OXFORD, Miss. (University of Mississippi) – Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt has recommended the hiring of 14-year SEC coaching veteran Terry Price as the Rebels’ new defensive line coach. The appointment is pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.
This would mark Price’s second stint in Oxford, as he also coached defensive ends for the Rebels from 1995-98. Since his departure, Price held that same post for Auburn from 1999-2008.
“We’re very excited about Terry joining the staff,” Nutt said. “He is an excellent person and a tremendous coach. He brings experience in the SEC and has achieved a wealth of success. We have gone against him many a game, and it’s good to now have him on the Ole Miss sideline.”
Under Price’s watch, Auburn’s defensive line topped the SEC in sacks in 2005. That season included an 11-sack game against rival Alabama.
Auburn ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense in 2005, was seventh in 2006 and sixth in 2007 in the same category. Price’s defensive ends were a part of a Tiger defense that led the nation in scoring defense and was fifth in total defense in 2004.
Among Price’s past pupils is Quentin Groves, the all-time Auburn career leader in sacks and a two-time all-SEC selection. Antonio Coleman (2008), Marquies Gunn (2005), Stanley McGlover (2004, 2005), Reggie Torbor (2003) and Marcus Washington (1999) were also All-SEC honorees under Price. Five of Price’s defensive ends were NFL draft picks between 1999 and 2007.
Former Rebel Derrick Burgess (Oakland), Washington (Washington), Torbor, (Miami) and Groves (Jacksonville) are among the current NFL players coached by Price.
In addition, Price helped recruit to Auburn current Arizona Cardinal linebacker Karlos Dansby; Tampa Bay Buccaneer running back Cadillac Williams (2004 All-American; 2005 NFL Rookie of the Year), Atlanta Falcon cornerback David Irons and New England Patriot cornerback Jonathan Wilhite.
As an honorable mention All-American defensive end at Texas A&M, Price helped lead the Aggies to Southwest Conference titles in 1986 and 1987. He was a 10th-round draft pick of the NFL’s Chicago Bears and played there in 1990 and with the Miami Dolphins in 1991.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in 1992, Price was a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater before working as defensive line coach and strength coach at Western Kentucky in 1994 before moving on to Ole Miss.
The Atlanta, Ga., native is married to the former Kenya Hodges, and the couple has two sons, Alexander and Devin. Price is the first cousin of previous Rebel defensive line coach Tracy Rocker.
