The University of Mississippi has extended athletic director Keith Carter’s contract. The four-year deal will payout $1.1 million dollars annually.
Carter, who is a former All-American for the Ole Miss basketball team in the late 90s, has quickly changed the culture for all sports. The most prominent contribution Carter has made was hiring football head coach Lane Kiffin, who has brought the program to a new level since taking the reins from Matt Luke. Under Kiffin, the Rebels have been dominant on the gridiron, finishing at No. 11 in the AP poll (highest since 2015 and second highest since 1969).
Football is not the only program succeeding, as every 2021 fall program made the postseason for the first time in modern school history. The Rebel football team earned a berth to the AllState Sugar Bowl after the best regular season run in years.
Carter has also been propelling the school forward off the field, launching a recent plan to spend $350 million on expanding facilities and stadiums for sports including football, baseball, soccer, softball and golf for the “Champions. Now.” campaign. The enthusiasm and initiative Carter has brought with him over the past two years should inspire confidence for all Ole Miss athletic programs moving forwards.
Expect recruits to take notice of the new era in Oxford, as the Rebels put their name in the conversation for some of the best facilities in the nation. With an established national powerhouse in baseball and a budding yet energetic football team, Ole Miss is looking to be recognized as an overall winning institution.
“Ole Miss is a special place, and I am humbled and honored to be in this position. I feel a real sense of responsibility to make sure our department succeeds at the highest level. We look forward to continuing our success and strengthening Ole Miss Athletics as one of the premier brands in college athletics,” Carter said.
