MEMPHIS, Tenn — University of Memphis Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ed Scott cleared the air around the men's basketball program, Friday morning.
Scott made an appearance on the Geoff Calkins Show on 92.9 ESPN and made it clear that, at least for the moment, there was nothing to fear.
On Wednesday, Penny Hardaway announced the release of four assistant coaches from his program. That same day, an article from Sports Illustrated revealed that the university recently turned over an anonymous letter to the NCAA, alleging recruitment and academic violations.
Scott, who was hired over the summer and only been athletics director for two months, said the timing of the two incidents was coincidental and the dismissal of the coaches was Hardaway's decision alone.
"The first thing I want to make clear that Penny Hardaway is our head basketball coach and these were his decisions. My job as the athletic director is to support Penny," Scott said. "Creating the environment that he wants to create in order to win."
Scott also clarified that the coach dismissals were not related to any NCAA violations and was not a "reactionary" move. The dismissals also were not related to the ongoing NCAA investigation into the eligibility of former Tiger Malcolm Dandridge.
Scott said he learned of the existence of the anonymous letter during his interviews as a candidate for the AD job, but did not learn of the contents of the letter until Sports Illustrated reached out to the university. It was turned over by the university to the NCAA before he was hired.
As of Friday, Scott said that Memphis had not received any formal notice of allegations from the NCAA since the letter had been turned over. They would comply if it came down to it.
“My position right now with the NCAA is I’m gonna let them do their job, as I’ve done at every stop,” Scott said. “If there are things that we need to be held accountable for that we did wrong, we’ll stand up, as I’ve told everyone in Memphis, and we’ll be accountable for it.”
All the controversy has fans wondering if Hardaway could continue to be coach at Memphis. Asked directly by Calkins, Scott was firm in his belief that Hardaway would be a mainstay on the Tiger sidelines.
"Absolutely, unequivocally," Scott said. "Based on every piece of information I have today, Penny Hardaway is gonna be on that sideline, marching up and down and trying to get us a victory when Missouri comes in here, hands down.”
The Memphis Tigers open the season on November 4 against Missouri.