A puff of white smoke finally rose from Oxford, Miss., Sunday when Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin announced he was departing after six seasons to become LSU’s new coach. The Rebels are primed for a College Football Playoff appearance and a shot at the national title, which made the school act quickly with its succession plan.
Ole Miss announced that defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Pete Golding will take over as coach, effective immediately for the forthcoming postseason run. Athletic director Keith Carter released a statement on the groundbreaking change to the college football landscape and Ole Miss’ plan moving forward with Golding taking over.
"Coach Kiffin and I met yesterday, and he informed us that he is accepting the head coaching position at another school. For our program to begin preparing for its future, both the short and long term, he will be stepping away from the team immediately,” Carter said in an Ole Miss news release. "With this development, we could not be more excited to announce Pete Golding as the next head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.
“His tenure will begin immediately as he leads our program in the pursuit of a national title. 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. From the moment he arrived in Oxford, we quickly realized Pete is a coach who could not only lead a program but elevate it to championship status. He has demonstrated an exceptional football mind, but more than that, he has shown a deep understanding of our culture, values and what it means to be part of the Ole Miss family. Simply put, Pete is one of us.”
Rebels players seemed to be quite confident in the plan, with some members taking to social media to praise the move while others were recorded exiting the consequential team meeting with excited messages. Golding provided a statement after the news of his promotion where he shared plenty of optimism for Ole Miss in the CFP and looking out further ahead toward the future.
"I would like to thank Keith Carter, Chancellor Boyce and the entire Ole Miss leadership team for placing their trust in me. 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,” Golding said in a statement. “Ole Miss football is special. Since the day I arrived, I've felt the passion, pride and unwavering support of Rebel Nation. This is a place where expectations are high, and football is woven into the fabric of the community. 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. Most importantly, we will represent this university with class and integrity. To the Ole Miss family, thank you for your support and belief. I'm excited for what's ahead, and I can't wait to attack this challenge together."
Golding, 41, has been with the program since the 2023 season, spending the past three years as DC and inside linebackers coach. He served in the same role at Alabama for five seasons prior to his arrival at Ole Miss.
The Rebels finished the regular season 11-1 behind Kiffin. They missed out on a berth in the SEC championship game after Alabama beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl Saturday. The new LSU coach released a statement himself where he mentioned his intention to coach Ole Miss in the CFP, but was denied by Carter. Amid the messy, long-drawn breakup, Kiffin said he will be “rooting hard” for his former team to complete their season with the ultimate goal of bringing a national championship to Oxford.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What Ole Miss AD, New Coach Pete Golding Had to Say As Lane Kiffin Departs for LSU.
