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Ole Miss basketball: Andy Kennedy is the best coach in Rebels history

By Holden Walter-Warner

LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 6: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels reacts to a call in the second half of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on January 6, 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky defeated Mississippi 89-86 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 6: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels reacts to a call in the second half of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on January 6, 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky defeated Mississippi 89-86 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Andy Kennedy officially stepped down from his post as Ole Miss Rebels head coach on Sunday afternoon. What does that mean for his legacy?

The timing is right for the Ole Miss Rebels and head coach Andy Kennedy to part ways. Originally, the plan was for Kennedy to finish out the 2017-18 campaign.

That plan changed on Sunday, with Kennedy officially stepping down, effective immediately.

Ole Miss struggled in recent years, necessitating a change in leadership. Despite accumulating at least 20 wins in back-to-back seasons, the Rebels haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2015. Only once in Kennedy’s 12 seasons did the team make it past the Round of 64.

This season, fortunes turned ugly. Ole Miss is just 11-16, including 4-10 in SEC play, transforming into a doormat in the conference. While several teams in the league have risen this season, the Rebels sank into disarray and tumult.

None of that changes the legacy Kennedy leaves as the greatest coach in Ole Miss history.

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By no means did Kennedy take over a bare cupboard in 2006. Rob Evans turned the Rebels into winners towards the end of his tenure, which Rod Barnes continued for his first few seasons. In Barnes’ last four years, however, the Rebels never finished above .500 and never secured more than 14 wins.

When Kennedy took over, the results immediately followed. Ole Miss captured a share of the SEC west title during his first season in charge. Kennedy rightfully earned SEC Coach of the Year honors that season.

Since then, Kennedy put a consistent winner on the court, albeit one that couldn’t take the next step in a program evolution. Ole Miss secured at least 20 wins in all but two seasons prior to this campaign. This will be the first time the team finished with a losing record in his tenure.

Consider the fact that Florida, Tennessee, and Texas A&M have all had a losing season in that stretch, while Arkansas and Auburn have had at least two.

Almost five years ago to the day, Kennedy surpassed B.L. “Country” Graham as the winningest coach in Ole Miss history. His 245 wins would take at least a decade for any Rebels coach to surpass and rank him in the top 20 in SEC history.

Ole Miss will find a solid coach to lead the program next year. There’s certainly no shortage of worthy candidates.

Next: Imagining an NCAA All-Star Game

Andy Kennedy should remain the greatest coach in program history for some time, though.

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