ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that players Ja'Den McBurrows and Gemon Green suffered injuries during a post-game tunnel incident following last Saturday night's game against Michigan State.
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker announced Sunday night the immediate and indefinite suspensions of junior Angelo Grose, sophomores Itayvion "Tank" Brown and Khary Crump and freshman Zion Young. All four were involved in the incident with Grose, Brown and Young seen on video recorded by The Detroit News punching and pushing McBurrows.
But the police investigation is ongoing and there could be repercussions, including, Harbaugh said, criminal charges. A video shot by The News Saturday night inside the tunnel is among the videos utilized in the investigation.
A Michigan official confirmed that there are security cameras inside the tunnel as well.
"Right now, we have an ongoing police investigation," Harbaugh said Monday in an opening statement at his weekly news conference. "What happened in the tunnel was egregious. Sickening to watch the videos, the ones that are on social media right now and also the ABC tunnel cam, it's in a higher elevation that shows much more of what took place. Those are sickening to watch.
"There needs to be accountability. There needs to be a full, thorough, timely investigation. I can't imagine that this will not result in criminal charges. The videos are bad. It's clear what transpired. It seems very open and shut. As they say, watch the tape.
"An apology will not get the job done in this instance. There should be serious consequences for the many individuals that are culpable. This has been a very traumatic experience for everybody, especially for Ja'Den and Gemon. We will support them and their families in every possible way."
He said he has not spoken with Tucker since the postgame handshake.
"He has not reached out," Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh was asked what prompted the incident.
"Two of our guys walking up a tunnel, and exactly what the video shows from there," Harbaugh said, before being later asked why McBurrows and Green were not with the team celebrating on the field after the victory. "Again, they were walking up the tunnel exactly how they have each of the last games. Those two players did the same thing the Penn State game, did the same thing the previous games. They go up the tunnel with the other players."
McBurrows was trying to break up the initial incident with Green.
"They've given all their statements to the police," Harbaugh said. "They were walking up the tunnel together, you can see that in the video. Gemon was punched and Ja'Den was trying to help. I'll let the investigation proceed from there."
Harbaugh said he does not give credence to any of the suggestions why this may have happened in the shared tunnel. There is one tunnel that leads to the Michigan Stadium field and the team locker rooms are opposite each other.
"I don't buy any excuse on the rivalry or the tunnel or any other thing that somebody could possibly blame," he said. "These are the actions of these individuals and they need to be accountable for them."
Harbaugh did not offer specifics but said both players "have injuries."
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel spoke briefly in the post-game news conference Saturday night.
"What happened after the game is completely unacceptable," 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."
