In the post–Lane Kiffin era, there was plenty of doubt surrounding Ole Miss’ future, but Pete Golding has made every doubter look wrong, leading the Rebels to two CFP wins. Now, Ole Miss is set to face Miami in the semifinal this week, and in the middle of that run, the Rebels’ QB1 announced he will return for next season, while Kiffin’s LSU continues to face challenges in acquiring key pieces at QB.

That’s an issue Golding didn’t hesitate to openly mock when asked about his message to Lane Kiffin during Wednesday’s press conference ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.

“I think you want to build a program to where it’s heading in the right direction, and one person, one player, or anything like that’s not going to derail that,” said Golding. “There’s been too much invested in that, and it’s been aligned correctly; that one person is not going to impact something so drastically.

“If you did, if it is, it’s probably not built right… I mean, if one player can determine the outcome of it, we probably didn’t recruit and create the right depth, right? Or we didn’t prepare him and be ready for his opportunity. And it’s a team game.”

While Kiffin’s LSU is targeting an elite QB in the transfer portal, including Sam Leavitt, many other top-tier pieces have already committed elsewhere. Here, in Golding’s view, investing too heavily in a single QB and landing him may not be the solution to building a winning team. After all, football is played by a team, and sustained success comes through collective effort.

In that case, one player’s talent alone can’t deliver victory if the rest of the roster fails to perform. Obviously, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has not yet officially confirmed whether he will return for the 2026 season, as his six-year eligibility situation remains under review.

But the Rebels have already secured key pieces at other positions through the transfer portal, including LSU transfer OT Carius Curne, Colorado transfer DL Jehiem Oatis, and Baylor transfer LB Keaton Thomas, among others.

Just like that, in Pete Golding’s view, LSU must acquire key pieces at every position if it hopes to build a title-winning team for the upcoming season. While Chambliss was Kiffin’s first target and appeared to be a perfect fit in every sense, his eligibility issues forced LSU to move on, leaving the new head coach searching for an elite replacement.

But Golding’s comments suggest that simply landing a talented and experienced transfer may be a straightforward solution, one that doesn’t require excessive attention or a highly competitive pursuit. After all, the potential of all 11 players on the field is what truly determines whether a team wins a game.

However, LSU’s need at QB is real, with no scholarship QBs currently on the roster for the 2026 season. While Garrett Nussmeier has exhausted his eligibility, Michael Van Buren Jr. has entered the transfer portal. As a result, LSU clearly needs a steady hand at QB.

Still, placing too much focus on the QB position alone could divert attention from filling the other gaps created by the departure of 26 players through the portal. But don’t worry, as LSU has already addressed some of those concerns by adding nearly 10 to 11 players through the transfer portal.

Meanwhile, Pete Golding hasn’t faced the same level of urgency in filling gaps, with only three players entering the portal, even as the new head coach has already landed multiple additions. That continued portal success not only provides experienced contributors but also reflects the players’ belief in the program and in Golding’s leadership.

That confidence, in turn, has helped guide the Rebels toward their ultimate goal. That’s likely why the timing of Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss never became a concern for Pete Golding, a point the coach has openly acknowledged in public.

Pete Golding offers a blunt assessment

Pete Golding didn’t stop at LSU’s QB situation when the new Ole Miss head coach was asked about sending a message to Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin left Ole Miss on Nov. 30, walking away after an 11–1 regular season to take the LSU head coaching job. Chaos followed, or at least it was supposed to. Instead, Pete Golding stepped in, rising from defensive coordinator to head coach and steadying the program.

They handled Tulane; following that, they shocked Georgia. As Ole Miss punched its ticket to the semifinals, turning uncertainty into momentum, Golding stated the timing of Kiffin’s departure with a blunt comment.

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“The timing of when it happened, in my opinion, couldn’t happen at a better time for the players, because everything was already in place. Everything was on the track,” said Golding.” It’s headed the right direction. We got really good players. There was already a culture created. They knew the expectation. The only thing that was different who’s running out of the tunnel.

“And to be honest with you, I don’t think the players give a damn who runs them out of the tunnel. They care about their plan. They care about being held accountable and how they’re going to prepare, and they care about people that care about them. That’s been the message our players have created. I don’t have s— to say to anybody else.”

Interestingly, while both programs have been poaching staff from one another, Ole Miss is the one preparing for a semifinal under Golding’s guidance. That success not only validates the transition but could also help the Rebels attract even more players in the future.