There’s another Tiger lurking around Kansas University’s football team.
The Jayhawks, having already hired former Missouri assistant Sam Pittman during the offseason, have met with former Memphis head coach Rip Scherer about their vacant running backs coaching position.
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“Like I told the football team, I’m going to do the best that I can to get the best possible guys in here,” KU coach Terry Allen told the Journal-World. “Rip’s got a lot of the characteristics that we want.”
Scherer was equally complimentary.
“From my standpoint, I guess I could say I’m very interested,” Scherer said. “It was a whirlwind visit. We were always behind on the schedule so I really didn’t get to see much of Lawrence. But everybody, (former KU coach) Pepper Rodgers included, has great things to say.”
Scherer was in town earlier this week to interview at KU, chat with coaches and even attended a spring practice. After going 22-44 during six seasons with the Tigers, he was fired in November after Memphis finished 4-7.
“It was a real controversial firing,” Scherer said. “I hadn’t won enough games, but we’d done everything else right. I think people were hoping for us to get another year, and unfortunately we didn’t.”
The man who fired Scherer, Memphis athletics director R.C. Johnson, was an associate AD at Northern Iowa when Allen coached there.
KU administrative assistant Rob Bolks has been handling the running backs coaching duties since former aide Bill Salmon bolted for Northern Iowa earlier this month to become the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.
“I’m trying to get it accomplished as soon as possible,” Allen said of filling the void. “I don’t have a timetable. Rip is a true finalist. If we get this one worked out by next week, one way or another, it would be great. I’d like to have somebody in place by May 15.”
Scherer certainly has an extensive resume. In addition to head coaching stints at Memphis and for four seasons at James Madison, he also has worked with coaching legends Dick Tomey, Bill Curry and Joe Paterno as everything from an assistant head coach/offensive coordinator (1989-90 at Arizona) to a graduate assistant quarterbacks and receivers coach (1974-75 at Penn State).
Tomey was an assistant at KU under Rodgers from 1967-70.
“Dick told me it’s the best place he’s ever lived,” Scherer said. “He said great things about the community, said it’s a great place to raise a family, a beautiful campus. One of the things I’ve missed since leaving Memphis is living in a college town with a college atmosphere, and Lawrence must epitomize that.
“It’s a Big 12 program, and Terry has it going in the right direction. I’d be foolish not to be interested.”
