Ole Miss Football Makes Major Hire With NFL, SEC Experience to Pete Golding's Staff

Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels have officially hired Arizona Cardinals secondary coach Patrick Toney as the program's next defensive coordinator, the university revealed on Wednesday.

Once Lane Kiffin made the decision to depart the Magnolia State, Ole Miss officials turned to Golding where he was then elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach of the program.

Golding has continued handling duties as the defensive coordinator for the program amid a College Football Playoff run, but that will change once the postseason run ends with Toney now in the mix.

“I’m the defensive coordinator,” Golding said this week. “Nothing has changed on who’s calling plays.

"Obviously, the responsibility that I took in that room has changed, and obviously coach Bryan Brown will move up to control that room, which we’re super excited about. Has had a lot of success everywhere he’s been doing that.”

Brown has served as the co-defensive coordinator of the Rebels alongside Golding where the two have worked side-by-side in Oxford - where he has since taken on an expanded role this postseason.

Welcome to Oxford‼️

Ole Miss officially hires Patrick Toney as Defensive Coordinator#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/2ZTgxLypvt
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) January 7, 2026

“I love calling defense,” Golding said. “Feel like I do a decent job at it. That’s not going to change. [Brown’s] going to take on a lot of responsibility of managing that room from a practice-scripting standpoint.

"But as far as actually calling the defense, the system, the terminology, we’ve recruited to that system for three years. I’ve looked every kid in the face and every parent in the eye and said, ‘I can assure you that system won’t change and it’s not going to.’

“We have a lot of really good people in this room to be able to allow me to still do that on game day, and that’ll be at this point and moving forward.”

But Ole Miss eyed a new defensive coordinator for the 2026 season last month after Golding began assembling his staff.

Toney emerged as the top candidate where he has experience in the SEC after a recent stint with the Florida Gators.

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA;Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Patrick Toney walks on the sideline before the game against the Washington Commander at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-Imagn Images | Brent Skeen-Imagn Images

Prior to his time in the NFL on the Arizona Cardinals staff, Tony was a safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator at Florida under Billy Napier.

He’s also spent time at Jacksonville State, Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana, but his previous relationship with Golding ultimately paved the way for Toney to make his way to Oxford.

Golding has retained a myriad of staffers on defense after being promoted, but finding a new defensive coordinator was a top priority with Toney now officially on staff in the Magnolia State.

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

Kirk Herbstreit Shares Take on Ole Miss and the SEC as Oregon, Indiana Battle in CFP

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.