Pete Golding Named Ole Miss HC After Lane Kiffin Agrees to LSU Contract

With Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss to become the next head coach at LSU, the Runnin' Rebels have already found their replacement.

Ole Miss announced that defensive coordinator Pete Golding has been promoted to the team's head coaching position:

Kiffin officially announced his departure from Ole Miss in a letter posted to social media:

The Rebels enjoyed one of their best seasons under Kiffin in 2025, posting an 11-1 record following Saturday's 38-19 win over Mississippi in the regular-season finale. Even after Kiffin's departure, Ole Miss is likely to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Golding's defensive unit has been a big reason for the Rebels' success this year, as the team held opponents to 20.1 points per game and 333.1 total yards per game.

Golding has been the defensive coordinator for Ole Miss since 2023. Prior to joining the program, he spent five seasons as on the coaching staff at Alabama under the legendary Nick Saban from 2018 to 2022, earning the defensive coordinator role in 2019. He's also served as a defensive assistant at Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss and UTSA.

While losing Kiffin marks the end of an era, it appears that Ole Miss is confident in Golding's ability to lead the program and build off the success of this year. Golding will face an early test during the CFP as the Rebels try to extend their magical season before turning their attention to the future.