Former ESPN star blasts Ole Miss after Pete Golding revealed as Lane Kiffin’s chosen successor

The closely watched drama in the college football world finally reached its conclusion. Lane Kiffin, the head coach at Ole Miss for the past six years, boarded a flight for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this past Sunday.

Kiffin was formally introduced as LSU’s next head coach on Monday. Ole Miss quickly responded to Kiffin’s exit by elevating Pete Golding from his defensive coordinator post to the position of head coach. 

While Kiffin’s exit sparked considerable backlash, former ESPN host and current sports commentator and podcaster Bomani Jones turned his focus to the coach’s handpicked successor.

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Pete Golding looks on prior to the college football game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 18, 2025, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.   (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jones lambasted Golding’s performance during his stint as Ole Miss’ defensive coordinator.  He also floated a theory about Golding’s appearance.

COACH WHO LEFT OLE MISS TO JOIN LANE KIFFIN AT LSU WILL FINISH SEASON WITH REBELS

“I had known him by name. I saw a picture of him and was like ‘There’s no way that man is a head coach…'” Jones said.

Bomani Jones onstage during  “Colin In Black And White”, Netflix, And Dreamville Present Path To Power Summit at Clark Atlanta University on Nov. 04, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix)

Golding has coached for nearly two decades, but this will be his first opportunity to lead a football program that competes in a Power Four conference.

Kiffin coached the Rebels to victory over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl rivalry game last Friday to secure an 11-1 record for Ole Miss. While Ole Miss did not qualify for this week’s SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, the seventh-ranked Rebels are in position to likely advance to the College Football Playoff.

Whatever game Ole Miss ends up playing later this month will be Golding’s first opportunity as the Rebels’ head coach. After reportedly meeting with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and school chancellor Glenn Boyce, Kiffin learned his time coaching the Rebels had come to an end.

LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)

“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin said in a statement. 

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LSU parted ways with Brian Kelly in late October, shortly after the Tigers dropped a home game to Texas A&M.

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