Nick Saban on Pete Golding departure: 'We wish him well'

Much has been discussed about the coaching changes in Tuscaloosa, with both a new offensive and defensive coordinator stepping into the program. Kevin Steele is stepping in at DC, replacing Pete Golding after five seasons. But part of the story has to be where Golding landed, staying the with SEC West with Ole Miss.

Lane Kiffin desperately needed new blood on the defensive side. He was able to lure Golding away from Alabama, a move that could prove to be huge for the Rebels. While the fans in Tuscaloosa were not happy with the results under Golding, the numbers were still solid and would be warmly welcomed in Oxford.

Nick Saban understood the move from Golding, saying it’s part of career development. He was appreciative of how the defensive coordinator performed over his five years and wished him nothing but the best at Ole Miss.

“Everybody needs to make their personal decisions about where they think they can best develop their career,” Saban said at SEC Media Days via On3’s Jesse Simonton. “Pete did a great job for us. I like Pete. He improved every year with us in terms of how he did his job. Which, I was always pleased with. He chose for personal reasons or whatever reasons it was a better opportunity for him to go somewhere else… We wish him well.”

Just once under Golding did Alabama have a scoring defense over 20 points per game, coming during the 2021 national championship losing season. However, frustrations may have boiled over during the two losses this past year, allowing Tennessee to score at will and not shutting LSU down in critical moments.

The Vols got 52 on the Third Saturday in October, marking a historic win for the program. And then you cannot forget Mason Taylor‘s game-winning two-point conversion, giving Brian Kelly a statement victory in his first season in charge.

While Saban points out the steady improvement under Golding, those are the two games that kept Alabama out of this year’s College Football Playoff. Steele comes in as a replacement with a ton of SEC experience, hoping to get the Crimson Tide back into the national championship conversation.

Saban will get a crack at facing Golding for the first time this season. Ole Miss is scheduled to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 23, both teams’ first SEC game on the schedule. Kiffin vs. Saban is always an entertaining showdown but Golding adds another layer to the matchup — even if Saban sent his best wishes.