Former Ole Miss Football defensive coordinator Pete Golding has been confirmed as the new permanent head coach for the Rebels. This comes after Kiffin’s decision to leave the program in favor of the LSU head coaching position in a seven-year deal worth up to $90 million.
“Coach Kiffin and I met yesterday, and he informed us that he is accepting the head coaching position at another school,” Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter said in a statement on the Ole Miss Sports website. “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 is set to address the crowd at tomorrow’s men’s basketball game against Miami.
“Help us welcome our new head football coach, Pete Golding, at tomorrow’s men’s basketball game,” Ole Miss Athletics said on Instagram.
After months of rumors and speculation, On3 Sports reported on Nov. 30 that two planes from Baton Rouge were headed to Tupelo to pick up Kiffin, family, friends and coaches. According to reports, Kiffin told the offensive coaches that if they did not accompany him on the plane, they would not be offered a job under him at LSU.
Ole Miss confirmed at 1:42 p.m. that defensive coordinator Pete Golding would be taking over as head coach.
“Ole Miss Football is special. Since the day I arrived, I’ve felt the passion, pride and unwavering support of Rebel Nation,” Golding said in the statement on the Ole Miss Sports website. “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.”
The 41-year-old Golding has been the Rebels defensive coordinator since 2023. Previously, he served as the defensive coordinator at Delta State in 2010-11, the Southern Louisiana defensive backs coach in 2012-13, the Southern Miss safeties coach in 2014-15, the UTSA defensive coordinator in 2016-17 and the Alabama defensive coordinator from 2018-22.
He became the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss in 2023. His unit allowed the second-fewest points in FBS in 2024; this season, the Rebel defense ranks No. 26 nationally.
During his time as Ole Miss’ defensive coordinator, Golding has transformed the defensive mentality of the Rebels into one of the SEC’s better units. In his Ole Miss career, Golding’s defenses have stuffed opponents to just 18.5 points and 330.8 yards per game (210.4 passing, 120.4 rushing) while tallying up nearly three sacks and seven tackles for loss per game alongside 31 total interceptions, 27 forced fumbles and 19 fumble recoveries.
This season, Golding has mentored Ole Miss to one of the SEC’s top pass defenses, yielding only 182.6 yards per game (SEC No. 3, FBS No. 20), while also ranking FBS Top 25 in both fourth-down defense (ninth, .360) and scoring defense (25th, 20.1 ppg).
Golding put together one of the best all-around defenses in Ole Miss history in 2024, highlighted by one of the nation’s most feared rush defenses and pass rush attacks. The Rebels led the nation in sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120) with both standing as new program records. The Ole Miss defense stifled opponents to just 80.5 rushing yards per game, which ended the season ranked second in the FBS and was the fewest allowed by a Rebel defense since 1966.
Golding had the unenviable task of replacing last year’s historic defense and has done so to great success. His 2025 Rebels have been productive from both the transfer portal and high school ranks alike.
Top returners and junior linebackers TJ Dottery and Suntarine Perkins lead the team in tackles, owning a combined 124 stops and 11 tackles for loss. But the powerful sophomore linemen Kam Franklin (6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and Will Echoles (6.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks) — as well as team-leading transfer Princewill Umanmielen (7.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks) — have proven just as talented at causing mayhem in the backfield.
Considering this wealth of experience, Golding is perhaps the most fit coach on the existing staff to lead the Rebels in their first College Football Playoff game in program history.
