Luke’s Legacy: How Ole Miss Shaped Matt Luke’s Love for College Football

Video by Talbert Toole

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.

Oct. 29 marks the day of Ole Miss head football coach Matt Luke’s birthday. Luke said in a previous interview with HottyToddy.com though he was born in south Mississippi, he has Rebel blood that runs deep. 

The bloodline began with his dad, Tommy Luke, who played defensive back for the Rebels in the 1960s. Luke and his brother Tom grew up listening to their dad’s stories of his time on the field. These stories instilled a passion in Luke for Ole Miss football.

“That’s my dad’s helmet right there (on his table in his office) that he used, and it sat on our bookshelves growing up,” Luke said. “So, for my brother and I, that was a dream of ours.”

As Gulfport natives they both played football growing up. Tom, who is seven years older than Matt, came to Oxford in 1989 to play quarterback for the Rebels. Luke said he played high school football on Friday nights, then the family would make the drive north to see Rebel games on Saturdays.

Luke’s dream of playing for the Rebels came to fruition in 1995 when he played center for four seasons.

Following his playing career, he served as an assistant student coach at Ole Miss in 1999, assisting the Rebels to an 8-4 mark with regular-season wins against Auburn, South Carolina, LSU and Arkansas, as well as a 27-25 triumph over Oklahoma in the Independence Bowl. He graduated in May 2000 with a degree in business administration.

Luke then spent two years (2000-01) coaching the offensive line at Murray State before returning to his alma mater to coach the Rebel tight ends and offensive line for four seasons (2002-05).

Luke had two other assistant coaching stops at Tennessee and Duke before returning to Ole Miss in 2012.

“I got into coaching and my next dream was to be a coach at Ole Miss. And then that came true,” Luke said. “I think very few people get to live their dream and I’m getting a chance to do that. At one point or another, I have been a fan, player, coach and now the head coach. I just know how people feel and I want to put a product on the field that all Ole Miss fans will be proud of.”