Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding and the Rebels are facing tampering allegations, drawing a stark comparison to a former SEC coach banned for similar violations. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney brought the recruiting saga to light. In this process, Golding drew a comparison to a coach who was sidelined for 6 years over similar violations.

“Pete Golding is Jeremy Pruitt all over again,” said OutKick analyst Chad Withrow. “This is a guy who looks like someone who is a great coordinator, a terrific quote, ‘a ball knower’, and has no clue how to be the CEO of a program. Smart head coaches aren’t making direct contact with recruits who are on the players’ roster.”

The comparison to Pruitt stems from a 2021 scandal at Tennessee, where recruiting violations led to his termination. Tennessee hit the reset button amid recruiting violations, handing termination letters to head coach Jeremy Pruitt, assistant Brian Niedermeyer, and assistant Shelton Felton, among others.

What started as a recruiting battle for Tennessee spiraled into serious violations. The NCAA reported that Pruitt’s wife, Casey, slipped $12,500 in cash for car payments to poach a player. Then came 25 installments of $500, along with another $3,000 in rent money to a player and his mother between September 2018 and March 2021.

After spending six years barred from coaching, he finally got the green light in 2025. On December 15, Judge Andrew Hairston in DeKalb County, Alabama, issued an injunction tied to Pruitt’s $100 million lawsuit, preventing the NCAA from enforcing the six-year show-cause order.

For many college football fans, the situation is creating a sense of déjà vu. During the press conference held by Swinney on January 23, the head coach claimed that linebacker Luke Ferrelli brought to the coaching staff’s attention. 

“I know you’re signed. What’s the buyout?” Golding’s text allegedly read. 

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Ferrelli claimed Ole Miss’s coach texted him a picture of a $1 million contract. The situation escalated as Ferrelli’s agent, Ryan Williams, said Golding kept contacting his client. Swinney later said Ole Miss doubled its offer on January 16, the portal’s last day. When asked for text messages, Williams supposedly said they’d be provided only if Clemson added a second year and $1 million to the existing $2 million offer.

When it comes to coaching talent, both Pruitt and Golding score well. The former Tennessee coach had a 16-19 record in three seasons with the Volunteers. On the other hand, Golding has been the mastermind behind Ole Miss’s defensive edge. With his help, the team held opponents to just 18.5 points and 330.8 yards per game (210.4 passing, 120.4 rushing).

However, a coach’s talent becomes irrelevant if they fail to operate within NCAA rules. In 2024, Southern Utah’s head coach, DeLane Fitzgerald, crossed that line, contacting recruits before they were eligible to enter the transfer portal. Another head coach also appeared to take issue with Golding’s alleged methods. 

College football head coach sparks more heat for Pete Golding

Kentucky head coach Will Stein appeared on one of the previous episodes of the OutKick podcast and openly favored Swinney.

“I think you have to do your best job as a coach, operating within the confines of the rules,” said Stein, bluntly pointing at Golding. “Just follow the agreements. You’re still playing by the rules, but don’t text the kid. I mean, is it that hard?”

The upcoming period is crucial for Golding and the Rebels. While Alabama is also heavily pursuing the recruit, at the moment, Pete Golding and Co. are on the edge of landing him. According to On3’s prediction, the Rebels hold a 35.1% chance to flip him while the Sooners have a 30.7% chance to retain him.

A recruiting ban is the last thing Golding would want hanging over his head.