Top assistant coach spurns Lane Kiffin for Ole Miss

The Lane Kiffin saga at Ole Miss is nearly over.

After waiting for weeks to make a final decision on his coaching future, Kiffin appears to be burning every possible bridge on the way out of Oxford. The head coach is expected to leave the Rebels to become the next head coach of the LSU Tigers and reportedly forced an ultimatum on Ole Miss in an effort to let him coach the College Football Playoff before leaving.

Kiffin is reportedly attempting to poach members of the Ole Miss coaching staff to leave the program with him to coach at LSU.

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One such coach isn’t budging, though. According to a report from CBS Sports insiders Matt Zenitz and John Talty, defensive coordinator Pete Golding isn’t planning on leaving the Rebels as they fight for a national title.

“Amidst speculation of which staff could follow Lane Kiffin to LSU, multiple sources have told @mzenitz and me for @CBSSports Ole Miss DC Pete Golding is not expected to be one of them. Golding has been at Ole Miss since 2023 and is highly-regarded as a DC in CFB circles,” Talty reported.

Earlier this month a report emerged suggesting Golding was one of two potential interim replacements for Kiffin.

“If necessary, defensive coordinator Pete Golding or quarterbacks coach Joe Judge are the most likely interim head coaches, according to industry sources. Judge spent two years as the New York Giants coach (and, coincidentally, is a Mississippi State alum),” the report said at the time.

With Kiffin on the way out, it looks like Golding might get his chance.

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