RUMORS: Alabama DC Pete Golding to Ole Miss?
OXFORD, Miss. -- It is officially coaching carousel season, and if you think the staff of the Ole Miss Rebels is in place, give that thought some pause.
Rumors have swirled in recent days that Ole Miss could make a move at defensive coordinator, vacating the spot held by Chris Partridge in favor of a new face, namely Pete Golding with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
These rumors have reached the ears of national media, including The Athletic, who had this to say:
Even after Pete Golding said before the Sugar Bowl that he plans to be back in Tuscaloosa as defensive coordinator in 2023 — correctly pointing out that he’s under contract — there have been rumors swirling that he’s in play at other locales. Is Ole Miss calling? Or Texas or Maryland? These days, it’s hard to tell rumor from reality.
But the reality is this: Alabama hasn’t had a top-five total defense since Jeremy Pruitt left in 2017. That season, it finished No. 1 in total yards allowed and won a national championship. During the five-year stretch since, it’s had only one top-10 defense (2021, ranked seventh). Is it a coincidence that Alabama has won only one national championship during that time period?
That note is important: it's hard to tell rumor from reality. But for a Rebels team that struggled at times defensively this season (387.8 YPG), could a change in staff help Ole Miss get back in the 10-win conversation in 2023?
Obviously, the Rebels have a tough schedule ahead of them this fall. Road trips to Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State are paired with a road trip to Athens, Ga., to face the back-to-back national champions.
Rest assured, these offenses will be clicking in the SEC, and if Lane Kiffin thinks Golding could be a fit in Oxford, he might be willing to do whatever is necessary to make it happen.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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