Ole Miss Coach Pete Golding Downplays LSU Assistant Drama Ahead of Fiesta Bowl
NEW ORLEANS, La. — As the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl approaches, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding addressed swirling questions about his assistants potentially leaving to join Lane Kiffin’s staff at LSU. Golding emphasized that while LSU holds significant influence over which assistants may be permitted to coach in the crucial matchup, Ole Miss remains focused on the task at hand.
Following Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss to LSU, several key members of the Rebels’ coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Joe Cox, and wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator George McDonald, have agreed to contracts with LSU. However, Golding explained that LSU ultimately controls whether these assistants can continue coaching for Ole Miss during the Fiesta Bowl.
“They have every opportunity like they have up to this point to be able to make that decision,” Golding told reporters on January 3. “Week in and week out, I don’t dictate whether they do that or not, because they’re not employed by me. Up to this point, that’s how it’s been, and that’s my expectation.”
Ole Miss secured a stunning upset over Georgia in the quarterfinals, advancing to the Fiesta Bowl with a chance to claim the program’s first-ever national championship by winning two more games. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his staff, Golding expressed confidence that the situation would not disrupt the team’s preparation.
“Our players know what to do,” he said. “It’s going to have no impact on the game. Keep blowing it up and making it a big deal, it’d be great.”
The timing of any confirmation about the assistants’ availability remains unclear. “I don’t know. Do you know if you’re going to show up at work tomorrow? I mean, we don’t know. It’s grown people making decisions, so I have no idea,” Golding said. “We’re going to go out there and spot the ball. We got plenty enough people in this building who showed up this morning. We’ll be just fine.”
The drama unfolds as Ole Miss prepares to face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, one of the two College Football Playoff semifinals leading to the national championship. The Rebels’ resilience amid coaching staff transitions highlights the high stakes and intense competition of college football’s postseason.
For more on the College Football Playoff and team updates, visit the NCAA official site and the College Football Playoff website. Coverage of coaching changes and team dynamics can also be found on ESPN College Football and Fox Sports College Football.
As the Fiesta Bowl approaches, all eyes will be on Ole Miss’s ability to maintain focus and cohesion despite the coaching uncertainties, a testament to the resilience demanded by the highest level of college football competition.
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