Former Memphis coach Mike Norvell says he won’t coach the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl now that he’s taken the Florida State job.

Norvell said Tuesday in a letter to Memphis fans that the transition to a new job made him unable to coach the Cotton Bowl. The 15th-ranked Tigers (12-1) face No. 13 Penn State (10-2) on Dec. 28 in Arlington, Texas.

Norvell says “as I have told the team throughout my time, you give everything you have each and every day to the best of your ability focused on your CLIMB, and I could not stand in front of them without being able to prepare to the level they deserve.”

The Daily Memphian first published Norvell’s letter.

Norvell was introduced as Florida State’s coach Sunday, one day after he led Memphis to a 29-24 victory over No. 23 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game. Ryan Silverfield, a co-offensive coordinator on Norvell’s Memphis staff, has been named the Tigers’ interim head coach while athletic director Laird Veatch oversees a search for Norvell's permanent replacement.