Ole Miss Football DC Pete Golding facing pressure in 2024 per 247 Sports Cody Nagel

Pete Golding is heading into his second season as the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss Football after a solid first season. However, is Golding already facing pressure as the Rebels enter a season like no other in college football?

247 Sports staff writer Cody Nagel released an article a few days ago with ten coordinators facing pressure in 2024. Alongside both Florida coordinators, Austin Armstrong and Rob Sale, was Ole Miss Football defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Golding is entering his second season as the DC of Ole Miss, having been relatively successful across most of the 2023 season. Nagel wrote that Golding's defense held opponents to just 22.5 points per game. However, they allowed just under 400 yards per game to opponents, a bend but don't break game plan that served the team well for the most part.

The two defensive performances against LSU and especially the 2023 National Champions Georgia last season were enough to force Lane Kiffin into the transfer portal. The Rebels signed five defensive transfers from the top 150 ranked portal players, including Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen.

Pete Golding did well with what he had last season on defense. However, the stakes are much higher this time around for the Rebels. With a 12-team playoff expansion happening this season, coinciding with the number one transfer class from Ole Miss, expectations are high for Lane Kiffin's team.

It's likely why Cody Nagel has Pete Golding as a coordinator facing pressure in 2024. With the talent acquired on defense, Kiffin will expect Golding to have his side of the ball primed for better numbers than last season.

Golding moved to the Rebels in 2023 from Alabama, where he served as the DC at Alabama for four seasons under Nick Saban. In his first season at Ole Miss, he improved the defense in a handful of areas.

Unless we see a complete drop-off from 2023, Pete Golding will be the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss in 2025. However, Cody Nagel is correct in saying Golding will have some pressure on his shoulders this season.