AD Keith Carter addresses media about Ole Miss head coaching vacancy
Ole Miss AD Keith Carter held a press conference Monday morning to confirm the firing of head coach Matt Luke and to discuss the upcoming process of finding a replacement.
OXFORD, Miss. — After an Egg Bowl that will live on in infamy, rumors began to circulate about the uncertainty of head coach Matt Luke’s future with the Rebels heading into the 2020 season. The news that Ole Miss was indeed headed in a different direction was confirmed on Sunday night after AD Keith Carter met with the team.
Monday morning, Carter addressed the Ole Miss media to officially announce the firing of Luke, who finishes 15-21 in three seasons as the Rebels’ head coach.
In an official statement released Sunday, Carter said: “After evaluating the overall trajectory of our football program, we did not see enough momentum on the field and determined a change is necessary in order for our student-athletes to compete at the highest level.”
During Monday’s presser, Carter made these announcements:
- Defensive coordinator Mike McIntyre will take over as interim head coach until a new coach is hired.
- They will use the same firm that was used during the Kermit Davis search.
- Lack of support around the program was a factor in the decision.
- Rumors of boosters paying the buyout are false. Luke’s buyout will be paid over a four year period.
- Carter will be the main voice in the search process and will ultimately have the final decision.
- A new coach will have the autonomy to bring in who he wants, but Carter will have him look at the current staff, also.
From here, the Rebels need to find a coach, quickly. Early signing day for the 2020 recruiting class begins on December 18th, and having a coach by then will certainly be beneficial. It remains to be seen if that will be possible.
With this firing, Ole Miss becomes the third SEC head coaching job available, along with Arkansas and Missouri.
Carter did express an opinion on the coaching search:
Carter: "Our search for a new coach is underway. We would prefer a sitting head coach or a P5 coordinator. We want energy, passion and a track record of success."
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) December 2, 2019
Carter was also asked about the reported 8-10 players who left last night’s meeting out of frustration and anger. The Rebels’ AD said he texted with many of them who expressed regret for leaving. Carter fully supports the players and understands they are emotional about this.
Keith Carter: "We want to do everything we can to support our players. It's hard for them to understand this right now. They've played so hard and been so competitive. It's a hard situation. We want to be there to support them."
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) December 2, 2019
In his presser, Carter indicated there is not currently a shortlist of targets. However, most analysts believe the Rebels’ top targets are: Memphis head coach Mike Norvell; Appalachian State head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, and ULL head coach Billy Napier, to name a few.
Here’s the entirety of Keith Carter’s press conference:
