ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Seven Michigan State football players have been charged in the postgame melee in Michigan Stadium’s tunnel last month, according to a statement Wednesday from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office.
The most serious charge is against cornerback Khary Crump, who faces a felony count of felonious assault. The charges against the six others are misdemeanors. Linebacker Itayvion “Tank” Brown, safety Angelo Grose, cornerback Justin White, and defensive ends Brandon Wright and Zion Young are each charged with one count of aggravated assault, and linebacker Jacoby Windmon faces one count of assault and battery.
No Michigan players are facing charges, which were announced ahead of the final regular-season games. No. 3 Michigan plays rival No. 2 Ohio State on the road Saturday with the Big Ten East Division title at stake. A few hours later, the Spartans close the season out at No. 11 Penn State, needing a win to become bowl eligible.
Scuffles broke out in the Michigan Stadium tunnel Oct. 29 after the then-No. 4 Wolverines beat the Spartans, 29-7. Social media posts showed Michigan State players pushing, punching and kicking Michigan’s Ja’Den McBurrows in and near a hallway that doesn’t lead to either locker room. Brown, Grose and Young are seen on video getting physical with McBurrows.
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McBurrows and defensive back Gemon Green went up the tunnel, walking alongside the Spartans, after the game while much of Michigan’s team was waving them off the field after beating their in-state rivals for the first time in three years.
Green, in another post, is surrounded by police while shouting across the tunnel at Michigan State players.
Crump in one video appears to swing his helmet at a Michigan player. That could account for the more serious charge, which carries a maximum of four years in prison. The state law describes felonious assault as an attack “using knife, iron bar, club, brass knuckles or other dangerous weapon without intending to commit murder or to inflict great bodily harm.”
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ESPN captured tunnel video of the Michigan State incident with Michigan after the game on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/Woq3UDl8Xj
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 31, 2022
A conviction for a misdemeanor count of assault carries a prison term of up to one year, while misdemeanor assault and battery carries a maximum sentence 93 days behind bars.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has said one of the players, whom he did not identify, might have had a broken nose. He also said Green was punched by a Spartans player and McBurrows was attacked when he tried to help.
After the Oct. 29 incident, Michigan State president Samuel Stanley publicly apologized for the “violent” skirmish.