OXFORD – Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding told reporters during Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl press conference that assistants following former head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU “will have every opportunity” to continue coaching for the Rebels in the College Football Playoff semifinals and beyond.
Kiffin, who led the Rebels to an 11-1 regular season, announced he was taking the LSU job on Nov. 30 and recruited several current Ole Miss staff members to join him, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and running backs coach Kevin Smith. All of the assistants joining Kiffin at LSU have been with Ole Miss through its first two playoff games, wins over No. 11 Tulane in the opening around and a Sugar Bowl victory over No. 3 Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals.
“They have every opportunity like they have up to this point to be able to make that decision,” Golding said. “So, week in and week out, I don’t dictate whether they do that or not because they’re not employed by me. Up to this point, that is how it’s been and that’s my expectation.”
No. 6 Ole Miss plays No. 10 Miami in the CFP semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
“These things obviously come up every year, and guys try to do both jobs, and they have responsibilities with the new job that takes precedence, especially in times like this, and when they can make both work, they make both work. If they can’t, they can’t,” Golding said later in the press conference. “ … That will not be any reason for our success or lack of success within this game. The play callers haven’t changed. There’s people in every room. Our players know what to do. It’s going to have no impact on the game.”
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