American Athletic
Norvell says he won't coach No. 15 Memphis in Cotton Bowl
American Athletic

Norvell says he won't coach No. 15 Memphis in Cotton Bowl

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:57 p.m. ET

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) —

Former Memphis coach Mike Norvell says he won’t coach the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl now that he’s taken the Florida State job.

Norvell said Tuesday in a letter to Memphis fans that the transition to a new job made him unable to coach the Cotton Bowl. The 15th-ranked Tigers (12-1) face No. 13 Penn State (10-2) on Dec. 28 in Arlington, Texas.

Norvell says “as I have told the team throughout my time, you give everything you have each and every day to the best of your ability focused on your CLIMB, and I could not stand in front of them without being able to prepare to the level they deserve.”

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The Daily Memphian first published Norvell’s letter.

Norvell was introduced as Florida State’s coach Sunday, one day after he led Memphis to a 29-24 victory over No. 23 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game. Ryan Silverfield, a co-offensive coordinator on Norvell’s Memphis staff, has been named the Tigers’ interim head coach while athletic director Laird Veatch oversees a search for Norvell's permanent replacement.

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