Frank Wilson is headed back to Oxford.
The longtime LSU assistant and former interim head coach is joining Pete Golding’s staff at Ole Miss, where he’s expected to take over as running backs coach. It’s a notable move for both programs - and one that adds another wrinkle to the ever-evolving SEC coaching carousel.
Wilson stepped into the interim role at LSU earlier this season following the firing of Brian Kelly. While his stint as the Tigers’ head man was brief, it came during a pivotal moment for the program.
LSU has since made a splashy hire, bringing in Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss to take over the reins in Baton Rouge. With Kiffin now in charge, Wilson won’t be staying on staff - instead, he’s heading to the very program Kiffin just left.
That twist adds a little extra spice to an already feisty rivalry. Wilson, a New Orleans native, had made it clear he wanted to stick around in Baton Rouge.
After LSU’s final regular season game, as the Kiffin hire was heating up, Wilson said, “I love LSU. As long as LSU will have me, I'd love to be a part of what we're doing here.”
But with the coaching shakeup now finalized, he’s moving on - and moving back - to familiar territory.
This will be Wilson’s second stint in Oxford. He previously coached running backs and coordinated special teams for the Rebels from 2005 to 2007, during a stretch that helped build his reputation as one of the SEC’s top recruiters and backfield developers. Now, nearly two decades later, he returns to a program that’s coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent memory - and one that’s looking to sustain that momentum under Golding’s leadership.
For Ole Miss, adding a coach like Wilson is a savvy move. He brings deep SEC experience, strong ties to Louisiana’s fertile recruiting grounds, and a proven track record of developing talent in the backfield.
For LSU, it’s another sign of transition as the Kiffin era begins. And for fans on both sides of the LSU-Ole Miss rivalry, Wilson’s move only adds fuel to a fire that’s already burning hot.
The next time these two programs meet, don’t be surprised if the sideline matchups feel just as compelling as the action on the field.