Uproar follows firing
The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger
OXFORD, Miss. – After Mississippi fired football coach Matt Luke on Dec. 1, athletics director Keith Carter’s address didn’t resonate with every player. A handful of them stormed out of the meeting early.
Some were major contributors with eligibility remaining, such as running back Jerrion Ealy and defensive end Tariqious Tisdale.
Junior offensive lineman Chandler Tuitt said “half the team” is talking about leaving. Tuitt said if the entire coaching staff is dismissed along with Luke, he doesn’t think many players will stay with the team.
“There’s no program without players,” Tuitt said. “You’re basing stuff off the fans. But we don’t care about the fans that much. We’re here for the coach. We love football. If you don’t want to support us, that’s just your fault.”
Defensive tackle Patrick Lucas Jr., a freshman, said he doesn’t think fans should have the power to determine who leads the players.
“I couldn’t take it no more,” Lucas said of the meeting with Carter. “(Luke) just got the ship started. We were just turning around. Yeah, we went 4-8. But we as a team felt that next year was going to be our year.”
Across three seasons, Luke posted a 15-21 record.
goings:
Greg Schiano and Rutgers have agreed to a deal that will bring the former Scarlet Knights coach back to lead the program. Athletics director Patrick Hobbs released a statement saying Schiano will be back, pending a contract approval vote by the school’s board of governors this week. ... Charlie Strong (South Florida), Steve Addazio (Boston College) and Barry Odom (Missouri) are out as head coaches. Strong won 17 of his first 19 games but lost six in a row to end the 2018 season and followed that up with a 4-8 record in 2019. Addazio got Boston College to bowl eligibility in six of those seven years, including last weekend when the Eagles reached 6-6. But Addazio finishes his tenure 44-44 overall and 22-34 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Odom ends his tenure at 25-25 and two bowl appearances. The Tigers had a 6-6 season.