Will the Ole Miss assistants coach against Miami in CFP semifinals?
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When the Ole Miss Rebels play against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff semifinals, their coaching staff will look a bit different during the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona.
After leading Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff this season, former Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin accepted a job with the LSU Tigers. Even though Kiffin expressed interest in coaching his playoff-bound team, Ole Miss opted to promote offensive coordinator Pete Golding.
Golding has coached Ole Miss to victories against Tulane and Georgia and will remain as head coach. But there are other changes worth tracking.
LSU assistants coaching for Ole Miss
These coaches were hired for LSU's staff but allowed to remain with Ole Miss for CFP.
- Offensive coordinator: Charlie Weis Jr. (will coach CFP semifinals, hired at LSU)
- Running backs back coach: Kevin Smith (will coach CFP semifinals, hired at LSU)
LSU assistants no longer coaching for Ole Miss
These coaches previously coached in the CFP but will not coach in the semifinals.
- Wide receivers coach: George McDonald (will not coach CFP semifinals, hired at LSU)
- Tight ends coach: Joe Cox (will not coach CFP semifinals, hired at LSU)
Both of the assistants above had coached in the previous two CFP games, so losing McDonald and Cox is a significant change.
Ole Miss assistants/staffers who already left for LSU
- General manager: Billy Glasscock
- Director of Player Personnel: Mike Williams
- Director of recruiting: Dwike Wilson
- Defensive coordinator: Blake Baker
- Defensive analyst: Chris Kiffin
- Quarterbacks coach: Dane Stevens
- Slot receivers coach: Sawyer Jordan
- Strength and conditioning coach: Nick Savage
- Assistant strength/conditioning: Anthony Henderson
- Analyst: Lou Spanos
- Analyst: Donnie Both
Here is more (via ESPN):
"Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and Smith are the only LSU coaches who will be with Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Senior offensive analyst Fisher Ray is working with tight ends because assistant Joe Cox didn't come back, and senior analyst Patrick Carter is coaching receivers after George McDonald left."
Ole Miss has also hired John David Baker (offensive coordinator), L'Damian Washington (receivers coach), Frank Wilson (running backs) and Michael Spurlock as replacements.
Golding was previously was the defensive coordinator for Ole Miss and Patrick Toney will take over as defensive coordinator after the playoffs.
On the defensive side of the field, most notably, former defensive coordinator Baker followed Kiffin to LSU.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Will the Ole Miss assistants coach against Miami in CFP semifinals?
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