Ole Miss didn’t just survive the Lane Kiffin exit - it kept rolling, and that’s why Pete Golding’s name is starting to pop up in places nobody would’ve expected this soon.
The Rebels handed the program over to their defensive coordinator after Kiffin left for LSU, a move that looked risky on paper because Golding had never been a head coach before. But he steadied the ship in a big way last season.
Once the administration kept Kiffin from coaching the playoff run, Golding took over and guided Ole Miss all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Rebels came within seconds of winning that game before falling to the Miami Hurricanes, 31-27.
That run has raised the stakes around Golding’s first season as the full-time head coach. If he proves the success in Oxford wasn’t just tied to Kiffin, he could quickly become one of the hotter names in the sport whenever a major job opens.
That’s where Paul Finebaum’s story comes in. While appearing on “The Next Round,” the ESPN voice said he heard something at SEC media days that caught him off guard: a suggestion from an Alabama source that Golding could one day end up in Tuscaloosa.
“The funniest thing is I was talking to some Alabama person later... and they said, 'If Kalen DeBoer doesn't work out and Golding does, he'll be the next Alabama coach,'" Finebaum said. "I'm like going, 'Really?' But he made that type of impression."
There is at least one obvious connection. Golding spent five seasons in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban as the defensive coordinator, so the Alabama ties are real.
Still, the idea remains a long way from reality. DeBoer has gone 20-8 in his two seasons leading the Crimson Tide, reached the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff last year, and signed a contract extension this offseason.
For now, Golding’s focus is much closer to home. He’s still proving himself as a first-time head coach, but he already showed he can handle pressure when Ole Miss needed him most. If that continues, his name could keep climbing on major coaching lists - even the kind that sound far-fetched at first.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Finally Added A Tackle As Fall Camp Pressure Builds
Ole Miss has spent the summer trying to shore up its offensive line depth, and the latest addition comes in the form of Roman Womack, a sophomore tackle who arrived from Northwest Mississippi JUCO. At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Womack gives the Rebels another body at a position group that has been a clear focus as fall camp approaches, and he joins a transfer class that already includes Carius Curne, Enoch Wangoy and Tommy Kinsler IV.
The timing matters because Pete Golding has already made it clear the tackle spots are still very much a work in progress, with Terez Davis in line to compete for the starting left tackle job. Even with Womack in the fold, the bigger question for Ole Miss is how quickly the group can settle, especially on the right side, where the Rebels are still sorting through options for John Garrison and trying to build enough depth to survive camp. [Read more 🡒]
One Ole Miss Freshman May Be Impossible To Keep Off Field
Ole Miss spent much of its offseason building up the defensive front through the transfer portal and leaning on experienced veterans, but the freshman who keeps drawing attention is Landon Barnes. The defensive end arrived as a highly rated recruit and has the kind of frame and skill set that can fit into a rotation quickly, especially for a team looking to get tougher against the run.
Bryan Brown and the Rebels staff have been upbeat about Barnes potential, and that matters because Ole Miss likes to keep its defensive linemen fresh. If Barnes handles the jump from high school to the SEC the way the staff believes he can, he could carve out real snaps before long and make the kind of early impression that changes how the front is managed all season. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Freshman Could Change The Receiver Picture Sooner Than Expected
Jase Mathews arrived at Ole Miss with plenty of buzz after a standout high school career in Leakesville, and the freshman receiver is already on campus as the Rebels sort through their post-spring depth chart. Signed for the 2026 season, Mathews brings the kind of talent that can force its way into a conversation quickly, especially for a program that has been looking for more answers at receiver.
Ole Miss coaches view him as one of the most intriguing true freshmen in the mix for playing time, and the timing matters with the room taking hits from recent departures. Mathews is still working his way back after missing most of his senior year, so the Rebels will have to balance patience with the possibility that he could push for a role sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]