If you ask 30 people about their opinion of Pete Golding, you might get 30 different answers. To some, he’s a funny guy who wants to have a good time. For others, he’s a guy who skates around rules and does whatever he can to get the upper hand. But one thing that nearly anyone who has met Golding will tell you is that he is always extremely authentic. Good and bad, right and wrong, he doesn’t pretend to be something he isn’t. And that’s exactly what he put on display at the podium at his first SEC Media Days as the head coach at Ole Miss.
Sure, there was some language. And sure, he made a few jokes. But most of all, he just looked like a guy who was excited to be nearing the start of the season and finally having the chance to talk football with reporters once again.
So what were the biggest takeaways from Golding’s appearance at SEC Media Days, and what can Ole Miss fans expect for the upcoming season?
Pete Golding Remains Candid at 2026 SEC Media Days
Staff Continuity
This was one of the big talking points that Golding focused on in his opening statements. While we all know that Lane Kiffin took a few of the former Ole Miss coaches with him to LSU, the Rebels managed to retain a lot of their staff from the 2025 season. Apart from the departure of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., most departures were from the support staff rather than on-field coaches. And even in the case of finding a new offensive coordinator, Golding landed on John David Baker. This guy has already spent time at Ole Miss as a co-offensive coordinator, with Golding serving as the defensive coordinator during one of those three seasons.
They also bring back quarterbacks coach Joe Judge. With a full season, and now another full offseason working with Trinidad Chambliss, there’s real hope that he can help Chambliss continue to improve and become a very real contender for the Heisman Trophy. Continuing on the offensive side of the ball, they managed to retain offensive line coach John Garrison. While the offensive line has struggled in Oxford, it has improved under Garrison in recent seasons and should have the chance to take another step forward this year.
On the defensive side, Ole Miss is bringing back defensive backs coach Bryan Brown and defensive line coach Randall Joyner. Both coaches were on staff in 2024, when the the Rebels had one of the best defenses in all of college football. And while the unit struggled a bit in 2025, they revamped through the transfer portal, and there’s some speculation that this year’s defense could look similar to that 2024 team.
How Good Can this Year’s Ole Miss Defense Be?
One of the questions Golding received was a simple one. How good can the Rebels’ defense be in 2026? And Golding’s answer stood out.
“I think we’re as talented as a defense that I’ve been around in a long time, and hopefully I felt like we learned some things off of last year’s teams of where to focus on in the portal and making sure we added some older veteran guys,” Golding said, starting his response to the question.
He then went on to point out that he didn’t think last year’s secondary was as good as they should have been or needed to be. “Then in the back end. The size, speed in the back end. Experience within this league was really important to me because I felt like we had to get a lot better in the back end collectively across the board to win the games that you’re supposed to. So the talent is there. The experience is there.” This was obvious to any Ole Miss fan that was paying attention last season. The defense was decent as a whole, but the secondary did struggle. Clearly, Golding believes they have fixed that problem heading into the 2026 season.
The last sentence to close out his answer was the one that stuck out to many people, though. “Definitely, definitely have a high ceiling, and I think has the ability to be better and more talented than the ’24 defense was,” Golding finished with.
The 2024 Ole Miss defense finished the season leading the nation in sacks, finishing second in scoring defense, and 14th nationally in total defense. Needless to say, if this year’s unit proves to be as good, much less better than, that 2024 defense, they’re going to have the potential to be a real difference maker for Golding and the Rebels.
Giving Credit to Lane Kiffin at SEC Media Days
This was always going to be one of the big questions he was asked at this year’s SEC Media Days. And he answered by being brutally honest, but still appreciative of everything Kiffin did for him while in Oxford.
“I didn’t come to Ole Miss because of Coach Kiffin. I came to Ole Miss to be at Ole Miss to raise three kids. So our relationship really grew in those three and a half years, and he did a lot for me, and I was very, very appreciative how he treated me and my family. I learned a lot from him. I have no ill will towards Coach Kiffin.”
Later in his response, he did acknowledge that he told Kiffin that he should stay at Ole Miss. “So throughout the process, I’ll be the first one to tell you I told him I would think he was dumb if he was to leave. I wanted him to stay. It was a selfish decision because I loved being the DC where I was at.”
He then concluded by doubling down on his appreciation of Kiffin, and the way he was treated while he was the defensive coordinator. “I talk to him on a regular basis. No ill will at all and really appreciative of how he treated me and my family, and then this created an unbelievable opportunity for me as well on top their really wasn’t looking for but so appreciative to have.” While it isn’t the drama-filled answer that certain members of both the Ole Miss and LSU fan base may have wanted, it did seem to be an honest thanks given to a coach who allowed him to come back to his home state to continue his coaching career.
Golding Gives His Take on Tampering Allegations
This was the other question that was obviously going to get asked. Following an offseason that has seen him be accused of tampering by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney regarding linebacker Luke Ferrelli, Golding gave a straight forward answer in response to the question of whether tampering is fixable in college football.
“Let me put it to you this way: You’re a reporter. Would you quit your job before interviewing for another job or being offered another job? No. Nobody would. But we have a portal we can go in with a do-not-contact. I’m going to quit my job where I’m getting paid, and I’m going to go in saying I need a new job, which nobody can call me to interview.”
He then continued with an obvious observation. “Let’s not act like recruiting in college football for the last 100 years is the most moral thing.” That statement in and of itself could be college football’s newest motto.
To further point out the problematic nature of tampering in college football, he compared it to the coaches. “Like coaches, we’re under contract. You don’t think other ADs are calling us during the year… so it’s everywhere in every profession. I am not saying I have all the answers. We go by the rules of the program and the flow.”
In simple terms, to use a phrase allegedly sent to Swinney surrounding the allegations, “Pete Golding just does what he does.” His response to the tampering question at SEC Media Days certainly didn’t dissuade people from that notion.
But after all, he’s always going to be uniquely himself.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
