Matt Luke announces punishment for two Ole Miss players arrested
In an offseason that has been filled with negative storylines, the Ole Miss Rebels received even more bad news on Wednesday morning when it was announced that DB Ken Webster and LB Detric Bing-Dukes were arrested for shoplifting.
The arrests occurred on Tuesday night and, by Wednesday afternoon, interim Ole Miss coach Matt Luke had already decided on a punishment for the two defenders.
According to David Brandt of the Associated Press, Luke has suspended both players for the Rebels’ Week 1 game against the South Alabama Jaguars:
Ole Miss coach Matt Luke says Ken Webster and Detric Bing-Dukes are suspended for the first game after their shoplifting arrest.
— David Brandt (@davidbrandtAP) August 2, 2017
Obviously, the arrest and suspension of two key players is the last thing the Rebels need as they prepare for the 2017 season after losing coach Hugh Freeze to a bizarre scandal.
However, Luke is trying his best to stay positive, saying at his press conference on Wednesday that Ole Miss will be very mentally tough this year after all they’ve been through:
"After all the adversity we've been through, we have a chance to be the most mentally-tough team in the country." – @CoachMattLuke
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) August 2, 2017
Now, the key to the rest of the summer will be to avoid more adversity. The Rebels can’t handle any more bad news this offseason.