Ole Miss Football Coaching Hot Board: Who Takes Over after Lane Kiffin’s Departure?

OXFORD, Miss. — With Lane Kiffin’s intention of leaving Ole Miss to coach at LSU,  there’s no time for the Rebels to sit around and lament the situation; early signing period begins next week, and the transfer portal opens January 2.

Keith Carter engaged the Ole Miss search firm weeks ago and began vetting potential coaches. The Rebels defeated Mississippi State in Starkville Friday, November 28, and move to 11-1 on the season and may well host a potential first-round college football playoff game in Oxford.

Here is our The Rebel Walk coaching hot board — in no particular order.

Ole Miss Head Coaching Hot Board

Jeff Brohm, Head Coach – Louisville

Back at his alma mater, Jeff Brohm has made quick work to establish Louisville in the upper echelon of the ACC. Brohm has long been heralded as a program builder and elevator. In 2023, his first season at the helm of the Louisville program, Brohm led the Cardinals to a 10-4 record with a berth in the ACC championship game. He now has the Cardinals one postseason win away from back-to-back nine win seasons to follow that up. The 54-year old Brohm currently holds a 93-56 record through stops at Louisville, Purdue and Western Kentucky.

Much is to be made of the job Brohm did at Purdue, a program that had seen a combined nine wins in the four seasons prior to his arrival. In 2022, Purdue earned a spot in the Big Ten conference championship game. Prior to his tenure in West Lafayette, Brohm led Western Kentucky to a 30-10 record with back-to-back double digit win seasons, including a 12-2 record in 2015.

Why it makes sense: “A proven winner and program builder, Brohm is a coach who has shown the ability to elevate programs quickly. He’s a respected play caller and his offenses have been effective at every stop. His experience coaching in Florida as an assistant as well as multiple Kentucky stops, Brohm does have experience in the southeast recruiting. Will Ole Miss (or anyone) be able to pry him away from his alma mater?” — TJ Oxley

Jon Sumrall, Head Coach – Tulane – set to be announced as Florida coach

Currently in year two at Tulane, Sumrall has the Green Wave looking at a potential American Athletic Conference championship. With a 10-2 overall mark on the season, Sumrall now holds a 19-7 record at Tulane following an impressive 23-4 record over two years at Troy. The 43-year-old would be a home run hire for anyone in the SEC with strong ties to the area with connections to several of the conferences states. Sumrall should be a familiar name to Ole Miss fans after a short stint coaching the linebackers here in 2018. As of this week, his name has been heavily connected to the Florida job opening.

Why it makes sense: “Sumrall is a culture setter who can recruit, is a clever defensive tactician and leader of men. In his four-year coaching stint, Sumrall has recorded a 28-4 conference record. During his four losses at Troy, three of the four came to teams who were ranked at the time of the contest or finished the year inside the AP Top 25. Sumrall is well-liked by many in the Ole Miss community, including those in positions of leadership. He expressed an interest in Ole Miss, but the Rebels’ timing with Kiffin’s upcoming departure could send Sumrall Florida’s way as he’s their top target and rumored to be announced soon.   — Evie

Alex Golesh, Head Coach – South Florida – set to be announced as Auburn HC

In year two, Alex Golesh has orchestrated a quick revival of the USF football program. Standing at 9-3, the Bulls are poised for their strongest finish to a season since 2017. In the three years, prior to Golesh’s arrival in late 2022, USF had won four games combined in the last three seasons. Golesh has had three straight winning seasons since taking over the USF program. Known for his high-tempo offense, in the past two seasons USF has finished in the top-10 in total plays per game. This year’s 2025 USF team is currently sitting in the top-three of total offensive yards per game trailing only Ole Miss and North Texas.

Prior to taking over at USF, Golesh was most recently the offensive coordinator at Tennessee under Josh Heupel. The 2022 Tennessee offense was a record breaking offense that led the nation in both scoring (47.3 PPG) and total yardage (538.1 ypg). In his two seasons with Heupel, Tennessee scored 40+ points in 15 of 25 games.

