‘I Don’t Have Sh-t To Say’: Pete Golding Clarifies Fiesta Bowl Staff, But His Ole Miss Team Is Sending Message

ATLANTA — The story surrounding the travel between Baton Rouge and Oxford for assistant coaches still participating with the Ole Miss football team seems to be coming to an end. As the Rebels prepare for a semifinal showdown against Miami on Thursday night, Pete Golding provided clarity on what his Fiesta Bowl staff will look like. 

During the middle of a college football playoff run, while trying to prepare for three different teams, who would actually be on the sidelines with head coach Pete Golding has been a topic of conversation. 

And, rightfully so. I understand that this may feel like normal business for those within the Ole Miss football building, but the outside narrative surrounding Lane Kiffin's departure for LSU is still playing a factor regarding which assistant coaches would stick with the Rebels through the playoff.

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Over the past two games, there have been six assistants who were pulling double-duty between two different schools, while they have all been getting paid by the Tigers. Now, with the transfer portal still ongoing, there were plenty of questions as to how many coaches who are now residing in Louisiana would make the trip to the Fiesta Bowl. 

For offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., the decision was an easy one. He was not leaving this football team out to dry without a playcaller. 

As for others, after putting in plenty of private jet miles over the last three weeks, Pete Golding finally had to move on from at least two of the former coaches. 

So, who made the trip to the Fiesta Bowl? 

"Obviously, John Garrison, our offensive line coach that we’ve had all year. We have our running backs coach, Kevin Smith, who we’ve had all year," Pete Golding said Wednesday. "We have our offensive coordinator, who calls the plays here, and he’s been here all year. Joe Cox is not here, and George McDonald is not here; receivers and tight ends. 

"And, that’s been something that’s been coming the whole time. There’s been constant communication. They have another job that is paying them, and they have a responsibility. At this time, the way the calendar is now, they (LSU) have 35 guys that are in the portal, and they have to build a team. Obviously, do they want to be here? Damn right they do. But again, the situation is., they have a job to do and have to build a team where they’re at."

Pete Golding Not Worried About Proving Anything, To Anyone

As both Ole Miss and Miami prepare for a monumental Fiesta Bowl, there's nothing left for either team to prove to the outside world. Getting to this point is all they could ask for, with a shot at playing for a national championship. 

But, there is still the outlying story around a team that persevered through a wild transition that saw its head coach leave for a rival school, just a few weeks before the CFP was set to begin. 

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And through all the noise, Pete golding has maintained that at this point of the season, it does not matter who is leading the team out of the tunnel. The work has already been done, dating back to winter workouts. If one person can dictate how your season will end, then that's on the entire organization for allowing it to happen. 

Those aren’t my words, it's Pete Golding's

"Yea, I don’t have a message for anybody else. I think our team had a message in how they prepared, how they play," Pete Golding mentioned. "I do think the message is I’m replaceable, you’re replaceable. I think you want to build a program where one person, one player or anything like that, is not gonna derail that. There’s been too much invested in that, and it’s being aligned correctly that one person is not going to impact that so drastically. If it is, it’s probably not built right.

"If one coach in any sport can determine the outcome of it, then you don’t have a very good staff… It’s a team game and so much that goes into it. The timing of when it happened, in my opinion, couldn't have happened at a better time for the players, because everything was already in place." 

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As for that message to the folks outside the Ole Miss bubble, Pete Golding had one thing to say about that. 

"I don’t have shit to say to anybody else."

Enough said. Spot the ball, and let's watch two teams battle for a spot in the national championship.