With Lane Kiffin bolting for the LSU Tigers, Pete Golding slid into the driver’s seat. The newly appointed Ole Miss Rebels head coach wasted no time patching holes in the staff. Instead of rolling the dice on a stranger, Golding turned to a familiar face from the Rebels’ past.

“Ready to get to work 💪 @coach_jdbaker,” tweeted the Ole Miss Football page on X on December 9.

“I’m so fired up to come back home and be the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss,” the tweet was followed by the newly appointed offensive coordinator, John David Baker’s statement. “My three years in Oxford made a monumental impact on my career and the chance to come back to lead this unit means the world to me.”

David Baker spent three years at Ole Miss, working as co-offensive coordinator from 2022 to 23 and tight ends coach from 2021 to 23. During his two years as co-offensive coordinator, he helped engineer two of the top five total-offense seasons in program history, including a record-setting 3,336 rushing yards in 2022.

David Baker’s debut year featured a high-octane passing attack led by Matt Corral, with the Rebels pacing the SEC in total offense. 

Before his Ole Miss stint, David Baker was a rising offensive mind at North Texas and previously coached tight ends at USC. Long before that, he was a standout high school quarterback, earning All-West Texas MVP honors in 2008 after posting 2,240 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and adding 668 rushing yards with 18 more scores.

In Kiffin and his coaches’ absence, what is David Baker bringing to the table? After leaving Oxford, he spent the past two seasons with the East Carolina Pirates, where his offense climbed to No. 14 nationally in 2025.

David Baker’s Pirates posted an 8-4 record and scored 33.5 points per game in a strong AAC field. They averaged 281 passing yards and 185 rushing yards, almost mirroring Ole Miss’ production. Ball security was a strength, too, with only 13 turnovers all year, just one more than the Rebels.

He will be stepping into the shoes of Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., one of the highest-paid coordinators in college football. Weis signed a three-year deal after the 2023 season, earning $1.65 million in 2024, a $150,000 raise. 

His salary was set to rise to $1.75 million in 2025 and $1.85 million in 2026, according to the Clarion Ledger. But how is Kiffin dealing with the news now that he has secured a costly seat in Baton Rouge?

Lane Kiffin gives approval for John David Baker sitting on a $91 million throne

Kiffin insisted finances weren’t part of the equation. But LSU’s $91 million deal just went viral, and now the story’s a little different. Per Sportico, Kiffin’s contract includes a clause covering losses from the sale of his Mississippi home. 

His Oxford property, a 7,200-square-foot, five-bedroom, six-bath estate valued at $2.4 million, leaves LSU responsible for the $500,000 shortfall. That is a mere drop in the $91 million deal. As he must be happy with the Baton Rouge offer, Kiffin keeps track of what is happening back at Ole Miss.

“Great hire!!!!! 🔥” wrote Kiffin in response to a post where Pete Thamel reported about David Baker’s hire.

Top Stories

Notre Dame Captains Refused to Take Field as AD Announces Consequences With ACC

Kansas City Reporter Erupts Against Travis Kelce for Choosing $100 Million Podcast Over Chiefs

Sean McDermott’s Decision Significantly Impacts Josh Allen’s Career After Bills Announced QB News

After Hilariously ‘Kicking’ Tony Stewart Out, Leah Pruett Ready to Reclaim Her Title as No.1 Top Fuel Driver

Jimmy Johnson Says He Cut Off Food for Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin & Co. After Cowboys’ Loss Leading to Fallout in Locker Room

Jerry Jones Announces Bad News for Cowboys Starter, Gets Real About ‘Concerns’ Over George Pickens

David Baker will have to wait his turn. LSU confirmed that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. will finish the season at Ole Miss before joining Kiffin, along with four other offensive assistants: tight ends coach Joe Cox, wide receivers coach George McDonald, assistant quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens, and slot wide receivers coach Sawyer Jordan.

So, all five coaches will transition to LSU once the Rebels’ playoff run concludes. And the ESPN College GameDay host is happy about it. 

“If Lane Kiffin can’t be there, he’s on to Baton Rouge. Great,” Kirk Herbstreit cleared his feelings on his podcast. “I love that Charlie Weis is coming back.”

Charlie Weis Jr.’s Rebel offense rewrote the Ole Miss record books. They led the FBS in passing efficiency (176.6) and paced the SEC in total offense (526.5 ypg, second in the nation). Now it’s up to John David Baker to use his time to reach Weis Jr.’s high bar.