New Ole Miss coach Pete Golding's most pressing questions from signing day to CFP staff

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OXFORD — Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter settled the No. 1 question quickly by promoting defensive coordinator Pete Golding to the Rebels football coach on Nov. 30.

But Lane Kiffin leaving for LSU created plenty of other questions that Ole Miss and Golding will have to deal with.

Kiffin agreed to a seven-year, $91 million deal with the Tigers. He will depart as No. 5 Ole Miss (11-1) is on the brink of making its first College Football Playoff.

Here’s what next for the Rebels and Golding after Kiffin departed.

Who is Lane Kiffin taking from Ole Miss for LSU staff?

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is expected to be part of Kiffin’s staff at LSU, per a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports on Nov. 30.

Zenitz also reported wide receivers coach George McDonald, general manager Billy Glasscock, senior associate AD for football operations Thaddeus Rivers and head strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage are expected to go to LSU with Kiffin.

The report did not specify if those moves would happen before the Rebels’ postseason begins. Ole Miss would play in the first round of the CFP on Dec. 19 and 20.

Can Pete Golding keep Ole Miss 2026 recruiting class together?

Early national signing day is Dec. 3 for the 2026 class.

Ole Miss has the No. 21 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Two players in the 2026 class have chosen to decommit since the Kiffin news broke.

They are four-star receiver Corey Barber and three-star receiver Jameson Powell.

There are 18 players who remain.

Will Ole Miss still host CFP game after losing Lane Kiffin?

Ole Miss is essentially a lock to make the CFP, but suddenly its case to host a first-round game is a little more shaky.

The Rebels were No. 7 in the latest CFP rankings, and the new rankings come out on Dec. 2. Teams seeded No. 5 through No. 8 will be first-round hosts.

On Nov. 25, CFP selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek confirmed Kiffin’s potential departure would be factored in when assembling the CFP bracket.

The final rankings are Dec. 7 after the conference championship games.

Will Ole Miss stars like Kewan Lacy, Trinidad Chambliss follow Lane Kiffin to LSU?

Players can’t enter the transfer portal right after a coach leaves. In 2025, the rules are that they must wait five days until a new hire has been announced.

With Golding announced on Nov. 30, players could presumably follow Kiffin to LSU before the CFP.

Sophomore running back Kewan Lacy (1,279 yards, 20 touchdowns), junior defensive end Princewill Umanmielen (6.5 sacks) and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss are key players for Ole Miss to retain, if Chambliss gets an extra year of eligibility in 2026.

When is Pete Golding press conference at Ole Miss?

A time for Golding’s introductory press conference has not been announced.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football’s biggest questions after Lane Kiffin takes LSU job

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