Stockstill addresses Memphis opening

Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill acknowledged Monday morning on his weekly teleconference that Memphis has expressed interest in speaking with him about its head coaching vacancy.

Stockstill's name was one of five mentioned in a report last week by the Commercial Appeal as potential coaching targets for Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson, who fired Tommy West last Monday.

"(Memphis) requested to talk but I haven't interviewed with them or done anything," Stockstill said when asked about the report. "I am extremely honored and proud and flattered by it, but it is nothing now that I have given a second thought to. I am just concentrating on our team. Usually when names get mentioned for other job openings it's a result of teams playing good. We have a good football team that is playing really well. I have not interviewed with them. All I am worried about is (upcoming opponent) Arkansas State."

The original report mentioned Stockstill, LSU assistant head coach/running backs Larry Porter, North Alabama coach Terry Bowden, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer, and Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster as the top initial targets of the Tigers.

Rivals.com reported Sunday that Memphis has interviewed Tennessee running backs coach Eddie Gran.

Stockstill's Blue Raiders are 7-3 overall and tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference with Louisiana-Monroe.

Middle Tennessee won a Sun Belt co-championship in Stockstill's first season in 2006.

He served as an assistant under Tommy West when West was head coach at Clemson from 1994-98.