Ole Miss Legend Gives Vote of Confidence for New Head Coach Pete Golding

The Ole Miss Rebels are coming into the 2026 season with a new head coach on the sidelines, one who got his feet wet at the position in one of the toughest ways possible: during the College Football Playoff.

Pete Golding became the Rebels' head coach after the unceremonious departure of Lane Kiffin from the program following the 2025 regular season (as Kiffin took the head coaching job at LSU), and that made Golding responsible for leading Ole Miss through its CFP run. The Rebels went 2-1 during their stay in the playoff, blowing out Tulane and winning a nailbiter over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl before dropping a heartbreaker to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl edition of the semifinals.

Now, however, this is entirely Golding's show. He's been responsible for building (and retaining) the roster for what Ole Miss hopes will be another CFP appearance in 2026. So far, he has the vote of support from one of the biggest names in Rebels history: former quarterback Archie Manning.

Manning Believes in Golding After 'Unique, Tough' Situation

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding smiles on stage after the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Manning got to know Golding during the recruitment process of his grandson Arch Manning. At the time, Golding was on staff as the defensive coordinator at Alabama, but he made an impression on Arch's dad Cooper, his wife Ellen and Archie's wife Olivia during that time.

"He recruited Arch for Alabama, so Cooper and Ellen got to know Pete very well," Manning said in a video from Matt DeGregorio of WLOX. "Actually, Olivia and Pete kind of became friends the few times we met him. So, I like Pete. I like him. I knew he was a good defensive coordinator, and I've been impressed with how he's taken over a very unique, tough situation there. The way he's taken off, it seems to me people approve of the way he's doing.

"So, we're looking forward to hopefully a good year."

“I like Pete… I’ve been impressed with how he’s taken over a very unique, tough situation.”

Ole Miss legend Archie Manning had high praise for Head Coach Pete Golding: pic.twitter.com/t2RcSZGC3j
— Matt DeGregorio (@Matt_DeGregorio) June 28, 2026

Golding, of course, held that same defensive coordinator position at Ole Miss for three seasons before his promotion to head coach.

Although Archie Manning played for Ole Miss in the 1960s and 70s, his opinion is still carries a lot of weight among Rebel fans. If you look at his career stats, it's easy to see why.

Manning was the Ole Miss quarterback from 1968-70, throwing for a total of 4,753 yards and 31 touchdowns alongside 823 rushing yards and 25 scores during his career. Those numbers were good enough for Manning to finish fourth in Heisman voting in 1969 and third in 1970, and he was selected second overall in the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints after his productive college career.

For a long time, Manning's name was synonymous with Ole Miss quarterbacking success until his youngest son Eli broke many of his school records during his 2000-03 career at the same program. Since Eli's move from Ole Miss to the NFL, the Rebels have seen many other talented quarterbacks in the modern era of college football, including names like Jevan Snead, Matt Corral, Jaxson Dart, and the current Trinidad Chambliss.

Even so, Archie's vote of confidence in Golding is a good sign for Ole Miss fans who are hoping for a repeat of last season's fortunes in 2026.

The Rebels are set to open their 2026 season in Nashville on Sept. 6 against the Louisville Cardinals. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ABC.

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