Former Alabama football assistant named 'permanent' SEC head coach

Another former Nick Saban assistant during his time with the Alabama Crimson Tide is taking the reins as head coach of an SEC football program.

Pete Golding, who was Alabama's defensive coordinator under Saban from 2018-22, was named 'permanent' head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels Sunday after Lane Kiffin formally announced he was leaving Oxford to become the head coach of the LSU Tigers.

Kiffin, of course, is also a former Saban assistant (from 2014-16), but never worked with Golding on the same staff under the legendary Crimson Tide coach.

Golding will guide the Rebels in the College Football Playoff after Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State, 38-19, in the Egg Bowl on Friday to wrap an 11-1 season. The Rebels are currently No. 7 in the latest CFP rankings and rose one spot to No. 5 in the US LBM Coaches Poll Sunday.

Ole Miss will be Golding's first stint as a college football head coach. He is the 40th head coach in Ole Miss football history.

During his time at Alabama, Golding was defensive coordinator during the Crimson Tide's 2020 national championship team that went 13-0 and defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, 52-24, in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Jan. 11, 2021.

Kiffin and Golding are two of four former Saban assistants now serving as SEC head coaches. Former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is in his fifth season with the Texas Longhorns after two seasons with the Crimson Tide (2019-20), and Kirby Smart is in his 10th season with the Georgia Bulldogs. Smart was Saban's defensive coordinator at Alabama from 2008-15.

Alabama will face Georgia in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Saturday. Kickoff for Alabama-Georgia is 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football former assistant named 'permanent' SEC head coach