Pete Golding: Who is| Coaching career| Family| Contract

Who is Pete Golding

Pete Golding (born February 8, 1984) is an American college football coach, currently serving as the head football coach at Ole Miss Rebels (University of Mississippi).
Before taking the head coach role, Golding spent the 2023–2025 period as the defensive coordinator (and inside linebackers coach) at Ole Miss.
His football roots go back to his college playing days — he was a four-year starter at safety for Delta State Statesmen from 2002 to 2005. Over his collegiate playing career, he accumulated 285 tackles (third in school history) and nine interceptions (fourth all-time) for Delta State.

Coaching Career: From Grad-Assistant to Ole Miss Head Coach

Golding’s coaching journey shows a steady and impressive climb through the ranks:

• 2006: Began as a graduate assistant at Delta State after finishing his playing career.

• 2007–2009: Moved to Tusculum College, initially as defensive backs coach and then promoted to defensive coordinator — under his leadership, Tusculum recorded program-record interceptions and strong defensive statistics.

• 2010–2011: Returned to Delta State as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. In 2010, his defense helped lead the team to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game and a conference title.

• 2012–2013: Served as defensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana Lions, guiding them to a strong season and playoff appearance.

• 2014–2015: Spent two seasons at Southern Miss Golden Eagles as defensive backs coach.

• 2016–2017: Joined UTSA Roadrunners (University of Texas at San Antonio) as defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach — part of a decade of experience molding defensive backs and coordinating defenses at lower divisions.

• 2018–2022: Secured a major breakthrough by joining Alabama Crimson Tide under legendary head coach Nick Saban. Initially inside linebackers coach, soon promoted to defensive coordinator — a pivotal tenure that placed him among top defensive minds in Division I football.

• 2023–2025: Accepted the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach role at Ole Miss, implementing schemes that revived the defense and earned him recognition across the conference.

• 2025–present: Promoted to head coach at Ole Miss, marking his first head coaching role at the Division I Power-4 level. Notably, he becomes the first former Delta State player to earn this achievement.

Family and Background

Golding hails from Hammond, Louisiana.
He graduated from Delta State University in 2005 with a degree in business.
His wife is named Carolyn, and together they have children — among them, sons named Braxton and Bentley.
Through his journey from small colleges to elite programs, Golding has combined coaching acumen with a steady work ethic, shaping his coaching persona and laying the foundation for broader leadership.

Contract — Pay, Extension, and What Makes It Notable

In 2025, Golding signed a three-year contract extension at Ole Miss valued at US$ 7.85 million total, which works out to an average annual value (AAV) of approximately US$ 2.616 million.
For 2025, his salary under this deal is $2.55 million. It is set to rise to $2.6 million in 2026 and $2.7 million in 2027.
With this extension, he becomes the highest-paid assistant coach in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and ranks among the top four defensive coordinators nationally by salary.
The contract also reportedly includes performance incentives — for example, modest bonuses if the team wins the SEC championship game or even a national championship (College Football Playoff title).

This contract and pay scale highlight how highly valued his defensive leadership has become, reflecting both past performance (e.g. his 2024 defense allowed only 14.4 points per game) and high expectations for future success.

What’s Next — The Significance of His Promotion & Challenges Ahead

• As head coach of Ole Miss, Golding steps into a major leadership role for the first time — a pivotal moment not just for him personally, but for the program. His prior experience across multiple levels of football (from Division II to Power Four) gives him a breadth of perspective.

• The promotion signals the university’s confidence in his defensive philosophy and ability to build a competitive program. Given his track record (especially at Alabama and recent seasons at Ole Miss), many expect him to bring discipline, strong defense, and recruitment savvy.

• However, transitioning from a coordinator to head coach brings new challenges: managing the full roster, staff, program culture, and the pressures of head-coach expectations. Success as a coordinator doesn’t always guarantee success as a head coach — but his journey so far suggests he has the foundation to try.