Ole Miss coach downplays LSU assistant drama as Fiesta Bowl looms

Ole Miss coach Pete Golding is preparing for Miami, with the possibility of a short-term coaching stint in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Golding said LSU will ultimately decide which of the assistants who have committed to join Lane Kiffin in Baton Rouge will be allowed to coach Ole Miss in next week’s Fiesta Bowl.

Several key coordinators and assistants, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator Joe Cox and wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator George McDonald, agreed to contracts with LSU shortly after Kiffin defected from the Rebels.

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“They’ve had every opportunity they’ve ever had to make that decision,” Golding told reporters on Saturday. “So it’s not me deciding whether they do it every week or not because they’re not working on my side. That’s been the case so far and that’s my expectation.”

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If the Rebels win two more games, Ole Miss could capture the program’s first national title. ESPN reported that at least some of the assistant coaches in limbo would prefer to stay with Ole Miss as long as the team survives the playoffs.

Golding emphasized that the uncertainty will not disrupt Fiesta Bowl preparations.

“Our players know what to do,” he said. “This will have no impact on the game. Just keep blowing it up and making it bigger, it would be great.”

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (right) with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. during warmups before the game against the Georgia State Panthers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He speaks with. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)

He also acknowledged that he did not know when he would receive confirmation regarding the availability of assistants.

“I don’t know. Do you know if he’s coming to work tomorrow? I mean, we don’t know. It’s adults who make the decisions, so I have no idea. We’ll go out there and spot the ball. There’s enough people in this building that showed up this morning. We’ll be fine.”

Ole Miss will also eventually lose senior analyst/passing game specialist Dane Stevens and graduate assistant Sawyer Jordan to LSU. Still, Golding remains confident in his squad, which is “full of outstanding coaches everywhere” who can handle their own responsibilities.

Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding is dunked on a Gatorade cooler by his players following their game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2025 Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at Caesars Superdome. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

“A lot of the guys whose names you don’t know are actually people who train and teach players,” he said. “And we have an elite squad that has been together for a long time, knows all the details. So, it’s no different than during COVID when a coach didn’t come to the game.”

“Those things obviously come up every year and guys are trying to do both jobs and have the responsibilities of the new job that take priority, especially in times like this. And then they can make both work. If they can’t, they can’t. That can’t be any reason for success or failure in this game. Those calling the game haven’t changed.”

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Before the upset win in the Sugar Bowl, Golding guided Ole Miss to a first-round playoff victory over Tulane.

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