Why it makes sense: Similar to Will Stein, Golesh brings an innovative and exciting offensive mind to any program he establishes himself with. On top of the offensive presence, Golesh has been a big recruiter in his career helping aid Iowa State to four of the highest-rated classes in program history. Similar feats were accomplished when he was an assistant at Toledo. Golesh has ties to the midwest, southeast, and old Big XII country with the last two being key for anyone taking over the Ole Miss job to recruit. Overall, Golesh is a winner who is known for his offensive firepower and recruiting prowess. His ability to put together a staff has been impressive at USF and he will be a power four coach likely in 2026.

Will Stein, Offensive Coordinator – Oregon

A hot commodity for a coordinator to power four head coach, Oregon OC Will Stein has seen his name attached to several big openings. Jobs including Arkansas, Penn State, UCLA and many more. The 36-year old offensive mastermind’s resume speaks for itself. In 2023, after taking over for Kenny Dillingham, Oregon’s offense led the nation in total yardage, and total scoring while also leading the nation in passing yards per game. Following that up, Stein’s offense was a top-10 unit again in 2024 in scoring offense.

In his three years in Eugene, Stein has coached two starting NFL quarterback in Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, both of which were finalists for the Heisman trophy. His current quarterback in Dante Moore has seen a revitalization of his career and has shot up the NFL big boards. Prior to his arrival at Oregon, Stein was the co-offensive coordinator at UTSA where his group was ranked top-10 nationally in total yardage. Under his playcalling, the roadrunners set a school record for total points, points per game, passing offense, and total offense. As a Louisville native, Stein has stronger ties to this part of the country with time in Kentucky and Texas as well.

Why it makes sense: “At this stage, Ole Miss has shown that it is ready to compete in the new landscape of college football resource wise. In the Kiffin era, Ole Miss has become known for it’s offensive firepower and strong quarterback play. The Rebels shouldn’t be scared of a coordinator hire, especially one with the pedigree Stein has. There may not be a better candidate to keep that offensive identity rolling in Oxford. Stein’s offense puts quarterbacks in a position to succeed. His philosophy of “Players, not Plays” is focused on getting playmakers the ball in space and has yielded serious results. When a coach has offensive success not only at a group of five level but also at a premier program its worthy to take note. Stein will be a head coach sooner than later and if Ole Miss wants to keep the same playstyle, Stein fits the bill. Questions remain regarding his program management and culture building. With Ole Miss establishing itself as an upper level power job they can afford to swing big.” – Oxley

Bob Chesney, Head Coach – James Madison

Chesney currently has James Madison prepping for a Sun Belt conference championship run in year two. The former Holy Cross coach made the transition to FBS in an interesting situation to take over for the successful Dukes program following the departure of Curt Cignetti. While others on this list may fit the mold of a tactician, Chesney is more of a disciplinarian, tough-nosed football coach. That culture building has led to success at stops at the D3, D2, FCS and now FBS level.

Overall, Chesney maintains a 129-51 record with stops at James Madison, Holy Cross, Assumption, and Salve Regina. His named has been linked to UCLA already in this coaching cycle and he was a name to monitor in the Virginia Tech search before the Hokies hired James Franklin. At Salve Regina, Chesney turned the program around after they had recorded eight straight losing seasons prior to his arrival. A similar story at Assumpton where the program had only two wininng seasons in the last 17 years before Chesney arrived and he guided them to the NCAA Division II playoffs in year three. Now he’s trying to lead James Madison to a potential College Football Playoff bid with a strong finish to the season.

Why it makes sense: Chensey wins football games. He’s done it at every level, he’s been at. His ability to turn programs around and build culture quickly makes him one of the most fascinating coaches in all of college football. In his first year at James Madison, 13 players had left to follow Cignetti and 11 All-Sun Belt players departed. He quickly churned over the roster and made a new. Ole Miss fans looking for a coach who they can bet to maintain the status they are that while simultaneously looking to build a new culture should have their eyes set on Bob Chesney. — Oxley

Joe Judge, Quarterbacks Coach – Ole Miss

Judge joined the Ole Miss program in 2024 as a senior analyst but has since became the Quarterbacks Coach this past season. His work with transfer Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss speaks for itself as he has assisted Chambliss in the transition from Division II to SEC football.

