Ed Scott will officially be introduced as Memphis' next athletic director on Friday.

There won't be much time to ease into the new job.

The University of Memphis is in the process of getting ownership of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium as it undergoes a $220 million renovation, and there's still fundraising to do on that project. While the timing is good in that Scott's arrival comes during the summer when no teams are in season, there's no telling when the next round of conference realignment could kick off.

With those things in mind, here are five things for Scott to address as soon as possible.

Finalize timeline for Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium renovation — and raise $27 million

Deputy athletic director Jeff Crane said earlier this month that the department has raised about $23 million this year to use on renovations for the football stadium. That's part of a challenge grant from FedEx founder Fred Smith and his family that helped unlock the project with $120 million in state money.

Under the terms of the gift, Memphis has to raise $50 million to unlock the $50 million donation from Smith. Crane said the department will move forward with Phase 2 of the renovation — which includes significant work to the west side of the stadium — once it has raised $25 million. Officials hope to start that phase before the football season begins in late August.

Continuing to fundraise will be a major priority for Scott.

Sort out Memphis' place in conference realignment talks

There hasn't been a whole lot of conference realignment news recently — but that can change quickly. Memphis has unsuccessfully tried to put itself at the forefront of conference realignment talks in the last few cycles, but the Tigers are still in the American Athletic Conference as the gap between Power conference schools and others continues to grow.

The Big 12 and ACC are theoretically possibilities that could choose to expand in the near future. But so much of that depends on external factors, so Memphis' priority is likely to continue trying to position itself to pounce if an opportunity does arise.

Scott and university president Bill Hardgrave will probably engage in conference alignment-related discussions with other stakeholders right away, and the future of Memphis' conference affiliation is likely to be part of Scott's legacy in the Bluff City.

Forge a relationship with Penny Hardaway and Memphis basketball

The Tigers are coming off a disappointing season, but Memphis is expected to be an NCAA Tournament team in 2025.

Hardaway is the school's most high-profile coach, and Memphis has always been a basketball town. But Scott is coming on board at a critical juncture for the program. Hardaway is entering his seventh season as coach of his alma mater and the Tigers need to get moving back in the right direction.

Finalize plans for other Memphis renovation projects

Development is a constant in college athletics, and Memphis has plenty of facilities to manage aside from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Baseball coach Matt Riser has said he has projects he wants to put in motion at FedExPark, and the men's soccer team is fundraising for a new locker room.

There could also be other projects related to the soccer teams, which play at the Track and Soccer Complex at the Park Avenue campus.

Hire a new softball coach to replace Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro

Memphis has its first head coaching job opening in a year after the departure of Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro, who left to become the pitching coach at Florida after two seasons as Tigers' coach.

Softball is a program that's struggled recently, so a rebuild is likely under the next coach.

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

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 5 things for Memphis AD Ed Scott to address right away