Report: Michigan State football accused of filming opponent’s practice session

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio recently stepped down abruptly, and then the Spartans hired Mel Tucker as their new coach.

Former Michigan State staffer Curtis Blackwell made a series of allegations about Dantonio around that time, and now more details are coming out.

According to ESPN reporter Dan Murphy, one claim Blackwell made said the Spartans secretly taped an opponent’s practice before a game:

A new state lawsuit filed by Curtis Blackwell alleges (among other things) that Michigan State secretly taped practices of a future opponent in a different state before a game. Story coming soon.

— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) March 10, 2020

Blackwell's claims against Dantonio include the following: pic.twitter.com/tDoR55Vjsc

— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) March 10, 2020

Here’s more from Murphy’s report:

Blackwell says in the lawsuit that the Spartans illegally and secretly taped the practices of an opposing team. Blackwell also said Dantonio required him to do things that violated NCAA rules, including visiting recruits’ homes, soliciting improper benefits for family members of recruits and tampering by contacting players enrolled at other NCAA schools to recruit them. In the lawsuit, Blackwell said his objections to these actions were part of the reason that his contract with Michigan State was not renewed in May 2017.

That’s obviously a very serious allegation, and the taping of opponents’ practices is one that cost the New England Patriots of the NFL dearly a few years ago. We’ll see what happens next in this case, but the Michigan State program is certainly in turmoil right now as Tucker prepares for his first year at the helm of the program.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.