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Ole Miss already reaches decision on new ‘permanent’ head coach, per reports

Published: Nov 30, 2025 · 3:02 PM EST

Ole Miss didn’t wait long.

Heck, Lane Kiffin hasn’t even officially left Oxford to take the LSU job yet, but that hasn’t stopped the Rebels from moving on and finding Kiffin’s replacement. According to multiple reports, including from ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Marty Smith, DC Pete Golding will be named the next permanent Ole Miss head coach.

Here’s a look at what was shared on social media on Sunday afternoon:

An Ole Miss source tells ESPN that defensive coordinator Pete Golding is expected to be the school’s “permanent” head coach. “It’s 100-percent permanent,” the source said.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 30, 2025

One of the Ole Miss players, I’m not sure who, working to find out, just exited the meeting and yelled, “It’s the Pete Golding era!”
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) November 30, 2025

Considering other top candidates like Jon Sumrall (Florida), Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) and Alex Golesh (Auburn) have already come off the board during an insane day on the coaching carousel, it makes sense for the Rebels to move quickly to lock down Golding.

Players seemed to confirm the announcement as they exited the team meeting that got delayed on Sunday:

https://twitter.com/karischambliss/status/1995212805587558407?s=46&t=q7uU5TiFaxR96RkNmur0_g

Golding came to Ole Miss in 2023 after serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. This will be his first time being a head coach in his career.

Ole Miss figures to be selected into the 12-team Playoff field next Sunday. The Rebels will likely be a first-round host, too. How far can Golding lead the Rebels this postseason? Can he overcome the mess left behind by Kiffin?

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.