Pete Golding got an unexpected promotion when he was named head football coach at Ole Miss in November 2025. Golding benefited from heated contract negotiations between Ole Miss and its former head coach Lane Kiffin. Following the Ole Miss Rebels' 38-19 win against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl on November 28, 2025, Kiffin signed a deal to become the new head coach at Louisiana State University. Kiffin claimed he'd asked to stay on with Ole Miss through the postseason but was shot down by athletic director Keith Carter. That same day, the university named defensive coordinator Golding as Ole Miss' new head coach ahead of their playoff game against Tulane on December 20, 2025. "To the Ole Miss family, thank you for your support and belief," Golding said in a statement at the time. "I'm excited for what's ahead, and I can't wait to attack this challenge together." Lane Kiffin's Daughter Landry Trolls 'Angry Football Fans' on TikTok Keep scrolling for more information about Golding's life and career. Pete Golding Replaced Lane Kiffin as Ole Miss Head Football Coach Lane Kiffin confirmed his departure as Ole Miss' head coach on November 30, 2025, after extended negotiations with university management. Kiffin left Ole Miss to take the head coaching job at Louisiana State University. "After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU," he announced via X on November 30. "I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year's team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team's incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern." He continued, "My request to [stay on for the playoffs] so was denied by [Ole Miss Athletic Director] Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday's Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels. While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford." Lane Kiffin in December 2025. Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images Ole Miss wasted no time in securing a new head football coach. Hours after Kiffin's announcement, Carter revealed that defensive coordinator Pete Golding was being promoted to the head coaching job. "We could not be more excited to announce Pete Golding as the next head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels," Carter said in a statement. "His tenure will begin immediately as he leads our program in the pursuit of a national title. Today's team meeting was a clear indicator of his ability to galvanize our squad. All of our players and coaches are ecstatic and ready to lock arms for a playoff run." Carter went on, "From the moment he arrived in Oxford, we quickly realized Pete is a coach who could not only lead a program but elevate it to championship status. He has demonstrated an exceptional football mind, but more than that, he has shown a deep understanding of our culture, values and what it means to be part of the Ole Miss family. Simply put, Pete is one of us." Pete Golding Said Ole Miss Coaching Job Was an 'Incredible Honor' After Pete Golding's hiring was announced on November 30, 2025, he publicly thanked athletic director Keith Carter, chancellor Glenn Boyce and the "entire Ole Miss leadership team" for the promotion. "Oxford is home, and it's an incredible honor to lead one of the nation's premier programs, and I can't wait to get to work immediately and prepare this team to win a national championship," he said in a statement. Golding added that he'd felt nothing but "passion, pride and unwavering support" from Rebel Nation since he was hired as a defensive coordinator in January 2023. "This is a place where expectations are high, and football is woven into the fabric of the community," he said. "Our mission moving forward is clear: we will play with toughness, discipline and relentless effort in everything we do. We will recruit at the highest level, develop our players on and off the field, and compete every single day to bring championships to Oxford. Most importantly, we will represent this university with class and integrity." Pete Golding's Coaching Career Started in 2006 Golding was a four-year starter at Mississippi's Delta State University between 2002 and 2005. In 2006, he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for then-Delta State head coach Rick Rhoades. He worked his way up the ladder with defensive coordinator positions at several southern universities - including Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss and the University of Texas at San Antonio - before he was hired by legendary head coach Nick Saban at