Tommy West Fired: Press Conference Video, Transcript From Memphis

Tommy West was fired today as the head coach of the University of Memphis football team. West had a few words for Memphis football fans. The Tommy West press conference was highlighted by a speech where West implored fans to stand up and fight the negativity surrounding the team. West seemed to imply that the problems at Memphis extend beyond the head coach.

Here is an edited transcript of what Tommy West Press Conference:

“Now is the time to stand up for your university and your football program. I’m the seventh straight coach that’s standing here saying the same thing to you. This is the seventh straight time this has happened. History will continue to repeat itself folks, if they don’t do anything about it.”

“Whoever they hire – they’ll hire a good guy and I’ll pull for him. But our fans have got to demand – you have to demand that you give him an equal stick to fight with within our conference. You’ve got to give him a level playing field. Give him that.”

Tommy West then went on to talk about former Memphis coaches Chuck Stobart and Rip Scherer:

“Stobart stood here the same way. Stobart became a bad coach. He wasn’t recruiting. He was a bad coach. But he was good enough to beat Southern Cal. And (former coach) Rip became a bad coach that wasn’t recruiting. But he could beat Peyton Manning and Tennessee. … At some point in time you’ve got to say, we’ve got to help this football program,” West said. “We’ve got to do the things necessary to make this what we want or do away with it. I couldn’t say that as a coach … It’s too painful.”

Here is the full video of the Tommy West press conference.