Fansided

5 candidates to replace Matt Luke at Ole Miss

By Brad Berreman

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Matt Luke of the Mississippi Rebels reacts during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Matt Luke of the Mississippi Rebels reacts during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Eric Espada/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Eric Espada/Getty Images /

2. Doc Holliday, Marshall head coach

Let’s go outside the easiest box a bit, as Ole Miss may have to in their coaching search. Holliday has now led the Thundering Herd to at least eight wins in six of the last seven seasons, and a fifth in that span with nine or more wins is on the table this year if Marshall wins its bowl game.

At 62 years old and having operated under the radar for as long as he has, Holliday won’t inspire fans and donors in most respects. But he had plenty of big school experience as an assistant prior to landing at Marshall, with a long first run at West Virginia (1979-1999), time as wide receivers coach at N.C. State (2000-2004), three years (2005-2007) at Florida under Urban Meyer as safeties coach/recruiting coordinator and then back to West Virginia for two seasons before landing his first head coaching job.

Give Holliday big school resources, including a bigger pool of money to hire assistants, and it’s worth wondering what he could do somewhere like Ole Miss. Marketing spark aside, if he can recruit talent, coach it up and win football games that’s all that will ultimately matter to anyone with interest in the program.

If Ole Miss wants to win the press conference, Holliday probably won’t be their top candidate to replace Luke. But in terms of realistic (if way under the radar) candidates, he could eventually stand out some.

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