Following an eventful and historic day in the SEC, Ole Miss has filled its head coaching vacancy by making the simplest move possible. Interim head coach Matt Luke will take over as full-time head coach, sources confirmed to FootballScoop on Sunday.
The news was first reported by Rebel Grove's Neal McCready.
The school has now announced the hire.
Luke was named interim head coach after Hugh Freeze abruptly resigned on July 20. He led the Rebels to a 6-6 record, closing the year with a 31-28 upset at then-No. 16 Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night in Starkville. Ole Miss self-imposed a bowl ban before the season as part of the ongoing NCAA probe.
The NCAA was widely expected to announce its sanctions upon the football program at some point in November, but as we sit here on Nov. 26 there is still no concrete date when the sanctions will be announced.
Luke is a Gulfport, Miss., native that played center for the Rebels from 1995-98, began his coaching career as an Ole Miss GA a year later, returned to Oxford as offensive line and tight ends coach on David Cutcliffe's staff from 2002-05, and then began a third tour of duty on the staff as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2012.
He clearly won over the locker room during his time as head coach.
#OurCoachpic.twitter.com/NrMb8lzKXR
— Brennon Chapman (@B_ChapmanOM) November 24, 2017
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