U-Dub Athletic Director Todd Turner Asked to Leave

Well this was unexpected.

Todd Turner, athletic director of the University of Washington, is stepping down, evidently at the request of university president Mark Emmert.

Turner's last day is January 31st. Here's Turner's statement:

After conferring with President Emmert over the last few weeks, it was determined that a change in leadership in the athletics program would be in the best interests of the University. It is with great sadness, but with a sense of pride in what has been accomplished during my tenure as AD, that I have resigned my position effective at the end of January, 2008.

Turner was heavily involved in planning for the new Husky Stadium, there's been no indication up until now that he was going anywhere.

University athletic directors tend to have long tenures, Washington has only had three (Mike Lude, Barbara Hedges and Turner) since 1975.

When Emmert hired Turner as in 2004, he called him "one of the nation's most experienced and respected athletic directors."