Memphis Has a Short List

Larry Porter, Rick Stockstill, Terry Bowden, Gunter Brewer and Bud Foster — have emerged as leading candidates to become the next University of Memphis football coach, according to sources close to the process. But Tigers athletic director R.C. Johnson, who would only confirm he had pared a list of 50 considerably, said no candidates have been interviewed to replace Tommy West, who was dismissed Monday after nine seasons as UofM coach. West, 55, will coach through the end of the season. ”There are an awful lot of people out there who are pretty excited about this job,” Johnson said. – Commercial-Appeal

VIDEO: Tommy West Slams Memphis

Memphis denies reports of buyout for Memphis coach Tommy West

University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said today that multiple reports of a buyout of ninth-year coach Tommy West’s contract “are absolutely untrue.”… West’s Memphis-based agent, Jimmy Sexton, also said there was “no truth” to the reports of a buyout. “I don’t know where that stuff comes from,” Sexton said. West’s contract runs through 2012, and the buyout would be roughly $3 million. In nine seasons at the U of M, West is 48-54. He has taken the program to five bowl games in the past six seasons. – Commercial-Appeal

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson says it’s “absolutely untrue” that coach Tommy West has taken a buyout. Johnson released the statement Thursday afternoon after several reports surfaced that West had agreed to a buyout of his contract, which runs through next year. West has a 48-54 overall record is in his nine years as head coach of Memphis and has taken the Tigers to five bowl games. The Tigers have opened with a 1-3 record for a fourth straight year. They have finished with at least six wins during the past two seasons. – WREG

Tommy West Era Likely Over in Memphis

Explain why it’s well past time for the guy to be fired. And I could do that, I suppose. There’s no shortage of material. But after a game like Saturday’s, it almost feels like piling on. This is over, isn’t it? It has to be over. After nine seasons and a lot of good memories, the Tommy West era at Memphis will end after this year. It gives me no pleasure to write this, but it’s not some great mystery. West has lost five of his last six games against teams from the Sun Belt Conference. He has abandoned many of the things he believed in to recruit players who were kicked off other teams. And Saturday, before a crowd of maybe 12,000, his Tigers lost to a lousy Marshall team, 27-16, in what could be the last game of the year they’ll be favored to win. – Commercial-Appeal

Memphis Tigers on fifth defensive coordinator since 2006

Since 2006, they’ve taken defensive instructions from Joe Lee Dunn, Tommy West, Rick Kravitz, Tim Walton and Kenny Ingram. Five different coordinators in four seasons. While some programs operate years without changing defensive coordinators, the Tigers are in the midst of an unprecedented revolving door. Dunn was dismissed early in the 2006 season and replaced on an interim basis by head coach West. Kravitz spent one year at the UofM before being replaced by former Tiger defensive assistant Tim Walton. When Walton left after last season for the NFL’s Detroit Lions, West decided to stay in-house and promote Ingram, who joined the Tigers in 2006 as a defensive assistant. ”It’s hard on the players because each (coordinator) wants something different,” West said. ”Each guy kind of has his own agenda. ”That’s the reason I wanted to stay inside. I wanted to try and keep some consistency in it. Every time you change, it sets you back.” – Commercial-Appeal