Matt Luke Signing Day Press Conference Transcript

OLE MISS HEAD COACH MATT LUKE

Opening Statement…
"Really excited about this recruiting class. I think we all know that recruiting is about filling needs, and I think we were all able to address a lot of those needs. Eleven mid-year enrollees will be here for spring practice. We were able to address needs at every position. I thought we did a great job of getting some junior college players in here, two in the secondary that will be here for spring practice, a first team All-American defensive end that can be here for spring practice. Two quarterbacks that will be here for spring practice. Huge needs in the O-line and at wide receiver. (We were) able to address those; I thought Coach Bicknell did an unbelievable job with the offensive line, and then signing a junior college receiver that could come in and give us some immediate help there with some guys leaving. But overall, being able to sign 25 guys, 16 of which are from the state of Mississippi. We all knew the '19 class was really, really good, but to sign 16 guys from Mississippi, really, really proud of that. And again, a lot of quality young men in this class and excited about it. I think it's a huge step toward rebuilding this program, and having the opportunity for the first time to get back to 85 scholarships, so looking forward to it."

On building depth with additional scholarships…
"The typical signing class is 25, but we're able to have 30 to 32, in that range depending on what you do with some guys on your team currently. But it's a big class, and it does give you the opportunity to build that depth you need, and that's the thing as you look at the quality of this signing class, you see every position getting hit, and hitting need at every single position. That's a huge thing. A lot of these guys have been committed for a long time, and that's what you don't want to forget. You don't want to forget about the big battles you won in the summer. These guys have been committed to us throughout the whole time, and a lot of quality depth in this class."

On the linebacker position…
"I think we have some young linebackers with Momo (Sanogo) and Jacquez (Jones). I think that's a good building block, but I think as we move forward into this February signing class, you can probably look for us to go find a junior college linebacker or another linebacker that can step in there and compete with those guys. Because you have Jacquez, you have Momo, you have Willie (Hibbler), but you want to get some more guys that can come in there and compete."

On the needs for the February signing period…
"I think two spots in the D-line, one spot at linebacker, and I think that will be important. You probably want to look at one more receiver, maybe one more running back, but I do think that two spots in the D-line and one spot at linebacker will be critical. That's the good thing about this early signing period, you have now you can focus in, lock in, and go get those guys. I think we'll have a couple of guys that are committed that will sign in February, but you can also narrow your focus and go after your needs, which is good."

On Jordan Jernigan and Tavario Standifer…
"First of all, great young men and great families. Really enjoyed getting to know those guys as people, but they're also really, really good players with bright futures. You know, Tay had an unfortunate injury with his Achilles, so he'll have to get healthy, but he's an early enrollee who will be able to come in early and start rehabbing early. But Jordan is a dynamic playmaker, and he'll fit right in to our wideout room, so really excited about those guys."

On the potential for Standifer to play linebacker…
"I do. When he came to camp, and we offered him out of camp, he was 195 pounds. When he came here the last time, he was 223 pounds already. So you're looking at a long, athletic linebacker that is going to have a bright future."

On graduate transfer market…
"I think you're always in that market. (You're always looking at) the best available to fill needs, so I think you'll always be in that market at certain positions, and we will be as well."

On the two Horn Lake prospects, and when you were informed on their choice…
"Today. And like you said, you don't want to focus on the guys you don't get. You want to focus on the guys you do get, and really one player or two players don't define your class, and again this is another top-20 recruiting class, and there's a lot of great young men here. Obviously, those guys are great players, and they'll have great futures. But for us, you want to focus on the guys you did get because those are the guys that are going to come in, and that's what we're going to build this program with."

On immediate defensive impacts…
"You say the junior college guys for sure because that's why you sign them, so they can come in and help immediately. Jamar (Richardson) and Jonathon (Haynes) from Jones, I think they can come in and make an immediate impact. Obviously, Sam (Williams) being a really, really good pass rusher, I think those guys can come in and help us immediately. You take (Dontario) Drummond who was another first team All-American junior college receiver that can come in and help us immediately, so when you say immediate needs, you look at the junior college guys because that's why you're taking them."

On offensive coordinator search…
"Obviously these past three weeks you're going in and recruiting, and my focus was on the DC (defensive coordinator) and recruiting. Now my focus can kind of shift to that offensive coordinator and get the right fit for the program. It's a great opportunity for me because you saw the improvement that you're going to have with Mike MacIntyre. You're going to see a very similar improvement on the offensive side of the ball, so it's an opportunity for me. We're getting back to 85 scholarships, so I can put my stamp on this program, and I'm really, really excited about the opportunity to do - to have coordinators in here that I am picking, and that I'm hiring, and create that culture that we're looking for."

On the potential of Dannis Jackson…
"I think Dannis is a very dynamic player, so I think he will have a role early just because of his speed and his explosion. I think as far as punt returning, kick returning, speed sweeps, receiver, he can do a lot of different things. He's very, very dynamic and definitely one of the top two or three receivers in the state for this class and in this country, so I'm really, really excited about Dannis."

On Jadon Jackson…
"Jadon, same thing. Jadon is a very fast, very long, very good receiver. Very, very explosive, and again, I think we did a very, very good job at signing wide receivers to come in and replace the guys that left."

On recruiting in Arkansas…
"I think the interest early, we were able to get them on campus. When Darius (Thomas) walks in here, and Jadon Jackson, those two players that he's referring to, they are very, very talented guys. Darius looks like you're supposed to look, and he's got a very, very bright future. I think he's going to be a big-time offensive tackle, so very excited about him. For whatever reason, he's kind of flown under the radar but he's a really, really good looking man from a great family, and I'm excited about him."

On the defensive coordinator search and choosing MacIntyre…
"Obviously, it was a tough situation for him, but it ended up working out for us. It's a guy that I've worked with before, unbelievable experience. You immediately knew he was a great recruiter, a great person, somebody that you would want your son to play for, and then he leaves and he has seven years (of) experience in the NFL under Bill Parcels with the Cowboys and the Jets. Then we go to Duke, and he's able to rebuild that Duke defense basically from scratch. And then he goes to a San Jose State program that wasn't very good, and he wins there. And then he goes to Colorado, and they haven't been very good, and he wins there. He shows that knack and that ability to turn things around very quickly. Part of it is knowledge, part of it is his passion, and part of it is just him being a really, really good coach and a good person. I think it was a no-brainer to be able to have a guy like that. I mean, he's the 2016 National Coach of the Year, so to have a guy like that to come in and run your defense and to have a sounding board for me, I think that's huge. I think that was a huge hire for this program, and I think he's going to do a phenomenal job."

On offensive coordinator search and if he has a timetable for hire…
"I don't. I want to get the right fit. I didn't really feel like the offensive coordinator was going to affect the signing class, and for the most part, it didn't. Just taking our time now and shifting our focus to that and getting the right fit. I think there's going to be plenty of great candidates with all the success we've had on offense. For me, it's finding the right fit for my personality and the blueprint of the program."

On shortcomings in Memphis…
"We'll try to address it in February with the remaining players that are still there. Obviously, we have a year-round recruiting plan that's based on relationships and those guys here and continuing to battle and compete, and we'll continue to do that."

On what you're looking for in an offensive coordinator…
"I think it's fit with us and the program. Part of coaching is using the people that you have. I think that's offense. You take the best pieces you have and you use those guys, but it's overall fit with the staff and the program for sure."

RebelsCalendar

Players Mentioned

Dannis Jackson

Jadon Jackson

Jordan Jernigan

Tavario Standifer

The University of Mississippi Athletics