HOOVER — Matt Luke can’t help but to be excited.
For the first time since 2014, Ole Miss enters the 2019 season with the a full number of 85 scholarship players, having signed 31 players in the last recruiting class. The postseason ban and sanctions that Luke inherited from previous coach Hugh Freeze (now at Liberty) have been lifted, which means that Luke and the Rebels can go to a bowl game.
“We have an opportunity for the first time in two years to go back to the postseason,” Luke said at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. “I think our fans excited about it. I know our players are excited about it. I’m excited about it. To have that opportunity to walk into a living room and not have a cloud hanging over your head, I think you’re seeing an immediate impact on the recruiting trail because of that.”
Not only does Ole Miss enter the 2019 season bowl eligible but do so with two accomplished head coaches on the staff. Former West Virginia-Michigan-Arizona head coach Rich Rodriquez will serve as the offensive coordinator while former San Jose State-Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre as the team’s defensive coordinator.
“I thought — I really liked what we did with our coaching staff in the offseason,” Luke said. “We made changes on both sides of the ball, hiring Rich Rodriquez on offense and Mike MacIntyre on defense. I think when you hire two former National Coaches of the Year, I think that obviously brings a wealth of knowledge to your staff, but I think it also makes a statement. I think it makes a statement to our commitment to winning and about what we’re trying to do at Ole Miss.”
There is a certain level of excitement surrounding Ole Miss due to the team’s young quarterback Matt Corral. Who despite being a redshirt freshman was brought along as one of the three Rebels at SEC Media Days — a rarity for any program.
“A lot of people asked me about bringing a freshman to Media Day, but his competitive fire and his competitive spirit, the players gravitated toward him,” Luke said. “I think he was thrust into a leadership role, and I really think he’s done a great job of competing and carrying himself the right way.
“As a former player, you want to be around guys that have that energy and that fire and that toughness, especially at that position,” Luke added.
Luke is also excited, and albeit relieved, that he and the program can start to put behind the sanctions and controversy of his predecessor and get back to building a winner again in Oxford.
“I think there’s a lot of energy and confidence in our building because of that,” Luke said. “You see it in recruiting. It’s fun to be able to walk into a living room of a recruit and not having to talk about any of that stuff. You have the opportunity to sell Ole Miss and Oxford for what it is and you don’t have to worry about all of the other garbage.”
Luke added, “I just think just the overall feel of normalcy, even coming here today and answering questions about football, has been refreshing.”