Memphis AD Ed Scott reveals reaction to being rejected by Big 12

Memphis Tigers athletic director Ed Scott clearly believes he's at a school that's worthy of being in a power conference.

If he didn't believe that, he wouldn't have made a massive pitch to the Big 12 to join the conference in July. He also wouldn't have been hurt when the Big 12 ultimately rejected the Tigers.

That was the case, though. This is despite Memphis pitching what seemed to be an extremely attractive offer to the Big 12 that included potentially $200M in sponsorship commitments and very little commitment on the conference's part if things went south. 

The Big 12 wasn't interested in the Tigers, though, and Scott recently revealed on "The Gary Parrish Show" that the rejection stung.

“I’m a human being,” Scott said (h/t On3). “I don’t like being rejected. If I interview for a job and they tell me no, it hurts. If I said anything different, I would be disingenuous and that’s just not my style. So, that hurt. You don’t want anyone to tell you that they don’t want you.”

Memphis has been a member of the American Conference since 2013, but conference expansion and the creation of what have essentially become "super conferences" have made it so that schools outside of the Power Four have become second-class.

Scott believes Memphis has the facilities and level of talent to be in a conference like the Big 12, and he also doesn't want to settle. Not only is opportunity and prestige on the line, but there's more money and revenue share to be had as well in the Power Four.

Memphis was asked to join the new-look Pac-12 as that once great conference looks to rebuild a new identity, but Scott revealed that it didn't make sense for the Tigers from a financial standpoint.

He is ready to jump at the right opportunity, though.

“I think we’re positioned right for success,” Scott said. “What I don’t want to do is make an intermediate move if it’s not going to position us well. So I’m sitting back and watching the landscape."

If another round of expansion breaks out, expect Scott and the Tigers to aggressively look to make a move.