Ole Miss defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff has been fired.
Though there were issues on offense that contributed to a season-ending five-game losing streak, defensive problems had been a season-long source of frustration.
Ole Miss began back in August with a pledge to improve its run defense.
The Rebels end the season giving up 221.8 yards a game, an improvement of roughly 20 yards over 2017.
Mississippi State rushed for 309 yards in Thursday’s 35-3 win over Ole Miss.
Afterward Ole Miss coach Matt Luke would not answer questions about possible staff changes, but the school announced the decision in a Friday morning email.
Ole Miss is responsible for two more seasons on McGriff’s contract, which pays $1.2 million a year.
“I want to thank Wesley for his hard work and dedication to Ole Miss,” Luke said in the news release. “Despite the challenges his unit faced this season, we can be better on that side of the ball, and I determined new leadership is needed.”
Luke will address the media in a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
If McGriff takes a job at less than $1.2 million annually, Ole Miss will pay the difference for the life of the contract. If he takes a job paying more, Ole Miss will owe nothing else.
The announcement gives Luke his first opportunity to hire a top assistant.
McGriff and offensive coordinator Phil Longo were hired in December of 2016 by former coach Hugh Freeze.
Luke, now 11-13 in two seasons, was named interim coach in July of 2017 and chose to retain McGriff and Longo after last season.
A native of Tifton, Georgia, and a graduate of Savannah State, McGriff was in his second stint at Ole Miss, both beginning with Freeze. The U.S. Army veteran was co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach in 2012.
He returned to Ole Miss after serving as defensive backs coach at Auburn.
His 2018 unit suffered several injuries, but there were few national statistical categories in which Ole Miss did not rank near the bottom.
The secondary was particularly hit hard. Cornerback Jaylon Jones, the unit’s best player, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the opener against Texas Tech.
Season-ending injuries would follow for nickel back Montrell Custis and safety C.J. Moore. All three were starters.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Josh Clarke and defensive end Markell Winters also suffered season-ending injuries. Both had started at least one game.
Other players missed time with injuries as well.
Ole Miss, out of 129 FBS teams, ends the season ranked No. 113 in scoring defense (36.2 ppg), No. 116 in rushing defense (221.8 ypg) and No. 121 in total defense (484.3 ypg).
