Who is Pete Golding? What to know on Lane Kiffin's successor at Ole Miss

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As the Lane Kiffin era at Mississippi football continues on Saturday with the Rebels hosting a College Football Playoff first-round game against Tulane, a new era for the Rebels simultaneously begins with Pete Golding now in the head coaching chair.

While the roster remains the same and the play-calling remains the same, with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. staying back for the playoffs before starting on Kiffin’s staff at LSU, Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff will be the first opportunity to see what the Rebels will look like under Golding.

That doesn’t mean Golding, one of the top defensive minds in college football, will have his changes.

REQUIRED READING: Why Pete Golding is OK with LSU-connected coaches helping Ole Miss in CFP

“I’m not changing what I wear,” Golding said on a Zoom call with reporters on Sunday, Dec. 7 after the Rebels were selected to their first-ever College Football Playoff. “I’m not going to yoga.”

The former Rebels’ defensive coordinator turned head coach will look to continue Ole Miss‘ historic season, which featured the program’s first 11-win regular season and a top-six seed in the College Football Playoff, against the Green Wave, who are coached by future Florida and SEC head coach Jon Sumrall.

Saturday’s contest at Vaught Hemingway Stadium is a rematch of an early season non-conference matchup between both Ole Miss and Tulane, a game that the Rebels took 45-10 in Oxford behind a two-touchdown game from both Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy.

That said, here’s what to know on Golding ahead of Ole Miss’ CFP first-round game against Tulane:

Who is Pete Golding?

Pete Golding is the head coach at Ole Miss and the successor to Lane Kiffin.

He previously served as the Rebels’ defensive coordinator before he was promoted to be the program’s full-time coach on Sunday, Nov. 30 following Kiffin’s departure to LSU. Golding was one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country this season at $2.55 million.

“Ole Miss football is special,” Golding said in a statement when he was promoted. “Since the day I arrived, I’ve felt the passion, pride and unwavering support of Rebel Nation. 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.”

With Golding as the Rebels’ defensive coordinator, Ole Miss has had one of the top defenses in the country. Last season, led by star defensive lineman Walter Nolen, the Rebels defense had one of its best seasons in program history, as it led the nation in sacks (52) and tackles for a loss (120) while finishing with the second-best scoring defense at 14.4 points per game. The Rebels defense also ranked 14th in total defense at 311.2 yards allowed per game.

This season, Golding’s unit ranked third in the SEC in passing defense (182.6 yards per game), an increase of nine spots from their mark as the 12th-best passing defense in the conference last season.

He comes from the Nick Saban coaching tree, as he previously served as Alabama’s defensive coordinator before making the move to Ole Miss in 2023 to be on Kiffin’s staff in that same role.

“From the moment he arrived in Oxford, we quickly realized Pete is a coach who could not only lead a program but elevate it to championship status. He has demonstrated an exceptional football mind, but more than that, he has shown a deep understanding of our culture, values and what it means to be part of the Ole Miss family. Simply put, Pete is one of us,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said on Golding.

“Pete’s leadership, relentless energy and proven track record of building top defenses have made a tremendous impact on our program. …He brings a vision rooted in toughness, innovation and accountability, and he is fully prepared to guide this program into its next era of success.”

Has Pete Golding been a head coach before?

No. Saturday’s CFP first-round game will mark the first time that Golding will hold head coaching duties on the sidelines.

Pete Golding coaching career

Golding started coaching at his alma mater, Division II Delta State, as a graduate assistant in 2006. He then made the move over to Division II Tusculum in 2008 to be the defensive coordinator, a position he held for three seasons.

His first Division I coaching experience came at the FCS level at Southeastern Louisiana, where in 2013 he helped the Lions to their first Southland Conference championship since the 1961 season. A longtime FCS assistant coach journeyman, Golding landed his first FBS-level job in 2018 when he was hired away from UTSA by Saban to serve as Alabama’s defensive coordinator.

In his first season in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide’s defense — which included future NFL players like Xavier McKinney, Quinnen Williams and Mack Wilson Sr. and Pat Surtain II — ranked third in the country in scoring at 18.1 points per game and 10th in sacks per game at 3.0.

Coming off a national championship in 2020, Golding’s unit ranked in the top 10 in multiple defensive statistical categories in 2021: fourth in rushing defense at 86.0 rushing yards allowed per game, and seventh in total defense at 304.1 total defensive yards allowed per game.

He made the move over to Ole Miss two years after that in 2023.

Here’s a stop-by-stop look at Golding’s coaching career:

Head coach unless otherwise specified

  • 2006-2007: Delta State (graduate assistant)
  • 2008-2010: Tusculum (defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach)
  • 2010-2011: Delta State (defensive coordinator)
  • 2012-2013: Southeastern Louisiana (defensive coordinator)
  • 2014-2015: Southern Miss (defensive backs coach)
  • 2016-2017: UTSA (defensive coordinator, cornerbacks coach)
  • 2018-2022: Alabama (defensive coordinator)
  • 2023-2025: Ole Miss (defensive coordinator)
  • 2025: Ole Miss

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Pete Golding? What to know on new Ole Miss football head coach

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