Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss Talks Lane Kiffin, Says Pete Golding Is More of a 'Team Guy'

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss compared current head coach Pete Golding to former head coach Lane Kiffin during an interview at spring practice on Tuesday.

Amid preparation for his second season at Ole Miss, Chambliss praised Golding and the qualities he brings to the table:

"The personalities are a little different than our old coach and Coach Golding," Chambliss said. "I'd say he's more of like a team guy. We really value his leadership, whatever he says. He shows you faster than I can tell you. He leads by his actions, and we really appreciate that."

Kiffin was the Rebels' head coach for parts of six seasons from 2020 to 2025, posting a 55-19 record.

Last season, Kiffin and Chambliss combined to lead Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff for the first time, but when Kiffin decided to take the head coaching job at LSU, Ole Miss would not allow him to coach the team in the CFP.

Instead, Ole Miss promoted Golding from defensive coordinator to head coach, and he led the Rebels on an unexpected run to the CFP semifinals, beating Tulane and Georgia along the way.

Golding is entering his first full season as head coach at Ole Miss, and the return of Chambliss should make the transition much easier for him.

There was a great deal of doubt regarding whether Chambliss would be granted another year of eligibility, but with the Mississippi Supreme Court denying the NCAA's petition to appeal the injunction Chambliss received from a state court in Mississippi, the path is currently clear for Chambliss to play in 2026.

After previously playing at Division II Ferris State, Chambliss was a revelation last season at Ole Miss.

He completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 527 yards and eight scores en route to an eighth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.

It is fair to wonder if Chambliss will produce at the same level without Kiffin, but given that he continued to thrive during the CFP under Golding, the pieces are in place for Chambliss and the Rebels to have another hugely successful season.