When will the time arrive for change with Ole Miss basketball?

Jan 29, 2023 - 6:23 PM

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Saturday’s 82-60 loss to Oklahoma State was not something shocking to Ole Miss basketball fans who have become apathetic in a season that went off the rails in December.

The Rebels (9-12, 1-7 SEC) have ten more games this season, but it seems the writing is clearly on the wall head coach Kermit Davis will not be back next season. For the first time this season on Saturday, it looked like even his players had “let go of the rope” in the second half. Granted, the team was down two of its best scorers - the talent gap was enormous and telling in his fifth season at the helm.

So now fans have to be thinking about when it would be best to make an announcement of a change at head coach. Athletic director Keith Carter has told media outlets he will wait until closer to the end of the season to look totally at the program and its direction. And, yes, maybe that’s the only answer he can give right now.

But for Ole Miss fans on social media, the time for a refresh is now.

Let’s go back to the last time Ole Miss forced a head coach out in the 2017-2018 season. Andy Kennedy and the Rebels were on a seven game losing streak in February and sitting at 11-16 overall with a 4-10 SEC record. The long time head coach resigned the day after a 17-point loss to Mississippi State only one week after Kennedy said he would resign at the end of the season.

Maybe that is where this season is headed as well. The team is on a similar trajectory, possibly even worse as the ‘17-’18 Rebels, and Davis may decide to announce a season’s end resignation at some point in the next month.

But I have a feeling he still believes this program can be turned around with him at the lead. The only problem is the number of those behind him are nearly as few as the wins notched this season.