Matt Luke has been addressing the topic since he became the interim coach at Ole Miss. Since he lost that interim tag, the Rebels’ coach is still getting asked about it.

But Luke also believes his program is moving in the right direction, away from that topic.

On Tuesday at SEC Media Days in Atlanta, Luke discussed how his team has handled playing with the bowl ban and NCAA sanctions that were enforced due to recruiting violations committed under former coach Hugh Freeze.

“I think we’ve moved out from underneath that cloud and we’ve continued to battle,” Luke said. “That’s why the end of last season was so important, to really build that momentum, to still be able to sign a top 25 recruiting class and go into the spring with a good taste in your mouth.”

The Rebels won three of their last four games in 2017, including an Egg Bowl victory over Mississippi State to end the season. Although they were ineligible to play in a bowl game — a two-year ban that will extend into the 2018 campaign — Luke was impressed with how his team performed given the circumstances.

Ole Miss has also still had success on the recruiting trail. The Rebels’ 2018 class, which included a pair of 4-star commits, ranked 31st in the nation according to 247sports. Their 2019 class currently ranks 15th in the country.

“Once all the actions were delivered and everybody knows what you’re dealing with, you can then move forward. I think you’re seeing that on the recruiting trail,” Luke said. “I think always in recruiting you have to do everything you can to be great evaluators, great evaluators of talent, especially in your own state, and I think this year is a great year in Mississippi.”