Pete Golding Addresses Report Ole Miss Hired FBI to Search Lane Kiffin's Office After Exit to LSU

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding told reporters Monday "there was no hiring process with the FBI" after Walker Jones, who is the executive director of the school's NIL collective, said the FBI searched the Rebels' football office after Lane Kiffin left for LSU.

"Any playoff game, you're gonna up security," Golding said, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "There was no hiring process with the FBI. I think we probably have a current player whose father happens to work for the FBI and lives in town. ... You want to make sure it's secure for your players—the video access and everything. All those things you're doing regardless of where you're at."

Schlabach noted Jones told the Assorted Crackers podcast the FBI conducted a search for bugs in the football office following Kiffin's departure.

The comments are just the latest chapter in the saga that is Kiffin's departure.

There was no shortage of speculation about whether he would leave for LSU or Florida all while guiding the Rebels to a College Football Playoff spot last season. He eventually chose the Tigers, which led to drama regarding which coaches would leave with him and which would stay with Ole Miss.

ESPN's Schlabach and Pete Thamel reported at the time that athletic director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce "were adamant" Kiffin could not coach in the CFP.

"Ole Miss doesn't want Kiffin around its players with the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2," they reported. "The Rebels also don't want their CFP games to be a 'commercial' for LSU's future under Kiffin."

Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Joe Cox, receivers coach George McDonald, running backs coach Kevin Smith and general manager Billy Glasscock ended up joining Kiffin at LSU, although Weis, McDonald and Cox were among those who stayed for the CFP.

The Rebels ended up advancing to the semifinals with wins over Tulane and Georgia before they fell to Miami by just four points.

Ultimately, just four Ole Miss players transferred to LSU to join Kiffin and the other coaches with defensive end Princewill Umanmielen, linebacker TJ Dottery, receiver Winston Watkins Jr. and offensive tackle Devin Harper choosing the Tigers. 

Star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy were among those who stayed with the Rebels.

The two SEC rivals face each other at Ole Miss on Sept. 19 in what is surely going to be seen as one of the games of the season.