TAMPA, FL – Pete Golding took the stage on Wednesday at SEC Media Days and was clearly prepared to give his opinion about the current state of college football, along with the obvious questions about Lane Kiffin.
If you know the Ole Miss head coach, none of this should come as a surprise, given his lack of filter regarding life, or just about anything else.
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Obviously, one of the main questions some in the room were prepared to quiz Golding on was his relationship with former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. But unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past few months, his feelings toward his former boss are pretty well known.
Yes, they are still friends, but that doesn’t mean they agree on everything, which would include Kiffin’s exit for LSU. And yes, they still communicate on what is seemingly a daily basis, though Golding does go a few days without responding to Kiffin if he’s in the mood to mess with him just a bit.
Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding stands on the sideline during a game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Dec. 20, 2025. (Getty Images)
But, the story regarding the Ole Miss versus LSU showdown in Oxford this coming season is more geared towards the players and fans of each school. For the coaches, sure they’d thoroughly enjoy beating each other on the field, but it’s not as if either of them came out in a rough spot following the chaos last December.
LANE KIFFIN CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT OLE MISS, EVEN WHILE EXPLAINING WHY HE CHOSE LSU OVER FLORIDA
“I get this everywhere we go…Lane and I are good,” Golding mentioned. “I did not know coach Kiffin prior to taking the Ole Miss job. I think everybody just assumes Alabama, Alabama (assistant roles) when coach Kiffin was (there). I didn’t come to Ole Miss because of Kiffin, I came to Ole Miss to raise three kids. Our relationship grew over those three years.
“I’m very appreciative of how he treated me and my family, and learned a lot from him. I have no ill-will towards Coach Kiffin. He texts me on a regular basis, and there are certain things we’ll talk about, and certain things we don’t talk about. He’s very competitive like I’m very competitive..”
Things worked out for everyone, including real estate deal for Golding
While there is still a lot of obvious frustration between the Ole Miss athletic department and Lane Kiffin, things seemed to work out just fine for Pete Golding.
Sure, I’d imagine he did not want to be thrust into the spotlight that late in the 2025 season, right before the playoff was set to begin. But, Pete Golding was also hellbent on staying in Oxford, no matter if it was him being given the keys to Ole Miss, or staying on as an assistant coach.
Heck, Golding actually ended up buying one of Lane Kiffin’s houses in the Oxford area over the past six months.
“There’s always going to be history, it’s the ex, right?,” Golding joked about Kiffin.
Pete Golding of the Ole Miss Rebels speaks at a press conference after the CFP Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. Miami defeated Ole Miss 31-27. (Getty Images)
On Wednesday, as the questions continued to be asked about the relationship between Kiffin and Golding, the Rebels coach had a different mindset on how some of the issues played out to end the 2025 regular season.
“I tell a lot of people this. I probably shouldn’t, but I don’t care: In 2021, if you said you can look in 2025 and you’re about to be 11-1 and go to the playoff. Would you take it if you’re coach was leaving? Hell yea, you would. Everybody won from it, it’s ok. Every place is not for everybody.
“I’d be the first one to tell you I told him it would be dumb if he were to leave, I wanted him to stay. That was a selfish decision because I love being the DC where I was at. He decided it was better for him and his family. We play him like every other SEC team. We’re gonna spot the ball and play.”
Pete Golding is sick of discussing tampering issue with Clemson
When Dabo Swinney decided to go scorched-earth on Ole Miss for alleged tampering with LB Luke Fornelli, this opened up a can of worms that the Rebels head coach has now taken an interesting approach with.
Pete Golding makes it known he has tampering receipts, while also admitting Kiffin texts him way too much
Officials in Oxford have made it known to the NCAA that they are prepared to turn in other programs for tampering if the organization decides to impose penalties on Ole Miss for talking with Luke Fornelli while he was technically a part of the Clemson football team (for a week).
In terms of how Pete Golding feels, the Rebels coach had a pretty sensical answer when asked for his thoughts on tampering.
“You’re a reporter right? Would you quit your job before interviewing for another job or being offered another job?,” Golding asked rhetorically. “Right, nobody would. We have a portal you can go in with a ‘Do Not Contact’ tag. I’m gonna quit my job, where I’m getting paid and I’m gonna go in saying I need a new job, which nobody can call me to interview.
“Like, what have we created? So, we’ve created it along with representation for these players that it’s their responsibility to get them paid well. By design, it’s put a lot of people in bad positions.”
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding reacts during the third quarter against Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on Jan. 1, 2026, in New Orleans, La. (Getty Images)
While I don’t think many people will argue with Pete Golding about the illogical things that the NCAA has created, I find it hard to imagine Dabo Swinney is going to agree.
But, in terms of acting as though colleges are acting above-board when it comes to recruiting, the Ole Miss head coach saved the most reasonable context of his rant for the end of his answer.
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“Let’s not act like recruiting in college football for the past 100 years is the most moral thing. What are we talking about?”
He’s not wrong. Let’s see how much the NCAA agrees.
