Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch leaving for Missouri | Sources

Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch is is leaving to become the next athletic director at Missouri, two sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Commercial Appeal on Monday.

The sources requested anonymity because no official announcement has been made.

Veatch joined Memphis as its athletic director in October 2019. He came to the Bluff City from Florida, where he served as executive associate athletics director for internal affairs. He has history in Columbia, Missouri, over two different stints in jobs associated with the school, including three years as the assistant athletics director for development (2000-02).

He'll replace Desiree Reed-Francois, who left Missouri for the athletic director job at Arizona in February. Veatch was a reported candidate when Missouri initially hired Reed-Francois in 2021.

Veatch served as AD at Memphis during a turbulent time for college athletics. He had to shepherd the Tigers' program through an IARP investigation into the men's basketball program, new NIL laws and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former Kansas State football captain also made a number of coaching hires, most notably football coach Ryan Silverfield just a couple months after he started the job at Memphis.

The next Memphis AD will have plenty on his or her plate. The university recently finalized a deal to take ownership of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium — where the Tigers' football team plays its home games — and plans to begin a $220 million renovation soon.

FedEx also announced a landmark $25 million NIL partnership with Memphis on Friday. It appears to be Veatch's last act as athletic director.

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Sources: Memphis AD Laird Veatch leaving for Missouri