Report: Pat Narduzzi, Mike Elko Among Candidates to Replace Mel Tucker as MSU HC

The Michigan State Spartans have identified a number of head coaching targets in the wake of firing Mel Tucker for cause this week, which include Duke head coach Mike Elko, Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos, LSU defensive coordinator Matt House, Marshall head coach Charles Huff, Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network.

Meanwhile, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported that Washington State head coach Jake Dickert and Kansas head coach Lance Leipold are currently the "top candidates" for Michigan State.

Feldman also listed Elko, Huff, House, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck, Tulane head coach Willie Fritz, Toledo head coach Jason Candle, South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis, Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and Michigan State's current interim head coach, Harlon Barnett, as possible candidates.

Barnett is probably a long shot after two straight blowout losses and a schedule that still features tough matchups against Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.

Michigan State went just 20-14 under Tucker across the past three-plus seasons. He was fired with cause this past week after sexual assault awareness speaker Brenda Tracy accused him of sexual misconduct, which included him allegedly masturbating without her consent during a phone call.

"The conversations Tucker had with Ms. Tracy regarding her appearance, flirtation, and phone sex, occurred exclusively in their private lives, unrelated to either Tucker's work or her work, and were entirely consensual," Tucker's lawyers wrote in a letter on Monday in response to the termination notice.

Michigan State said it fired Tucker for cause—which would rid the school of any obligation to pay the remaining $79 million on his contract—due to his "admitted and undisputed behaviors which have brought public disrespect, contempt and ridicule upon the university; and constitute a material breach of his agreement, and moral turpitude."