Even though the CFP final is done and dusted, the loss against Miami in the semifinal must be fresh for Pete Golding. Even with the bitterness, Golding would look to move forward and prepare for the new season. The preparation isn’t limited to the recent transfer portal additions, as Golding has now just added to his coaching staff.

A report from FootballScoop indicates that Pete Golding has added Todd Cooley to his staff. Cooley joins after serving as the head coach at Delta State University, a member of the Gulf South Conference. Reportedly, he will step down from his position to join the Rebels as assistant to the head coach, while also serving an important role in high school relations.

The two coaches share a similar connection with Delta State. The $6.8 million salaried head coach played as a starting safety for the program from 2002 to 2005 and then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant there in 2006, where he would remain for another five years. In the last two years of his coaching, Golding served as the defensive coordinator.

During a press conference in December, Golding revealed his relationship with Cooley when the Rebels recruited safety Wydett Williams Jr. from Delta State.

“He went to Delta State, where I played at. And so Coach Cooley and I are good friends over there,” Golding said. “So, you know, when I first inquired about him, I called Coach Cooley first at Delta State, and he just talked about his wiring and his mental makeup and how much he loved playing football and how smart he was and what a great kid he was, because you could watch the tape and see that he loves football.”

That connection is not the only reason why Golding recruited Cooley into his staff. Since taking over the program in 2013, Cooley amassed 82 wins, winning at least nine games in a season four times and also making the NCAA Division II playoffs four times. In 2025, he led his program to a 7-3 finish in the division.

Cooley also led the Statesmen to three Gulf South Conference titles and won the league’s Coach of the Year honor four times in 2013, 2014, and 2022. So, Cooley knows what it feels like to taste success. And that’s exactly what Ole Miss needs right now.

Last season, despite losing Lane Kiffin before the playoffs, the Rebels made a deep run. Their postseason run was over in the semifinal after a Carson Beck-led Miami edged them out in a 27-31 scoreline.

So, despite the roster and coaching shakeups, the Rebels showcased their quality and ended the season ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 Poll. With Todd Cooley recruited, the Rebels could push for a deeper postseason next season.

However, they will have to do it without edge rusher Princewill Umanmiele.

Lane Kiffin dealt a massive blow to Pete Golding

If the relationship between Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss wasn’t bad enough before, it certainly has reached new heights. Kiffin, who has been on a massive roster overhaul ever since joining LSU, has now just swayed edge rusher Princewill Umanmiele to Baton Rouge. Matt Zenitz revealed the news on X.

“Ole Miss star edge rusher transfer Princewill Umanmielen is set to transfer to LSU,” Zenitz reported on X. “Umanmielen, who posted nine sacks this season and was an All-SEC selection, ranks as the fifth-best overall player to enter the portal this cycle.”

Umanmielen was one of the Rebels’ most disruptive defenders during the season, recording 45 tackles, 51 pressures, 35 hurries, nine sacks, five quarterback hits, and an interception. His departure represents a significant loss for Ole Miss’ defensive front while providing LSU with an immediate impact player.

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With Umanmielen now heading to Baton Rouge, the rivalry between LSU and Ole Miss is set to intensify even further next season, adding another layer of tension to an already heated matchup.