Ole Miss promotes defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach, succeeding Kiffin

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — A handful of Ole Miss football players were the first to emerge from the Manning Center following Lane Kiffin’s farewell meeting as head coach.

“It’s the Pete Golding era! A new era. Hotty Toddy,” exclaimed the smiling players to assembled media and onlookers gathered for news after the 15-minute meeting. “It’s Pete!”

Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach, announcing the move shortly after Kiffin’s departure for LSU.

“Coach Kiffin and I met yesterday and he informed us that is accepting the head coaching position at another school,” Carter said. “For our program to begin preparing for its future — both short and long term, he will be stepping away from the team immediately.”

Athletic Director Keith Carter said Golding would guide the No. 6 Rebels (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 7 CFP), “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, and whose wish to coach the Rebels in postseason while assuming the head coaching role at another SEC school was denied.

The Rebels’ 55 wins under the 50-year-old Kiffin are the most in a six-year period in Ole Miss history.

The choice of the 41-year-old Golding, completing his third year as the defensive coordinator, was a popular choice among players, as well as Carter. The two share similar backgrounds — small town Southerners with career paths of extensive travel before establishing roots in Oxford.

“Oxford is home and it’s an incredible honor to lead one of the nation’s premier programs,” said Golding, a former all-star safety at Division II Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. “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’s coaching stops include every level of college football, beginning with Delta State, Tusculum, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi and UTSA before earning a high-profile defensive coordinator slot for Nick Saban at Alabama.

After four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Golding rejoined Kiffin at Ole Miss in 2023.

This season, Ole Miss is the SEC’s third-ranked pass defense and No. 29 nationally in scoring defense (20.1 ppg). Golding has long been considered a top recruiter with extensive coaching contacts throughout the region.

His reputation for intensity while preferring to deflect criticism from players to himself make him a contrast from the more colorful and shoot-from-the-hip style favored by Kiffin.

Golding, whose piercing blue eyes lock in on those with whom he speaks, employs a clear style of communication that works to provide comfort for players or generate corrections.

He prefers to be called Coach Pete or simply, Pete.

“I’ve never campaigned for myself or for other jobs,” said Golding in an earlier interview. “I’ve always believed that if you plant your feet, do a great job, then people would find you and appreciate what you’re doing.”

The bigger question will be how Golding replaces the creativity and mad-scientist nature of Kiffin, whose creativity was most reflected on the offensive side of the football. The Rebels have the SEC’s top offense (498.1 yards per game) and average 37 points a game.

Carter asserted that Golding 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 our players and coaches are ecstatic and ready to lock arms for a playoff run.”

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This story has been updated to correct the school Golding attended to Delta State.