April 14, 2005
Ole Miss, Memphis differ on details of football contract
By Michael Wallace
mwallace@clarionledger.com
OXFORD — Ole Miss and the University of Memphis will continue their football rivalry for at least the next three seasons.
But officials at both schools have differing ideas — and, apparently, two separate contractual agreements — regarding just where the series goes from there.
The annual series between the Rebels and Tigers is scheduled to end after the 2007 season, according to a contract Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone said is on file in his office. But Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson contends he has on file an addendum to the original contract that extends the series through the 2011 season.
"I hear there's an addendum floating around, but I haven't seen it," Boone said. "That doesn't mean one doesn't exist. But the contract we have (on file) is through 2007."
The future state of the series has been a hot topic among fans of both schools since last Thursday, when a Memphis sports talk radio station reported that Ole Miss might be looking to get out of its deal to play Memphis after the next few games.
The Rebels have dominated the overall rivalry between the schools that are separated by just 80 miles, having won 42 of the 54 matchups.
But the Tigers have made things competitive recently, beating the Rebels in each of the last two seasons and winning four of the last eight in the series.
Johnson was out of town and could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Memphis athletic department spokesman Bob Winn did not return a message left on his cell phone Wednesday night.
Memphis officials have told the local media that the school has on file an extension that was signed in 2000 by Ole Miss associate athletic director Eddie Crawford and added the four games from 2008-2011. Boone, who first served as athletic director at Ole Miss from 1995-98, was between stints at the time and didn't return until 2002.
Boone and Ole Miss Loyalty Foundation executive director George Smith handle future scheduling for football. Boone said he has been in talks the past few years with officials at both Tulane and Georgia Tech about scheduling a series. Adding either or both of those teams to the schedule would not necessarily mean the end of the rivalry with Memphis, Boone said.
Boone said he has not spoken with Memphis officials about the future of the series beyond 2007.
"That has not even been an issue as far as we're concerned," he said. "If there are any discrepancies with where things are after 2007 ... R.C. and I are good friends. I'm sure we can work something out."