Report: Matt Luke expected to return for 4th season at Ole Miss
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Ole Miss’s bowl ban is over, but that likely won’t matter this season. Sitting at 4-6, the Rebels would need to beat No. 1 LSU and rival Mississippi State to become bowl-eligible.
By not reaching the postseason, one would think coach Matt Luke’s job would be in jeopardy, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Per FootballScoop.com, Luke is expected to return for a fourth season as Ole Miss’s head coach for the simple reason that the school can’t afford to fire him:
Luke’s contract would place his buyout around $6.5 million and, when combined with the contracts of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre, would push the cost of dismissing Luke well north of $12 million. University leadership has told AD candidates that is too much for the university to bear at this time.
Luke went 6-6 after taking over for Hugh Freeze after he resigned prior to the 2017 season. He was then given the full-time job, going 5-7 in 2018. If he goes 4-8 this year, it won’t be a good trend.
However, while Ole Miss continues to look for a new athletic director, it appears Luke’s job is safe for now.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
