Ross Bjork, Ole Miss’ vice chancellor of intercollegiate athletics, issued an open letter Monday to the Ole Miss fan base regarding the football team, the NCAA investigation and more.
Dear Ole Miss Family,
Greetings from the Ole Miss campus. I wanted to personally reach out to the Ole Miss Family as quickly as possible after this past weekend. It’s hard to believe the football season went by so fast and has now come to an end. With a new normal being established, it is also difficult to believe the Rebels will not be going to a fifth-straight bowl. Less than a year ago, Coach Freeze and our team were hoisting the Allstate Sugar Bowl trophy in New Orleans. In 2014, the Landshark defense was No. 1 in the nation, allowing only 16 points per game. I could go on with recent accomplishments under Coach Freeze, but you know them already and that’s what makes this season disappointing.
All of us who work for your athletics program embrace high expectations – we signed up for this, and it is what makes Ole Miss a special place. We have all come to expect excellence, and that’s a game changer for our culture and fanbase.
Make no mistake about it – not a single coach, staff member, student-athlete or administrator is content with the results of this season, and I assure you we will be relentless about getting back to the same trajectory of the previous four seasons. That plan and direction is built on a solid foundation that includes momentum across the entire university, enhanced athletic facilities, more financial resources than ever before, a confident fanbase and a commitment to excellence in all facets of our athletics program. None of those things are going away, and I can commit to you that we will not quit or let one season rattle our foundation. We are building a program to last.
So what’s next? Here are a few areas we know you’re interested in:
- Coaching Staff. As Coach Freeze has said, we will evaluate all aspects of the team and make appropriate changes. The search for a defensive coordinator is in full swing, and we have all of the resources to hire the best and brightest leader for our defense.
- NCAA Process. We know how difficult and frustrating this case is for our program and the Ole Miss Family. Rest assured, we have every resource at the table, but we will not make this a public campaign. At the appropriate time, we will be able to share more about the process and the steps we have taken along the way. We are trying to reach a conclusion, and no one wants to see the end more than I do.
- Vaught-Hemingway Experience. As you know, Vaught-Hemingway was expanded and upgraded in nearly every area leading up to this season. With any construction project of this size, there are growing pains, and we want to know about your experience in an organized way so we can make the experience better in 2017. Please be on the lookout for the annual fan experience survey that will be emailed to all season ticket holders in the next two weeks.
At my introductory press conference, I asked our fans to do one thing – pull the rope in the same direction because you love this university and our students who compete in athletics. In addition to excellent coaches and student-athletes, winning the SEC requires the Ole Miss Family working together. Thank you for your incredible love, passion and support for Ole Miss Athletics.
