SEC INSIDER

Ole Miss tabs Luke as head coach

The Sports Xchange

November 26, 2017 at 10:28 pm.

Nov 23, 2017; Starkville, MS, USA;  Mississippi Rebels head coach Matt Luke walks on the field before the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Photo Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 23, 2017; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Matt Luke walks on the field before the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Photo Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Luke had the interim tag removed on Sunday and will be officially introduced as Mississippi’s coach on Monday.

The school said it will hold a press conference. It posted an announcement on Twitter saying “It’s Official! Matt Luke Head Coach” with Luke’s picture.

Luke guided the Rebels to a 6-6 record this season after taking over for Hugh Freeze, who resigned under pressure in July. Ole Miss isn’t eligible for a bowl game this season after self-imposed sanctions due to receiving an NCAA notice of allegations.

Luke, 41, guided the Rebels to an upset of No. 14 Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Thursday night.

Receiver A.J. Brown went to bat for Luke after the victory.

“A lot of the players want to see coach Luke,” Brown told reporters. “We would be really upset if he’s not. We love that guy. We want him to be our head coach. Period.”

Luke, a native of Gulfport, Miss., played for the Rebels from (1995-98). He was an Ole Miss assistant coach from 2002-05 and returned in 2012 as co-offensive coordinator.

His father, Tommy, and brother Tom, also played for Ole Miss.

Freeze resigned after phone records displayed a pattern of making phone calls to a number associated with a female escort service.