Matt Luke named permanent head coach after Ole Miss finishes 6-6
— -- Ole Miss officials removed the interim tag from football coach Matt Luke, who guided the Rebels to a 6-6 record this past season, after taking over the job when former coach Hugh Freeze abruptly resigned in July.
The university announced the promotion Sunday night. Rebels athletics director Ross Bjork couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
The Rebels upset No. 14 Mississippi State 31-28 in the Egg Bowl on Thursday night. Ole Miss self-imposed a postseason ban for this season in February, after receiving a revised NCAA notice of allegations.
After upsetting the Bulldogs, Ole Miss players chanted "We want Luke!" in the locker room. Wide receiver A.J. Brown told the Associated Press that he thought Luke should be the coach going forward.
"I really love that guy and I want him to be the head coach," Brown said.
The Rebels are still waiting to learn whether or not the NCAA committee on infractions will accept their self-imposed penalties, which also includes the loss of scholarships and forfeiture of SEC postseason revenue this season, or pile on more penalties for rules violations committed under Freeze and former coach Houston Nutt.
Luke, 41, a native of Gulfport, Mississippi, was a four-year center for the Rebels from 1995-98. His father, Tommy, was a defensive back at Ole Miss in the 1960s while his brother, Tom, quarterbacked the Rebels from 1989-91.
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