BREAKING: Ole Miss Parts Ways With Kermit Davis; Search Underway for New Head Coach
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss and head men’s basketball coach Kermit Davis have mutually parted ways, effective immediately, according to a statement released by the university Friday morning.
Davis took over the program in March of 2018. That team made the NCAA tournament after a 20-13 overall record, also earning Davis SEC Coach of the Year. However, the team has struggled since and finishes 74-79 overall under Coach Davis, including just 10-18 overall this year and 2-13 in SEC play. Overall, Davis’ conference record at Ole Miss ends at 32-55.
“We thank Coach Davis for his dedication to the Ole Miss basketball program and our student-athletes. No one wanted to bring a title home to Mississippi more than him, and we appreciate the passion for that goal he shared with our team every day. As he has throughout his career, Coach Davis worked tirelessly to produce a winner and we wish him, Betty and his family the very best in the future.“
Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter
Ole Miss released a statement from Coach Davis Friday morning:
“My family and I are extremely thankful for the opportunity to lead the Ole Miss men’s basketball program the past five years. We appreciate Chancellor Boyce, Keith Carter, the staff and players for their support and work ethic on behalf of our program, and I wish Ole Miss the best going forward. Oxford is a special place to live and work.“
Kermit Davis
Ole Miss assistant coach Win Case will serve as acting head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season.
“This team has fought hard all season, and we expect that to continue over these final games,” said Carter.
“We appreciate Coach Case stepping in during a time of transition, and he will have the full support of our administration as we close out this season.“
Keith Carter
Carter announced that a nationwide search is underway for the next head coach, and stated, “We look forward to welcoming that new coach that will help our student-athletes grow as both players and men and build a winning team that will make the Ole Miss family proud.”
Although many names have been thrown around by message boarders and fans, Ole Miss has not officially announced any candidates at this time. As always, stay tuned to The Rebel Walk as more updates become available.
Austin Eldridge
Austin has more than ten years in sports media, including sports talk radio, play-by-play broadcasting and journalism. He has followed Ole Miss athletics for his entire life and has covered the Rebels and the rest of the SEC while working in the Memphis media market. Outside of sports media, Austin is a musician and outdoorsman. Before a serious accident forced him to be medically discharged, he was a multi-media journalist with the Mississippi National Guard.
