With the start of the Memphis Showboats' highly anticipated second season only days away, head coach Ken Whisenhunt is stepping away for personal reasons. The shock announcement couldn't come at a worse time for the team with their first game scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The Showboats' offensive line coach Jim Turner was named the Interim head coach.
However, Whisenhunt's departure leaves the team at a distinct disadvantage since he was also their offensive coordinator.
In addition to being part of John DiFilippo's staff last year, Turner brings previous NFL coaching experience as run game and offensive line coordinator with the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals. Before joining DiFilippo in Memphis, Turner was his offensive line coordinator for the New Orleans Breakers.
With Turner assuming interim head coach repsonsiblities in Whisenhunts' absence, it is unknown who will take over as offensive line coordinator. The Showboats coaching staff was already lean. The only other member of the offensive coaching staff is wide receiver and tight ends coach T.J. Vernieri.
Since this is a breaking story, expect more details on the anticipated time frame for Whisenhunt's absence and the coaching staff's interim plans in the next few days.
The Showboats season opener is scheduled for Sunday March 30th at 11:00 a.m CT at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Tickets are still available. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Offical Press Release
United Football League President & CEO Russ Brandon and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston announced today that Ken Whisenhunt, head coach of the Memphis Showboats, has informed them that he will be taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. Brandon and Johnston have named Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner to serve as interim head coach for the 2025 UFL season.
Statement from UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon and UFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston
“The impact that Ken has made on the culture of the Memphis Showboats in his brief time as head coach has been very impressive and we were excited to see the team perform in Week 1. We take pride in the UFL being a Family First league and we respect Ken's decision to take a leave of absence for personal reasons at this time. We are fortunate to have Jim Turner in place to fill in as interim head coach and we are excited for his opportunity to lead the Showboats into the Opening Week of Season 2. If and when Ken Whisenhunt is ready to return to the UFL Family, we will welcome him with open arms.”
Whisenhunt became head coach of the Showboats in September of 2024. Prior to that he served for nearly 30 years as a football coach at various levels in the NFL and NCAA, including a stint as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals (2007-12), where he won two NFC West Division Championships (2008, 2009) and a berth in Super Bowl XLII following the 2008 season. The head coach of the Tennessee Titans for two seasons (2014-15), he helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL as their offensive coordinator.
Turner, who has coached for nearly 30 years at the professional and collegiate levels, has served as the offensive line coach for the Showboats for the past two seasons. He previously was the offensive line coach for the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL from 2022-23 after stints with the Cincinnati Bengals (2019-20) and the Miami Dolphins (2012-13) of the NFL. A four-year letterman at Boston College and an officer in the United States Marine Corp for four years (1990-94), Turner coached the offensive line at Texas A&M from 2008-11 and from 2016-17, as well as coaching stops at Boston College (2007), Delaware (2005-06), Delaware (2005-06), Temple (2003-04), Harvard (2000-02), Louisiana Tech (1999), and Northeastern (1994-99).
The Showboats will kick off their 2025 UFL regular season on Sunday, March 30 at 12 p.m. ET when they host the Michigan Panthers in a game, which will air on ESPN.