Athletic director Tom Bowen says the University of Memphis will move quickly on a replacement.
Missouri coordinator has history at Memphis
The University of Memphis officially began looking for a new head football coach Sunday afternoon, and its search has focused on Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom, according to a source.
Odom held the same position at Memphis the previous three seasons and would provide a sense of continuity following Justin Fuente’s departure for Vir-
ginia Tech, which was announced Sunday.
Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen said no official offer had been made to any candidate.
At a press conference Sunday afternoon, he said the university will move quickly, given the timing of the change. Sunday marked the beginning of a live recruiting period for Football Bowl Subdivision schools, a stretch during which coaches may meet in person with potential recruits. That period ends Dec. 14.
“Urgency is a priority, but it’s about finding the right leader, the right fit,” Bowen said. “This is a culture we’ve changed here. These young men deserve the finest coach that’s the right fit for the University of Memphis and for the Memphis football program. And that’s going to take some time.”
Hours earlier, Bowen and Fuente met with the Tigers football team at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex. Fuente told his players that the reports were true, and he would soon be announced as the Hokies’ next head coach. He will be introduced Monday at 9 a.m. CST. Bowen appointed cooffensive coordinator and running backs coach Darrell Dickey to be the team’s interim head coach for its tobe-announced bowl game.
And then the transition process officially began.
Bowen said he had received significant interest since Fuente’s departure was announced. “My phone has rung continuously,” he said. Though the search officially began Sunday, the fourth-year athletic director said he, deputy director Mark Alnutt, president Dr. M. David Rudd and other university leaders had been considering the possibility that Fuente would leave.
“I did everything in my power to keep Justin here with us,” he said. “But simultaneously, knowing that there were a lot of people in the media that believed he was an outstanding coach for their institution, I too had begun my process of putting together what I needed to do to put our football program in the best possible opportunity to succeed.”
Fuente spent four seasons at Memphis and guided the Tigers to a 26-23 record, including 19-6 over the past two years. He inherited one of the worst programs in the FBS and transformed it into an American Athletic Conference title contender led by a possible top-10 NFL draft pick in Paxton Lynch. The 39-year-old Fuente will take over for longtime Hokies coach Frank Beamer, who announced Nov. 1 that he would retire at the conclusion of the season.
Reached Sunday, Fuente said he felt the Virginia Tech job was attractive because of the Hokies being in a Power Five conference and the Blacksburg community “offering a lifestyle I want to live.”
After receiving the news, several Memphis players took to social media to thank Fuente.
“Thank you coach Fu for everything you’ve done for me and this program,” Lynch posted on Twitter. “I love you and good luck at VT!”
Rudd posted two statements on Twitter, first thanking Fuente “for the remarkable job he’s done at the U of M” and wishing him well at Virginia Tech. The second was directed to Memphis football fans.
“As we move into bowl season, the last two years are evidence of what is possible and that Tiger football can compete at the highest levels nationally,” Rudd wrote. “We are not slowing down. We are well prepared and positioned for this transition. The foundation of our program and the leadership of our Athletic Department is arguably the best it’s ever been. We have a well-articulated strategy and have made the necessary investments to not only build on this success, but also reach even greater heights. I am looking forward to a great bowl game and even greater future.”
In the coming days, Memphis will aim to find the coach who will lead it into that future.
“I am confident that we will continue to build this football program to extraordinary levels of competitive excellence,” Bowen said. “I give you my word on that.”