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Why those who know Ed Scott said landing Memphis AD job was perfect fit, home run hire

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New Memphis athletic director Ed Scott’s relationship with ACC commissioner Jim Phillips predates their time in the conference.

Before Scott, 44, became deputy AD at Virginia and before Phillips became the league’s top administrator, they became friends about 10 years ago. But while Phillips is happy for Scott on a personal level this week, he believes Memphis will benefit greatly from its decision to hire him.

“I think he’s a perfect fit for Memphis at this time,” Phillips told The Commercial Appeal. “He identifies with Memphis, and Memphis identifies with him when you look at the student body and you look at the city and you look at his past. I’m really proud of him, and I’m super happy for a great school like Memphis to have him leading their department.”

Scott’s first stint as an athletic director began in 2017, when he inherited a Morgan State athletic department that was – as university president David K. Wilson describes it today – in shambles. Scott took the job at the Baltimore HBCU school amid uncertainty.

Morgan State was only months from being slapped with a “lack of institutional control” charge by the NCAA for its failure to manage the eligibility certification and financial aid processes. The problems were widespread as 94 athletes across 10 sports were involved, and Morgan State received penalties including four years of probation.

“We were not in a good place,” said Wilson. “We had bodies in the athletic department, but they just simply were not getting the job done. I hired (Scott) to come in and turn it around.”

By the time Scott left Morgan State in February 2022, the clouds had lifted. Success began in the classroom and extended onto fields and courts where four programs won conference championships for the first time in school history during Scott’s tenure.

“Ed Scott knows how to get things done, and people love working with him. He is a leader par excellence,” Wilson said. “We refer to him as the beloved son of Morgan.”

Virginia athletic director Carla Williams thought highly of Scott the first time she met him. Members of the same panel at a conference, she remembers the impression he made on her.

“I made a mental note at the time: This is a really sharp person that I’m going to keep an eye on,” she said.

MEMPHIS ATHLETICS: Five things for new AD Ed Scott to address from stadium to conference realignment

Then, after Williams hired him as her No. 2 at Virginia, she was almost immediately struck by the notion that Scott wouldn’t be in Charlottesville very long.

“I remember distinctly thinking, ‘He should already be an AD at this level,’” she said. “Highly, highly competent. Relatable. High character. High integrity. Strong, strong advocate for higher education through sports. Very competitive. He can recruit. He can fundraise. Excellent communicator. Hard worker.

“I just think it’s a home run hire.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

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