Nation's Best Defensive Coordinators: Where Does Ole Miss' Pete Golding Rank?
Early returns on Ole Miss Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding have been positive.
Not only does head coach Lane Kiffin rave about his latest hire, but he has drawn some national attention as well, thanks in part to some strong showings with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Pro Football Focus recently released its opinion of the top 10 defensive coordinators in college football, and the Rebels' Golding came in at No. 9.
Here's what the publication had to say about what Golding brings to the table in Oxford.
9. PETE GOLDING,
OLE MISS REBELS
Golding spent the last five seasons as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator at
Alabama
but left the Crimson Tide in January for the same job with Ole Miss.
While Alabama’s defenses haven’t been among the best of the best under Golding — as they were under Jeremy Pruitt and Kirby Smart — the Crimson Tide have still finished in the top 20 of FBS teams in EPA allowed per play in each of the last two seasons. Alabama was sixth in the Power Five this past season in the rate of scoring drives allowed (24.7%).
Now under an offensive-minded coach in Lane Kiffin, Golding will be fully running the Rebels’ defense.
Golding certainly has the keys to the Ole Miss defense, and he will look to improve a unit that sputtered down the stretch in 2022, helping lead the team to an 8-5 finish after a 7-0 start to the season.
Under Golding, the Tide ranked No. 9 overall in the nation (No.2 SEC) in scoring and No. 13 in total defense (No. 3 SEC), giving up 18.2 points and 318 yards per game in 2022.
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