In his coaching career, Judge has been under the tutelege of Bill Belichick, Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban. During his NFL tenure with the New England Patriots, Judge was apart of three Super Bowl championship teams and in his three seasons at Alabama he was a coach for two BCS national championships. Recently, Judge was the head coach of the New York Giants for two seasons from 2020-2022. He compiled a 10-23 record in New York.

Why it makes sense:

As a candidate, Judge brings a championship pedigree and overall leadership experience to the table. His current position on the Ole Miss coaching staff could bring for a smoother transition compared to an outside hire. With his time at both Ole Miss and Alabama, he does have ties to the area and experience with the SEC landscape. He is very close with the current Ole Miss quarterbacks and was with Jaxson Dart, as well. He is well liked by the team and the staff and there would, again, be a chance at preserving some continuity of staff. – Evie 

Pete Golding, Defensive Coordinator – Ole Miss

One option for Ole Miss that would please a lot of folks and help keep the continuity of the defensive staff would be to hire defensive coordinator Pete Golding as head coach. Pete’s defense has been responsible for much of the Rebels’ success since his arrival in Oxford.

Golding joined Ole Miss as defensive coordinator in January 2023 after serving fives seasons at Alabama in the same capacity. He put together one of the best all-around defenses in Ole Miss history in 2024, highlighted by one of the nation’s most feared rush defenses and pass rush attack. The Rebels led the nation in sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120), with both standing as new program records. The Ole Miss defense stifled opponents to just 80.5 rushing yards per game, which ended the season ranked second in the FBS and was the fewest allowed by a Rebel defense since 1966.

Ole Miss held nine of its 13 opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing, six below 50 yards — including a Gator Bowl record 44 yards allowed to Duke to close the season. Only two Rebel opponents broke 400 yards of total offense, while the Rebels held five to fewer than 300.

Leading the charge were first team All-Americans defensive tackle Walter Nolen and linebacker Chris Paul Jr., who were both among a seven-round NFL Draft record eight selections for Ole Miss. Nolen, the 14th consensus All-American in program history, was the first Rebel selected in the first round at No. 16 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, while other defensive draftees included cornerback Trey Amos (Round 2, Washington Commanders), defensive end Princely Umanmielen (Round 3, Carolina Panthers), Paul Jr. (Round 5, Los Angeles Rams) and defensive tackle JJ Pegues (Round 6, Las Vegas Raiders).

His ability to make adjustments has been impressive. After the Rebels couldn’t get a single stop against Georgia earlier this season, Golding and his staff were able to re-group and send out a defensive unit that has, frankly, been key in the team’s 11-1 record. His recruiting prowess is widely known, and he would also stand a good chance of retaining players the Rebels don’t want to lose.

Why it makes sense: Pete Golding is a seasoned defensive coordinator with extensive experience in the SEC. Last season, his defensive unit was tops in the nation in many categories. His recruiting ties in the talent-rich states of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia are second to none. He checks off boxes for both coaching and recruiting and would be a selection players would get behind as Ole Miss looks to play in the College Football Playoffs. –Evie

Collin Klein, Offensive Coordinator – Texas A&M

The former Kansas State star quarterback, Klein has been instrumental in the emergence of a Texas A&M offense that has scored over 40+ points five times this season and is off to their best start in SEC history. Under Klein’s tutelage, Marcel Reed has seen a rise in his play that currently has him as a potential Heisman finalist. This season, Klein’s group has accounted for 454.4 yards per game and 36.3 points per game. Throughout all of the Aggies’ success this season, Mike Elko has been sure to give Klein his praise for his role in the emergence of the offense at Texas A&M. In his first season at Texas A&M, Klein helped guide the Aggies to their first ever 5-0 start in SEC play.

Prior to making the move to College Station, Klein spent the majority of his coaching career at his alma mater, Kansas State. Klein started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kansas State before taking a short stint to be the quarterback coach at Northern Iowa. He then would return to Kansas State working his way up to earning the offensive coordinator role in 2022. In his first season as offensive coordinator at Kansas State, the Wildcats improved their rushing attack by 45.9 yards per game. Kansas State would win the Big XII title in that season. The second season saw another increase as Kansas State bumped up to 10th in scoring offense, and 13th in rushing offense nationally.

