Rebel great McAllister addresses Matt Luke, Ole Miss' future

Deuce McAllister played with Matt Luke and has known him for more than 20 years. They, together, experienced a coaching change in college, as Tommy Tuberville left Ole Miss for Auburn following the 1998 regular season.

The Ole Mis all-time great believes in Luke’s ability to galvanize and unite the Rebels roster as interim head coach, but he also sees two critical factors in achieving a season of relative prosperity.

“The biggest thing for him is they have to win early,” said McAllister, who pointed to the California game as the pivotal early date. “If they have early success then it makes it easy and players come to play and get involved in the process completely. Also he has to make it fun and keep it fun. They don’t have anything to play for, so each week you have to motivate them in new ways and find the little things to play for. Develop pride and keep the pride.”

McAllister, who rushed for more than 6,000 career yards with the New Orleans Saints, believes Luke’s nearly 20 years of college coaching experience, despite being only 40 years old, will allow him to use different methods to keep the season fun.

But perhaps more important than his coaching career, Luke experienced a similar situation as a player. He arrived at Ole Miss as a walk-on because of severe NCAA sanctions. Tuberville guided the Rebels to a 6-5 1995 season that included postseason and television bans. The 1996 team went 5-6 during the second year of the postseason ban.

Ole Miss went to bowls in Luke’s final two seasons.

“It will help him tremendously to have that experience as a player,” McAllister said. He’ll lean on that type of stuff, as well. Lean on things he went through. The opportunity to play in a bowl isn’t there, but the guys are on TV. You get national TV games. You get small opportunities to play football and have great days. He will accumulate those things and use them.”

Hugh Freeze had mentioned in previous months that he might open the playbook and take more chances without a postseason opportunity. McAllister believes that’s good advice for Luke, as well. There will be some routine changes under a new leader, but some perks may also be more freedom on the field.

‘He has to flip things and do something fun,” McAllister said. “Trick plays even if you don’t always run them. The kids know they are there. Like the throwback to (Laremy) Tunsil, do that with Rod Taylor or someone.

“The big thing is the older guys can’t check out on you. They have to stay focused, and that has to be a priority. Guys like Shea Patterson and Jordan Wilkins have to step up. You’ll have some freshmen step up. Everyone has to make smart decisions.”

McAllister said five or six wins “is the most realistic” possibility for the upcoming season, but the early schedule and the potential for a road upset could change things.

He said Ole Miss needs to go out to California early and let the players enjoy the experience during that week. McAllister said the schedule key is to take care of the first two games, get one at Cal and then try to get the following road games in Alabama into the fourth quarter.

“Try to get pressure on the opponents on the road,” McAllister said. “They need a big upset at some point.”

Ole Miss athletics director Ross Bjork said Thursday the current focus is the team, but at some point in the coming weeks the coaching search will occupy a lot of the stage. Some coaches have expressed early interest in the position, but there’s not a timeline or direct plan in place regarding the search.

The Rebels’ NCAA case is winding down, but the sanctions levied will almost certainly dictate the level of candidate.

“It just depends on the NCAA stuff, that’s the unknown,” McAllister said. “That determines the caliber of coach you can truly go out and get. Knowing the landscape I find it hard to believe you’ll get an established guy to come into scholarship reductions and any nature of a second year bowl ban. Now just one year of a bowl ban and it may be appealing. There’s talent on the roster and some positives, but it just depends on the NCAA.”