STARKVILLE — Houston Nutt didn’t want his career as head football coach at the University of Mississippi end this way.
There couldn’t have been a bigger understatement.
Nutt’s Rebels were outmanned from the opening kickoff Saturday in a 31-3 loss to archrival Mississippi State in the final Southeastern Conference regular-season game for both teams at Davis Wade Stadium.
“In this locker room, there is a lot of young talent, and I told them to get ready to make a real investment,” Nutt said.
Nutt coached his final game at Ole Miss on Saturday night after being told three weeks ago he would be bought out of his contract and would not return for a fifth season.
Ole Miss finished 2-10 and 0-8 in the SEC. It is the second time in the past five seasons the Rebels were winless in the league. After a press conference announcing Nutt’s ouster, the Rebels lost their final three games by a combined score of 110-13.
“Everybody in this locker room is disappointed,” Ole Miss freshman wide receiver Tobias Singleton said. “It was not supposed to be this year. Everybody worked hard during the offseason. A lot of people didn’t have faith in us, but we thought we were ready to be a good football team. Instead, everything just fell apart.”
The Bulldogs scored on the game’s opening possession. They then garnered a second possession when the Rebels fumbled the ensuing kickoff. While MSU didn’t score, it scored on three of its first five possessions to take a 21-0 halftime lead.
“We had some serious issues tonight,” Ole Miss senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett said. “This is not how I wanted my Ole Miss career to end. … One mistake here and then one mistake there. We get our heads down and do not recover.”
Nutt went 24-26 and 10-22 in league games at Ole Miss. While the Rebels won back-to-back Cotton Bowls in Nutt’s first two seasons, the ending, which included three losses in a row in the Egg Bowls, was cruel.
The new coaching staff will inherit a two-season, 14-game losing streak in the SEC.
“The end of the year was tough,” Nutt said. “It is as tough a situation as I have been in. It was tough on our coaches and our players. They are unsure of their future. This was the first time we have been in this situation, and it is hard. I hate it for our fans, but there are a lot of good things coming.”
The Rebels played multiple freshmen this season. The recruiting class was considered among the nation’s elite, and many thought Nutt would be given an opportunity to develop these talents.
However, the losing became too much to overcome. The Rebels didn’t win again after a 38-28 victory Oct. 1 at Fresno State on Oct. 1. While Ole Miss flirted with an upset of Arkansas in a 29-24 home loss on Oct. 22, that game was the exception.
The 2011 season will be remembered for a 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt, a 30-13 loss at Kentucky, and losses to Alabama and LSU by a combined score of 104-10. By the time the MSU game rolled around Saturday, many Rebels fans were scouring the message boards for the hottest new coach rumors.
“We have a chance to make this thing special,” Singleton said. “We know we have some players. What we need is some focus. Everybody needs to come in here Monday ready to get this thing turned around. I hate that it didn’t work out this year. But I am excited about what is next. I hope we get a coach that can spread the ball around to all our talented players. I want an offensive-minded coach.”
Many in attendance Saturday felt like a new coaching staff could be in place in the next seven to 10 days. By informing Nutt of their future plans three weeks ago, Ole Miss officials had an added jump in putting together a search committee and short list of targets.
While no one would comment publicly Saturday about what is next, it is a safe bet the new coach will be asked to reverse the recent trend of MSU domination in this series.
“I really wanted to finish out the year with this team,” Nutt said. “But I wish things would have gone differently. The first two years here, I taught them how to win, and I think it will come back. This is not the way I wanted to go out, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing I did.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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