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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Former Rebel Matt Luke Joins Cutcliffe Staff
3/5/2002 | Football
March 5, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss head football coach David Cutcliffe announced Tuesday he has recommended the hiring of Matt Luke to become tight ends coach and assistant offensive line coach, while moving Ron Middleton from those assignments to running backs coach and special teams coordinator.
Cutcliffe's recommendations come one day after Rich Bisaccia resigned as running backs coach and special teams coordinator to become special teams coach with the National Football League Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The recommendations are pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.
"This move for Ron Middleton is a natural," Cutcliffe said. "He's been involved in all of our special teams play and our offense for three years. Ron is a versatile coach and a valuable member of our staff who will do an outstanding job with his new assignments."
The selection of Luke will mark his return to Ole Miss where he was an outstanding player and captain of the 1998 team which finished 7-5 and defeated Texas Tech, 35-18, in the Sanford Independence Bowl. That Independence Bowl was the first game for Cutcliffe as the new head coach of the Rebels.
"It's exciting to bring Matt Luke back to Ole Miss," Cutcliffe said. "I think he is one of the brightest young talents in the coaching profession. He had a great impact on our football program as a player and I know he will do the same as a coach."
Luke has just finished his second season as offensive line coach at Murray (Ky.) State University, where he worked for former Ole Miss assistant Joe Pannunzio.
"It was a dream of mine to play at Ole Miss and it's another dream come true to return as a coach at my alma mater," Luke said. "I'm thrilled to be back and appreciate Coach Cutcliffe giving me this opportunity. He represents everything good that there is about college football."
Despite battling injuries and illness during his playing days at Ole Miss, Luke enjoyed a brilliant career, earning four letters as he started 33 games, including two bowl appearances. He saw action in five games as a backup center during his true freshman season in 1995 and then started nine games as a sophomore, 12 as a junior, and 12 as a senior.
Luke was selected as the 1998 Ole Miss Most Valuable Senior by the Jackson Touchdown Club and also received the John Howard Vaught Award of Excellence and the Birmingham Alumni Club Leadership Award. During his junior campaign, Luke was the 1997 CommuniGroup Lineman of the Year and received the first J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award, which is presented to a rising senior who, in the opinion of his coaches, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion in his dedication to his team and to Ole Miss.
After finishing his playing career, Luke remained at Ole Miss to complete his degree and was a student assistant for Cutcliffe during the 1999 season, working with the centers and guards. Following his graduation in May of 2000 when he received his B.S degree in Business Administration, Luke joined the Murray State staff as offensive line coach.
A native of Gulfport, Miss., Luke was an all-state selection while playing at Gulfport High School. As a senior, he was selected Mississippi Gulf Coast Player of the Year and named to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. Luke's father, Tommy, was a defensive back at Ole Miss in the 1960s and his older brother, Tom, was a quarterback at Ole Miss from 1989-91.
