San Jose State Univ. AD Tom Bowen yesterday was introduced as the new Univ. of Memphis AD, a post he will "assume in mid-June to replace the outgoing R.C. Johnson, who is retiring,” according to a front-page piece by Phil Stukenborg of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. Bowen will sign a five-year contract "once the financial details are completed.” Bowen “spoke for only 75 seconds before taking a few questions from the assembled media” during his introductory press conference yesterday, and while he was “excited, he wasn't verbose.” Bowen said that the UM position “was attractive to him on several fronts, from the program's young -- and seasoned -- coaches to its impending move to the Big East.” Willie Gregory, a member of the AD search committee, said, “I asked him a point-blank question. Did he feel like he could rebuild a football program again and why? He said he's done it before and he has the energy, and he's accepted the challenge, to do it again" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/17). In Memphis, Kyle Veazey notes Bowen's past of stabilizing SJSU “was a selling point to a program in need of a football jump-start.” UM has won just five games the last three years, and first-year football coach Justin Fuente said, “He's a football guy and knows the importance of football and is going to do what he can to make this thing succeed" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/17). Also in Memphis, Geoff Calkins writes, “What is more impressive is what they're saying about Bowen back at San Jose State, where I haven't read anything but praise for the man.” People praise him “on fan message boards, they praise him in the press.” Calkins: “I've received multiple, unsolicited e-mails telling me that Memphis made a great hire. ... It’s just astonishingly rare to find such a widely acclaimed AD” (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/17).
STAYING IN STATE: In Indiana, Doug Zaleski reports Notre Dame Deputy AD Bill Scholl yesterday was introduced as the new Ball State Univ. AD after signing a "three-year contract that will pay him $235,000 a year." He will begin working on his new duties “immediately but officially will take over for Tom Collins on April 30.” Collins announced in January “he will leave his position to seek employment in the southwest United States at the end of his term on June 30.” Scholl "supervised football” at Notre Dame, and he was “one of more than 90 applicants for the Ball State job" (Muncie STAR PRESS, 4/17).
