OXFORD – It’s still only spring, but there are already plenty of Ole Miss football happenings to discuss.
The Rebels began spring practice Friday, and Tuesday was the first practice with viewing availability for the media. Head coach Pete Golding also met with the media for the first time this offseason.
Golding, who was named the Rebels’ head coach in late November following Lane Kiffin’s departure to LSU, went 2-1 leading Ole Miss last season in the College Football Playoff. The Rebels (13-2) are coming off the winningest season in program history and the program’s first CFP berth. Ole Miss lost to Miami in the CFP semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl, 31-27.
A lot has happened since early January in Arizona – star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss fought the NCAA for an additional season of eligibility and has seemingly won his case, and Golding was the subject of a tirade from Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney in regards to accusations of tampering with transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli. In addition to the standard questions about the 2026-27 Rebels, Golding was asked about both Ferrelli and Chambliss. Below are his comments.
On Ferrelli, the 2025 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year at Cal who transferred to Clemson in early January but then reentered the transfer portal and came to Ole Miss:
“I mean, obviously there’s two sides to every story, right? And so I’m not going to sit up here and use the podium as a grandstand and all that. I mean, that’s why there is enforcement, that’s why we have a compliance office, that they do all that. So, bottom line on the recruitment of Luke: he came on an official visit prior to the Fiesta Bowl, and I told him, ‘Hey, I want you to be our green-dot Mike. But right now we have a green-dot Mike. And that spot’s not going to be available until we have one available.’ And so, I want you, he wants to be here. I said, ‘But right now there isn’t a spot available. So if that spot becomes available, it’s yours.’
“So, it’s a kid that wanted to be here, that we wanted to be here that at the end of it (a spot) came open, and he’s here and we’re happy to have him.”
On Chambliss, who won his injunction against the NCAA that grants him an additional year of eligibility (The Supreme Court of Mississippi denied the NCAA’s permission to appeal the ruling Friday):
“He’s done an unbelievable job just focusing on what he can control. And obviously with the case, from the very beginning, a lot of people in that camp felt really good … about him being able to play for a year. So, there was never a major concern, but I think obviously everything has uncertainty, and he still is a kid. So I think kind of the longer that it went, start becoming a little uneasy – and I’m not going to speak for him – it’s like, ‘OK I have this NFL looming over me. Do I need to start preparing for that? Am I here with the guys trying to be the starting quarterback and be the leader that we need?’ So, his maturity is off the chart, and (so is) the ability to focus and be where his feet are.
“So, I thought he handled it like a pro. There was never any issues. Throughout it we were going to balance it and say, ‘Hey, we have to prepare for both, because we really don’t know. We feel good about it, but obviously still go out there and develop and work with your (personal) quarterback coach and do all those things, to where if it’s not good news like we think, then you can go that route.’ … He’s got a really good family around him, really good camp. So, it was pretty easy to be honest with you.”
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