Lane Kiffin says hiring of Pete Golding is 'as five-star as you can get'

Lane Kiffin couldn’t be happier to have Pete Golding as his new defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.

After being able to bring the former Alabama assistant to Oxford, the Rebels leader had immense praise for his newest defensive coordinator while speaking with the media.

“That was really awesome,” started Kiffin. “We’re talking about signing day, and we’re talking about stars. That signing is as five-star as you can get. This has nothing to do with the, ‘You’re beating Alabama,’ and all of that. This is a great coach that everyone that’s worked with him has always said from the beginning. Even when he was at smaller places before that. He was brilliant, upcoming. Coach Saban even talked about it. He was one of the best interviews that, in the first interview when he interviewed him. So just an unusual situation that someone, at the top of their game, you get to come here.

“I’ve never — some family things that helped us there. His wife’s family is from here. So that was great. Kind of like in recruiting, there’s advantages. We’re really excited for them to come, he and his family to be here and to help us. Not just on defense. Obviously schematically, like he will. He’s been a phenomenal recruiter too. One that we’ve had to go against.”

With Lane Kiffin running the show on offense and Pete Golding captaining the ship on defense, the future is bright as ever in Oxford. Ole Miss could be ready to take their next step forward and contend for an SEC title in 2023.

Joel Klatt explains Pete Golding’s move from Nick Saban, Alabama to Ole Miss

Meanwhile, FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt said Golding left for the same spot within the same division with Saban’s blessing. He made the argument a move like that does not happen without Saban having some grand plan.

Klatt explained how Golding left the Crimson Tide for the Rebels, despite coaching under Saban.

“Pete Golding is leaving Alabama, he’s gonna go join the Lane train,” Klatt said on his podcast. “Down to Ole Miss, Pete Golding. Not a ton of thoughts on this other than this: I don’t think anything happens at Alabama or within that program under Nick Saban that Nick Saban doesn’t either bless or desire he wants it to happen. 

“Either way, I know of guys specifically, and I’m not gonna name names specifically, that have coached for Nick Saban that got great opportunities. And he told them, ‘No, you’re not going to do that. You’re gonna stay here and here’s the reason why.’ He desired that they stayed. Those same guys got different opportunities and he said, ‘thumbs up, like, go ahead.’” 

Based on Klatt’s words, the analyst and former quarterback sounded like he suggested Saban wanted Golding out without directly removing him from the staff.

“You cannot tell me that Nick Saban sat in front of Pete Golding, and said, ‘Yeah, Ole Miss defensive coordinator is better than being here,’” Klatt said. “‘Like you need to go do that.’ That’s all I’m gonna say. Like I think Pete has done a nice job in many respects. They’ve lost Charles Kelly as well. He went to Colorado to be the defensive coordinator at Colorado. I would just say this at Alabama. Nothing happens in that program, nothing, nothing happens in that program that Nick Saban doesn’t either bless or desire.”

Before Alabama, Golding was a defensive assistant at a number of stops. He started at Delta State as a graduate assistant before a brief stint as the DC and defensive backs coach at Tusculum College. 

He returned to Delta State as DC and DBs coach. From there, Golding went to Southeast Louisiana, then Southern Miss and finally UTSA before getting hired at Alabama.

Under Golding, the Alabama defense was among the top outfits in the nation in terms of total defense. However, in 2022, the Crimson Tide defense had uncharacteristic issues, particularly giving up big plays on the back end of the defense.

Alabama finished 13th nationally in total defense in 2022, giving up fewer than 320 yards per game. The Crimson Tide only gave up more than 20 points five times in 2022; five opponents also were shutout or only scored once.

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this article.