OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Matt Luke guided Mississippi's football program through the dark days of a two-year NCAA postseason ban. Now the Rebels believe the young coach - along with a few veteran coordinators - can push the program back in the Southeastern Conference's elite.

The Rebels have remade their coaching staff over the winter, paying more than $7 million over the next three years to offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre . The well-respected duo has more than two decades of Division I head coaching experience between them

"Your job as a leader is to surround yourself with the very best people you can," Luke said. "That's been a big help. Two coordinators who understand the big picture. They're not singular focused. They've been there, they've done it.