Pete Golding Is Done Babysitting Lane Kiffin’s Mess as Charlie Weis Jr. Commits To Ole Miss For CFP
With LSU assistants juggling jobs, Rebels coach stays locked in on their Fiesta Bowl matchup with Miami
I think it's fair to say Ole Miss coach Pete Golding is tired of wondering whether assistant coaches pulling double duty with Lane Kiffin at LSU are going to be around to coach the Rebels next week in the Fiesta Bowl.
The entire situation surrounding which assistant coaches will be with Ole Miss for this next round of the College Football Playoff has clearly reached a breaking point.
Will they be in Baton Rouge or in Oxford?
That was the question Golding faced Saturday afternoon during a Fiesta Bowl press conference.
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Pete Golding is tired of the assistant coaching mess Lane Kiffin created. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
According to multiple sources, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. was back in Oxford Saturday morning with the Rebels after spending the previous 24 hours in Baton Rouge. Did any of the other assistants travel with him? Not many, if any, were back in the building.
Still, a few remain hopeful they’ll be allowed to coach in the Fiesta Bowl.
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But Golding is clearly over the conversation, putting the responsibility squarely on his colleagues … and Lane Kiffin.
"I don’t know. Do you know if you’re going to show up at work tomorrow?" Golding said. "We don’t know. It’s grown people making decisions. So I have no idea. We’re gonna go out there and spot the ball. We have plenty enough people that showed up this morning."
There are six assistant coaches already signed with LSU who’ve been pulling double duty for weeks: Joe Cox, Kevin Smith, Sawyer Jordan, Dane Stevens, Charlie Weis Jr., and George McDonald — all offensive assistants.
Golding made it clear Weis Jr. would be with the team in Arizona next week, which was never really in doubt given the OC’s commitment to finishing the job.
Any Other Coaches Riding With Ole Miss To The Fiesta Bowl?
As for the remaining assistants, that decision rests with them — and with Lane Kiffin.
Running backs coach Kevin Smith will not return, according to Chase Parham.
"They have every opportunity, like they’ve had up to this point, to make that decision," Golding said. "I don’t dictate whether they do that or not because they’re not employed by me. That’s been the expectation."
That’s Golding putting this squarely on Kiffin.
If the LSU head coach wants to permanently pull assistants back to Baton Rouge now, that’s his call. But it’s a terrible look if coaches who’ve gone through two playoff wins with Ole Miss are suddenly yanked away before the Fiesta Bowl.
Charlie Weis Jr. will coordinate Ole Miss' offense in the Fiesta Bowl. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Despite all the noise, Golding insists none of this will impact Ole Miss’ preparation.
"It would not be any reason for success or lack of success within this game. The playcallers haven't changed, the players know what to do. It will have no impact on the game. But y'all can keep blowing it up and make it a big deal, it would be great."
Ole Miss has already filled its staff for next season, though some new assistants, like running backs coach Frank Wilson, may be getting to work earlier than expected.
Either way, Golding is ready to spot the ball and play Miami next Thursday.
Whoever shows up, shows up.
And if we’re being honest, the only assistant who truly matters is Charlie Weis Jr.
The pettiness continues on one side.