By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke met with the media Tuesday afternoon to discuss the end of the 2018 football season and the program’s future.
Ole Miss dropped to 5-7 overall on the season after falling to Mississippi State 35-3 in the Egg Bowl. The Rebels also saw a two-year bowl ban come to an end.
Luke said he was talking directly to Ole Miss fans when he opened up the press conference by sharing an emotional message:
“Looking back over the last few years this program has been through a lot,” he said. The people who are most important are our players and our fans. (They) didn’t sign up or deserve any of this. I appreciate the fact y’all have high expectations, but nobody has more expectations than I do. Every time I walk on that field, I expect a win.”
Moving forward Luke said he knows what it takes to turn this program around after being a part of the turnarounds at Tennessee (2006), Duke (2008) and Ole Miss in 2012.
“Everyone knows what is great about Ole Miss and that is family,” Luke said. “I can sell everything great about Ole Miss when I walk into a living room.”
On Friday, the Rebels announced that defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff would not be returning next season.
“My focus right now is finding the best defensive coordinator for this program and recruiting,” he said. “Recruiting is the lifeblood of this program and finding a defensive coordinator.”
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s name is floating in air as a possible candidate for another school, Luke revealed at the press conference.
“When a team produces back-to-back top 10 offenses, the coordinators are going to get looks and he is,” Luke said.
