With the recent news of the decision to not renew the contract of Chancellor Dan Jones, Ole Miss athletics and prominent Ole Miss sports legends have vocally expressed their concerns.
On Saturday morning, Ole Miss Athletic Director Ross Bjork tweeted from his personal twitter account his public support for Jones and thanked him for the opportunity to have control of athletics. Bjork also had high praise for the leadership of Jones.
“3 years ago today, Dan Jones gave us a chance to lead athletics & be a part of the #OleMiss family. Forever grateful for his leadership!” Bjork tweeted.
Jones is the main reason why Bjork and Ole Miss football head coach Hugh Freeze are at The University of Mississippi.
Bjork was appointed and hired with the help of Jones on March 21, 2012, and Bjork has taken Ole Miss athletics to new levels. In less than three years as athletic director, Bjork has made great hires, engineered progress in the success of all athletic teams and created a new positive atmosphere surrounding Ole Miss athletics.
On Dec. 5, 2011, Hugh Freeze was named head football coach under Jones and the hire has helped the football program reach new levels.
Other figures in Ole Miss athletics have also spoken out about the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning’s decision.
Former Ole Miss quarterback and Rebel legend Archie Manning released a statement on Monday.
“As a lifelong Ole Miss Rebel, it has pained me to witness the events of the past week concerning our Chancellor and the IHL,” Manning said in his statement. “The national reputation of Ole Miss has never been better. Our athletic teams are winning at unprecedented levels. Our enrollment is booming, and the academic quality of entering freshman has never been so impressive. In virtually every measurable category, we are succeeding.”
Chuck Rounsaville, the owner/publisher of the Ole Miss Spirit, made the statement from Manning public and expressed his opinion on the impact that Manning’s statement could have.
“He’s a very powerful voice, and everyone that has ever gone to Ole Miss and goes to an Ole Miss sporting event knows Archie and his intentions and his love for Ole Miss,” Rounsaville said. “When he comes out and speaks against this decision of the IHL board, it carries a big stick.”
Rounsaville said he was confused by the decision and concerned with the board and their decision on Jones.
“I’m baffled. I’m stunned. I don’t know what measuring stick you use to judge a chancellor’s performance,” Rounsaville said. “To me, this doesn’t seem like a performance-based decision by the IHL. We’re not getting much explanation as to why it was done.”
The future of athletics at Ole Miss is still bright, but it will be under new leadership with a new chancellor. As for what the future beholds, it remains to be seen.
“Life will go on, and athletics will go on. To what level and what degree, it depends on a lot of different things. The marriage among athletics and academics are essential,” Ole Miss Spirit editor Jeff Roberson said. “You hope going forward whoever the chancellor is will have not only the support of athletics but do what Dan Jones did which was let athletics people lead the athletics department. Dan Jones did that in all the departments.”
