By Billy Watkins
One will never mistaken Ole Miss’ Pete Golding as a slick salesman who frets over his level of cool.
He would prefer one good Nike hoodie than a dozen Brunello Cucinelli suits. He doesn’t mind if his hair grows in every direction and is contained rather than groomed. Give him a napkin at lunch and he’s likely to use it to draw up a new blitz scheme that just occurred to him.
All of that makes him cool without trying.
Golding, the defensive coordinator who was promoted to head coach Nov. 30, is exactly what he looks for when recruiting players — a highly competitive dude who loves everything about football and appreciates a team approach to the game.
Example: During last season’s playoff march to the national semifinals and again this spring, some assistant coaches had their own sessions with the media. Golding doesn’t mind sharing the limelight. He treats his coaches like grown men and trusts that they won’t say something that will implode the entire program.
He’s a throwback football coach who makes decisions primarily based on one thing: Will an idea help the Rebels win games? If the answer is no, it goes away or never sees the light of day.
Golding is putting his stamp on all things Rebel football, and here is another example: He has filled several slots on his staff with guys who played here — and happen to be quality coaches and recruiters.
It might seem like such a small thing in the big picture. But it’s not.
“A lot of good guys (were) available who just so happened to be Ole Miss graduates,” Golding said earlier this spring during a press conference. “They were really good players on top of it (who) wanted to be here, raise their families here, which is really important to me. And it helps in the recruiting process.”
Wouldn’t you be more likely to buy a car from a guy who drives the same make and model that he is trying to sell you?
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The most recent hires:
Terrence Metcalf, assistant offensive line
Metcalf grew up in Clarksdale and became an All-America offensive lineman during his four years (1997-2001) at Ole Miss. He was drafted in the third round by the Chicago Bears and spent seven seasons in the NFL.
He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the father of former Rebel and present-day NFL star receiver DK Metcalf.
When Terrence Metcalf speaks, players and recruits would be wise to listen.
“He’s been where everybody wants to go and did it at a very high level for a long time,” Golding said. “ And then he chose to come back to Oxford and raise his family here.”
Golding shared why he hired Metcalf. “I had no idea until I interviewed him what kind of man he is,” Golding said. “I probably have never been more impressed in an interview based on the character of somebody, based on why they’re in this business when they don’t have to be. He could be anywhere he wants to be. He’s got houses in different places, but there is nowhere this guy would rather be than to walk in these doors every morning.”
Marcus Woodson, co-defensive coordinator.
A former Ole Miss defensive back (1999-2002), Woodson also wowed Golding when given the opportunity. Woodson, who grew up in Moss Point, came to Oxford last December during preparations for the playoffs but without a promise of a contract for the 2026 season. Kansas State was pursuing him to be its co-defensive coordinator.
“I had recruited against Marcus over the years. I admired and respected him a lot, from a coach and a personal standpoint,” Golding said. “But the limited time I was around him in December, the way he impacted the players and the rapport he built with them, the energy and the attitude and body language and everything that came with it . . . I was so impressed.
“And he’s a dude who loves Ole Miss. I guess it’s really where he wanted to be. When we had (new defensive coordinator) Coach (Patrick) Toney leaving for the Atlanta Falcons and an unbelievable opportunity, I knew Coach Woodson was my guy.”
Woodson’s 21 years in coaching includes stops at Millsaps College, Charleston Southern, Fresno State, Memphis, Auburn, Florida State and Arkansas.
Lanier Goethie, assistant defensive line
Goethie was an undersized linebacker for the Rebels (1999-2002) who played through injuries to make 178 tackles. He earned the Chucky Mullins Award. and was elected a team captain his senior year. He was part of 29 victories, including two bowl wins.
A year ago, Goethie worked with the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive front.
Michael Spurlock, assistant wide receivers.
An athletic wizard at Indianola Gentry High School, Spurlock played quarterback at Ole Miss for three seasons — one of them as a backup to Eli Manning. He made the Arizona Cardinals’ team as an undrafted free agent and spent eight seasons in the NFL with seven different teams as a wide receiver and kick returner.
Spurlock worked as a senior analyst at Ole Miss in 2020 and 2021 before serving as a quality control assistant with the Green Bay Packers for one year. Spurlock spent two seasons as running backs coach at Southern Miss before joining Golding’s staff.
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Two members of the current staff came to Ole Miss in 2024 at the urging of Golding:
Bryan Brown, co-defensive coordinator and secondary
Brown signed with Ole Miss out of Corinth and played defensive back for the Rebels (2003-06).He also coached here as a graduate assistant and administrative assistant in 2010 and 2011. He worked at Appalachian State, Louisville and Cincinnati before landing back at his alma mater.
Brandon Turnage, assistant cornerbacks
Turnage played for Golding at Alabama and transferred to Ole Miss when Golding was hired in 2023. He played in 24 games over two seasons. He served as a defensive analyst for Golding his first year out of college and was promoted to cornerbacks coach after Golding became head coach.
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The football support staff has numerous Ole Miss graduates, some of whom played football.
Donte “Feed him” Moncrief, recruiting assistant
A high school star at Raleigh, Moncrief was a standout receiver for Ole Miss (2011-2013). He was drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts and spent eight seasons in the NFL. He remains a fan favorite at Ole Miss.
Tom Luke, associate athletic director for player development.
A tough, no-nonsense quarterback, Luke led Ole Miss to a nine-win season in 1990. But a series of concussions ended his career.
One of those concussions occurred during the 1991 Egg Bowl, a loss in Starkville. It was his final game as a Rebel, but he is quick to point out that he was 2-1 in the rivalry.
His talk to the team during Egg Bowl week each season has become legendary. He has said that if someone gave him a luxury vehicle he wouldn’t accept it if it was maroon.
Such testimonies mean more from someone who played here and bled here. They are one more edge, one more weapon in the Rebels’ quiver while negotiating brutal schedules year-in, year-out.
Golding sees it and gets it.
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