Ole Miss coach Pete Golding has had to contend with comparisons to his former boss, Lane Kiffin, whom he succeeded as the head coach of the Rebels after the latter departed for Baton Rouge last year. After a historic season with Ole Miss, the charismatic Kiffin has cast a large shadow over Golding’s attempts to move on from his controversial move to LSU.
LSU Head Coach Lane Kiffin Jabs Pete Golding and Kirby Smart on Social Media
While speaking to reporters at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am golf tournament in Alabama on Wednesday, Golding addressed the subtle jabs Kiffin has taken at him and the Rebels on social media since his departure from Oxford.
“The good thing about Lane is you get Lane. The bad thing about Lane is you get Lane,” Golding said. “We’re good friends, and we poke at each other a little bit, but there’s no ill intention.
“I hope him success and all that, and appreciative for the opportunity he created for me when I was there and everything else. So there’s no bad blood between coach Kiffin and I.”
Kiffin immediately quoted the clip of Golding’s frank commentary about his behavior on social media with a cheeky jab at the Ole Miss coach and Georgia coach Kirby Smart in a post on X.
“Love you too @CoachGolding. Hope you Beat @KirbySmartUGA in golf also,” Kiffin tweeted.
After beating the Tulane Green Wave in the first round of last season’s College Football Playoff, Golding eliminated Smart’s Bulldogs with an impressive win in the Sugar Bowl in only his second game as a head coach after Kiffin was barred from coaching the Rebels during the showcase event.
Kiffin has been the subject of ire from some Rebels players since his departure for LSU, but Golding managed to stop an exodus of players from Oxford to Baton Rouge, only losing four prospects to the Tigers via the transfer portal.
In six seasons in charge of Ole Miss, Kiffin led them to an impressive four double-digit-win seasons, culminating in a 55-19 overall record. Last season’s 11-1 record was the Rebels’ best in the regular season, which was soured by Kiffin’s flirtation with the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers.
Kiffin will return to Oxford next season with the Tigers in a highly anticipated matchup against Golding’s Rebels on Sept. 19, with the game expected to have both SEC Championship Game and College Football Playoff ramifications.
