Another Week, Another Former Alabama Coach on Other Sideline: Pete Golding

When it comes to relationships with former assistant coaches, it hasn't always been tulips and daisies for Nick Saban.

From a well-documented public spat with Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher, to Mike Locksley's comments on Jalen Hurts, to the ever-complicated and calculated trolls from Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, Saban has always seemingly had a thorn in his side at any given time.

When an assistant leaves Alabama, it's usually for step-up in the football world. In fact, there's perhaps no greater coaching tree in history than Saban's.

Billy Napier. Kirby Smart. Charles Huff. Mario Cristobal. Butch Jones. Dan Lanning. Jim McElwain. Curt Ciganetti. The aforementioned Locksley and Kiffin.

All former Crimson Tide assistants, all current and active head coaches in the FBS.

For former defensive coordinator Pete Golding, a promotion to head coach at another school wasn't in the cards. After a five-year stint in Tuscaloosa, Golding departed in the offseason for Oxford, Mississippi — opting instead for a lateral move under Kiffin's up-and-coming staff young of assistants, which includes former Alabama staffers Charlie Weiss Jr. and Wes Neighbors III.

Why? For Golding, the answer boiled down to simplistic reasoning: Family.

"I think you get so locked into a career and you get focused on the next step," Golding said earlier this month. "When you're married and you got three kids, sometimes you lose the value of what you're really about. Having won national championships and a lot of SEC championships and all of that, I still wanted to go somewhere my family could be more involved."

For many of the Crimson Tide faithful, Golding's egress was a sight for sore eyes. Rightly or wrongly, Golding was blamed for nearly every defensive failure during his reign as coordinator in Tuscaloosa. While the Alabama defense appears to look better by eye test under Kevin Steele, it's still too early to truly see a significant improvement in results.

For Ole Miss, Golding's philosophy hasn't changed from one place to the next.

"There's some few things that are a little different," Saban said in regards to Golding's scheme. "Quite a bit of it is the same. I'm sure it has something to do with personnel. But I think they're playing better. And that makes them a better team."

"I would say it's probably the same defense. Just being ready for anything," Crimson Tide running back Roydell Williams said on Tuesday. "He was a great defensive coordinator. Whatever he throws at us, we'll be ready for."

For Rebel defensive end Isaac Ukwu, Golding's return to Alabama is just another Saturday.

“No, the topic (of Golding returning) hasn't really (come) up yet," Ukwu said on Monday. "I mean we’re just doing introductory type meetings in terms of putting in our first down stuff for 'Bama, but none of that stuff has really (come) up. He’s just been treating it like it’s another week. Obviously we know the opponent that we have to go down to Tuscaloosa and play, but it hasn’t been anything where it’s anything extra personal or anything on top.”

While assistant departures aren't always the prettiest thing to navigate, Saban has always sung Golding's praises within media availabilities at every given opportunity.

“Look, everybody needs to make their personal choices and decisions about where they think can best develop their career," Saban said during July's SEC Media Days. "Pete did a great job for us. I like Pete. He improved every year with us in terms of how he did his job, which I was always pleased with. He chose for personal reasons, or whatever reasons, that it was a better opportunity to go someplace else. That's his prerogative, and we wish him well."

As for any sort of wrinkles in play style, the Crimson Tide offense, led by Jalen Milroe and new offensive-coordinator Tommy Rees, is prepared for a showdown.

"He has an aggressive mindset," Alabama offensive lineman J.C. Latham said. "He sprinkles in some complexities so it’s not always the same look. Just understanding that when we see him, he’ll probably play us a little more squared-up, but occasionally, he’ll throw in something to try and throw us off."

For the Crimson Tide defense, Golding's return is a welcomed sight.

"When Pete was here, he was a great guy. I loved him," defensive back Malachi Moore said. "It's definitely going to be good seeing his face over there on the sideline. He wants his defense to have a nasty mentality, get the ball and play fast and aggressive. He did a good job when he was here."

"Pete is a great guy, great coach," linebacker Deontae Lawson said. "But, I mean, I won't have to go against him because I'm on the defensive side of the ball so I'll be more worried about the offense than the defense."

For the Rebels, the emphasis on the defensive side of the ball is now clear: Speed, and lots of it.

"Our motto on defense is fast, smart and physical," Golding said in August. "And it's in that order because I don't care how physical you are, if you're not smart enough to be in the right place, it doesn't matter. I don't care how smart you are, if you're in the right place but not fast enough to tackle the guy with the ball, it doesn't matter. Number one, you've gotta have speed at all positions because this is a game in space now, they're using the horizontal width of the field. You've got to get guys that can run, and guys that can process."

With an Alabama offense still seeking to find its identity, Golding and the Rebels will look to capitalize on a vulnerable offense — and if history is any indication between these two programs, we could be in for a fun one.