Ole Miss Football head coach Pete Golding spoke to the media on July 22 in Tampa, Fla., for SEC Media Days. The first-year full-time coach spoke about preparation for the upcoming season, the mentality of the program and how things have changed with him as head coach.
Golding came to Oxford from Alabama in 2023 as the defensive coordinator. In that time, the Oxford community has been good to the Golding family.
“It was a unique decision for us to leave Tuscaloosa (Ala.,) to go to Oxford. (It was) not strictly a family decision and it feels like it was yesterday when that occurred, over three and a half years ago, but the people there have embraced us,” Golding said. “The people and the quality of the people within that place, the community and how they embrace the school and our students, the way they impact the environments not only at home games, but on a day-to-day basis is something really, really remarkable.”
The Rebels last played on Jan. 8 in a four-point loss to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. Since Jan. 9, Golding and the team have been focused on improving and doing it better this year.
“We still know there’s a lot of work to be done. We know every season is independent of their own,” Golding said. “The legacy from last year’s team is over. We can learn from that moving forward, which we have all spring.”
The Rebels have put the memorable 2025 campaign in the rearview mirror and are moving on to 2026, but Golding acknowledged the recent success of the program. He thanked chancellor Glenn Boyce and athletic director Keith Carter for their role in getting Ole Miss to where it is today.
“We definitely would not be where we’re at as a university right now, as an athletic program at Ole Miss, without Glenn (Boyce) and Keith (Carter) working side by side. They embody everything Ole Miss is about,” Golding said.
With the Rebel 2026 season set to begin on Sunday, Sept. 6, Ole Miss will begin fall camp soon. Players will have a week off next week, then official team activities will get underway just before fall camp.
“A little different structure than they’re used to, but I am just really, really big on the why,” Golding said. “I think they’ve seen the results throughout the spring in their bodies and speed and jumps from a weight room standpoint. It’s allowed us as coaches to slow down the install to really teach these 50 new guys that we got coming in that now it’s not, ‘hey, I hope they get it.’ You’re investing a lot into these guys in order to play in the fall. We have to make sure that we’re teaching it the right way and the right progression.”
After last season’s coaching debacle, Golding had work to do to retain and upgrade the 2026 coaching staff. He spoke about the success in retaining many coaches and acquiring new ones.
“I was really, really, really glad that I was able to retain a lot of really good staff on both sides of the ball. Really on all three phases,” Golding said. “When you look at offense and keeping (quarterbacks coach) Joe Judge who has done an unbelievable job; bringing (offensive coordinator) John David Baker back, who was the co-offensive coordinator in 2023 that had been in the system. Went off, got his teeth cut, called really good offenses at East Carolina. (We) did a really good job to get him back.”
Defensively, Golding was able to retain staffers who he is familiar with, like defensive coordinator Bryan Brown and defensive line coach Randall Joyner. Special teams coordinator Jake Schoonover will continue in his role as well.
Another change in the staff is the hiring of strength and conditioning coach Paul Constantine. Golding subscribes to a different approach to training than many college coaches. His team schedule is divided into phases and blocks, which is more of an NFL style. Constantine furthers Golding’s NFL-style approach.
“He (Constantine) was the No. 2 (strength coach) with the Falcons, so he came to us from Atlanta and switched that model in the weight room to a velocity-based training model,” Golding said.
Several former Ole Miss Football players joined the staff as well. These new additions will help in a variety of ways, but Golding highlighted where they are most valuable.
“We’ve been really fortunate to add a lot of really, really good human beings into both sides of the ball, and it just so happened to be a very unique year to where a lot of these guys were Ole Miss alum,” Golding said. “The Terrence Metcalfs of the world and the Michael Spurlocks of the world, and the Moncriefs of the world and the Marcus Woodsons of the world. They’ve created so much value for our players, not only from a relationship standpoint, but the investment into them and making them better human beings.”
All teams bring three players to media days. Ole Miss brought quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and defensive tackle Will Echoles. Golding was confident everyone already knew the talent of those players, so he instead talked about their character and what Ole Miss looks for in recruiting beyond the physical side of the things.
“Rule number one in our program is to be a good dude, and that ain’t too hard,” Golding said. “They’re (Chambliss, Lacy, Echoles) tough. They’re competitive. They love football. That’s who we look for, from a recruiting standpoint, but more importantly they’re good people.”
The Rebels have had a very successful three-year stretch. They have won at least 10 games in that time, but for Golding, elite programs are made for more than just winning.
“Having been a part of, in my opinion, one of the best coaches to ever do it (Nick Saban), the one thing that stuck with me, elite programs aren’t designed for when they (players) have cleats on,” Golding said. “Elite programs are designed for when they take them off. Are they a better dude, better husband, better father? Do they have a job making a certain amount of money that they wouldn’t have had and wouldn’t have made if he didn’t go to Ole Miss?”
Golding is focused on keeping good stability and schemes and recruiting good players. He believes when you do that, winning follows
