Pete Golding's Conversation With Brent Venables Just Locked in Ole Miss' Defensive Future

Pete Golding was wavering. The new Ole Miss head coach had taken the job after Lane Kiffin bolted for LSU back in November, and he was genuinely torn on whether he should keep calling defensive plays or hand that off to focus on the big picture stuff. But one phone call to Oklahoma's Brent Venables changed everything.

Here's what Venables told him: you got this job because you're one of the best defensive minds in the SEC. Keep doing what you do best.

A Defensive Pedigree That's Hard to Ignore

Golding has earned the right to trust his instincts here. The guy spent nearly two decades building a reputation as one of the conference's elite defensive coordinators. He was Nick Saban's DC at Alabama from 2018 to 2022, winning three SEC titles in 2018, 2020, and 2021, plus a national championship in 2020. That's not luck. That's mastery.

Last season at Ole Miss, his defense put up some absolutely ridiculous numbers. The Rebels led the entire nation in sacks with 52 and tackles for loss with 120, both program records. Opponents averaged just 80.5 rushing yards per game against them, which ranked second in all of FBS and was the fewest the Rebels have allowed since 1966. That's the kind of defense that wins games.

Golding's Game Plan: Keep Calling Plays, Build the Right Crew

Golding elevated Bryan Brown to defensive coordinator, and Brown's been handling the day-to-day management of the room while Golding handled recruiting and other head coach responsibilities. Now that spring practice is ramping up, both of them are in the room together, which means Golding has time to watch tape and prep the team properly.

"You got that job for a lot of reasons, but the primary reason is you've always done a really good job with the defense," Golding said, recalling Venables' advice. "If you're able to do that, you need to continue to do that."

Golding admitted his original instinct was to go full CEO mode, get away from the defensive grind, and focus on the broader job. But talking to Venables, who's been in the same position and made the same decision at Oklahoma, solidified it for him. The key is surrounding himself with good people who can handle the management side so he can focus on what he does best: building a championship defense.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.