'Good Fit?' Pete Golding Reveals Recruiting, Transfer Portal Strategy at Ole Miss
Not only have the No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels had a strong season to this point with a 10-2 record, but they have laid the groundwork for an even stronger 2024 campaign with recent movements in the transfer portal and prep recruiting.
The Rebels have landed a plethora of huge names out of the portal, including the top player available in this cycle in former Texas A&M Aggie Walter Nolen. A large part of this success has been attributed to defensive coordinator and apparent-recruiting-genius Pete Golding, and he revealed his mindset about the current landscape of college recruiting in media availability on Wednesday.
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Golding and the Rebels are focused on picking up a win in the Peach Bowl on Saturday, but he didn't shy away from the importance of solid work on the recruiting trail, as well.
"I think we're in a unique time in college football, to be honest with you," Golding said. "I think now it's more as building teams than programs. Don't take that the wrong way, just because the transition happens so fast."
So, who do the Rebels attempt to recruit, whether it be out of the portal or out of high school? In Golding's mind, a lot of it comes down to "fit;" will the player mesh with the culture and scheme that is successful at Ole Miss?
"I think it's recruiting the right type of kid, regardless of it's a transfer kid or a high school kid, that goes back to loving football," Golding said. "There has to be a connect of why they want to be at Ole Miss, why they want to play with Coach Kiffin, why they want to be in a scheme that's been successful and being around coaches that produce guys that get them to the next level. It's a lot of things.
"Whether you're high school recruiting or portal recruiting, the number one thing is is it a good fit? Ole Miss isn't for everybody. They come in and see our guys. I think our current players do a really good job on official visits of being honest, telling them what it's really like."
There will be plenty of time before 2024 season to discuss the potential impact of some of these new additions at Ole Miss. For now, however, the Rebels are focused on taking down the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.
Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
