said on Monday it deferred its findings and disciplinary action "to respect the integrity of the investigation by the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security."

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau