OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach on Sunday, announcing the move shortly after Lane Kiffin’s departure for the top job at LSU when his wish to coach the Rebels in the postseason was denied.
Athletic director Keith Carter said Golding would guide the sixth-ranked Rebels (11-1) “into the College Football Playoff,” which will release its 12-team bracket on Dec. 7. The announcement followed days of negotiations with Kiffin, who chose LSU over staying in Oxford.
“Coach Kiffin and I met yesterday, and he informed us that he is accepting the head coaching position at another school,” Carter said. “For our program to begin preparing for its future – both the short and long term, he will be stepping away from the team immediately.”
Golding, a former college player at Delta State in Mississippi and a longtime defensive specialist, acknowledged the challenge.
“Oxford is home, and it’s an incredible honor to lead one of the nation’s premier programs, and I can’t wait to get to work immediately and prepare this team to win a national championship,” he said. “Our mission moving forward is clear: we will play with toughness, discipline and relentless effort in everything we do. We will recruit at the highest level, develop our players on and off the field, and compete every single day to bring championships to Oxford.”
Golding has been defensive coordinator since 2023. Over his career, his units have allowed opponents 18.5 points and 330.8 yards per game. The Rebels this year have the SEC’s third-ranked pass defense and the 25th scoring defense in the Bowl Subdivisioin (20.1 ppg).
The bigger question will be how Golding replaces the creativity and mad scientist nature of Kiffin, whose creativity was most often reflected on the offensive side of the ball. The Rebels have the SEC’s top offense (498.1 yards per game), rank second in the nation with 20 rushing touchdowns and average 37 points per game.
The 55 wins under Kiffin are the most in a six-year period in Ole Miss history.
Golding’s boss said his new hire is up for it.
“His tenure will begin immediately as he leads our program in the pursuit of a national title,” Carter said. “Today’s team meeting was a clear indicator of his ability to galvanize our squad. All of our players and coaches are ecstatic and ready to lock arms for a playoff run.”
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