Memphis AD Tom Bowen "stepped down" this morning, and the school named former school President Allie Prescott as interim AD while it "conducts a search for Bowen's permanent replacement," according to Giannotto & Hill of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. Bowen was hired as AD in '12, and is "credited with helping revitalize the Memphis football program." In March, Bowen "agreed to a six-month extension of his current contract" while he and the school "negotiated a new deal." However, in recent years, Bowen's name had been "publicly attached as a candidate for several" Power Five conference AD jobs around the country. Bowen also was "reportedly a candidate to become the Sun Belt Conference commissioner earlier this year" (COMMERCIALAPPEAL.com, 5/14).
TWITTER REAX: The Daily Memphian's Geoff Calkins: "This is sudden, at the very least." USA Today's Dan Wolken: "Bowen and the school president hadn’t been on the same page for a long while." FS South's Phillip Dean: "Bowen came to Memphis to help fix the football program and he certainly did that. Interested to see what approach they take for the next AD." Rivals' Isaac Simpson: "The timing of Tom Bowen stepping down is interesting. Was seemingly always interviewing for other jobs. Was always a matter of time." G League Memphis Hustle broadcaster Jon Rosner: "Bowen really didn’t wanna be here did he? He interviewed for a bunch of other jobs over the years."
