The way Pete Golding is carrying on his team is worlds apart from how Lane Kiffin used to, and the change looks build to last.
Throughout the regular season, Kiffin ensured he was the center of attention, right from Walk of the Champions with Juice, to his quirky interviews and social media hot takes. He loved the drama; still does.
Golding, however, likes to keep the attention where it should be, on the players.
Pete Golding is the Lane Kiffin upgrade Ole miss deserved
Pete Golding on his first game as head coach
That's exactly what he re-iterated in his post-game press-conference vs. Tulane.
"I mean, I look at it, it’s our team," Golding said, when asked whether the head coaching role has really dawned on him.
"But yeah, obviously the ability to make some decisions where before do you want to go for it? Do you want to punt? Do you want to take the points and all those things things that you’ve been talking through for years to finally be the last voice? It kind of hit me some and then just more the excitement for the players, how they responded."
The players left pulled out all stops to make Golding feel welcome and appreciated, including getting him a win in his firts game.
So did the fans, as they gave the biggest applause there ever was in the history of the Sip.
"Some of those hugs will get you a little bit," Golding continued.
Golding's win feels much more personal to every college football fan the way he selflessly handled Ole Miss after Kiffin chose himself.
"And obviously the game got to a point where you could kind of look around at some point, and it was pretty damn cool."