Archie Manning spoke to WLOX following an appearance as a guest speaker at the 71st annual meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference, and gave his first public comments since Hugh Freeze’s resignation.
Archie Manning spoke for the first time since the #OleMiss coaching change. Read more from #18 here (H/T: @WLOX): https://t.co/C3ssdBJt7K pic.twitter.com/ewNe51ypnX
— Chris Hudgison (@ChrisHudgison) August 1, 2017
Manning was part of the search committee that brought Freeze to Ole Miss, and the two have been friends since then. Manning will stand by Freeze as a friend, but is looking forward to seeing what Matt Luke is able to do as the interim head coach.
“I’m sorry for what’s happened,” Manning said. “Hugh is a friend of mine, he’ll continue to be a friend of mine. We’re going to move on, Matt Luke is a great young man, he’s going to do a good job for us. It’s football time and were going to get going.”
As someone who knows a thing or two about having family ties to Ole Miss, Manning knows that Luke has the support of his players and his family.
“His dad played up there before I did. His brother, good football player. Great family. Matt’s a lineman. That has a lot to be said for that,” Manning told WLOX. “I think he’s so well respected by the players, they’re going to play hard for him and the coaches will coach hard for him. Matt is going to do a great job for us.”
Ole Miss begins fall camp August 2, and their season opens at home on September 2 against South Alabama.
Steven Gagliano is the managing editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com.