Why it makes sense: A younger coordinator on the list, Klein has a strong track record in turning offenses around. Texas A&M has seen an offensive explosion as part of the best SEC start in program history thanks to the balanced offensive attack Klein utilizes. In his time, Klein has overseen the development of Marcel Reed, Skylar Thompson, Will Howard , Adrian Martinez and he assisted in the recruitment and development of current K-State QB Avery Johnson.

“While some of the other younger coordinators on this list may have questions about culture and leadership, Klein checks those boxes hailing from the Bill Snyder tree. His success in leading the Wildcats to several top-15 AP finishes as a player also aid this as well. While Klein doesn’t give you the flashy explosive offense that others on this list may, he provides a stable offense that is balanced, efficient in the redzone and efficient in the redzone.  His name is already being linked to other open jobs such as Oklahoma State. Texas A&M is paying him a top-10 assistant coach salary for the SEC and with the praise Klein has received from both his playing days and coaching days, it seems he will be the man in charge sooner than later.” – Oxley

Kane Wommack, Defensive Coordinator – Alabama

Since being hired in 2024, Wommack has managed a defensive unit that has taken steady strides. In 2024, Wommack’s defense at Alabama finished 10th in the nation in scoring at 17.4 points per game. That group would go on to finish 5th in the NCAA in forced turnovers (28). A lot of that has to do with 4-2-5 defensive alignment that is consistently applying pressure and swarming the football. Prior to joining Kalen DaBoer’s staff, Wommack was the head coach at South Alabama from 2021-2023. Wommack led the Jaguard to a 10-3 record in 2022, which is a program best at the FBS level. He would resign to join Alabama ahead of the 2024 season. Overall, he boasts a 22-16 career record as a head coach.

The 38-year-old does have experience being at Ole Miss. Wommack was a graduate assistant for the Rebels during the 2012 and 2013 season. His father Dave Wommack was the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss from 2012-2016 during the Hugh Freeze era.

Why it makes sense: “Wommack has the head coaching experience and SEC familiarity to understand the environment in today’s SEC. He’s previously been praised for his ability to recruit in the greater Alabama area. If you’re looking to check boxes, this is a guy who has winning experience as a head coach, geographical ties to the southeast, is a known recruiter, and has had a previous stop at Ole Miss. Wommack has also recorded the best scoring defense at Alabama since 2017. He’s scaled well and coached several All-SEC level players in his short time at Alabama. Ole Miss could certainly do worse.” – Oxley

Jeff Lebby, Head Coach – Mississippi State

Lane Kiffin’s previous offensive coordinator, Jeff Lebby is currently in year two as the head coach at Mississippi State. Rebuilding the Bulldogs hasn’t been an easy task for the offensive mastermind as Mississippi State finished last season 2-10 and winless in SEC play. Things started out great for Lebby in year two as MSU rattled off four straight wins to begin the campaign, one of which came against Arizona State. The Bulldogs have still struggled in SEC play but have three conference games with a single score loss and have looked like things are going in the right direction as part of the rebuild. Overall, Lebby has a 7-15 career record.

Prior to becoming head coach at Mississippi State, Lebby was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, Ole Miss and UCF. In the last seven seasons, Lebby has had an offense rank in the top six of total offense, three separate times at three separate schools. No stranger to Ole Miss fans, Lebby was part of the “Score from Far” offense that featured Matt Corral and averaged 555.5 total yards of offense per contest.

Why it makes sense: “If Ole Miss is looking for continuity following the Lane Kiffin era, this is one of the first calls, Keith Carter should make. While Ole Miss fans could be upset in the way Lebby departed the Ole Miss program, time has a way of healing those wounds. Fans should remember some of the most electric offensive performances in Ole Miss history had Jeff Lebby calling in the plays. While the results in Starkville haven’t been what many MSU fans have hoped, the program is slowly going in the right direction with competitive games and a chance at bowl eligibility with the Egg Bowl coming. Is it crazy for one to go from Mississippi State to Ole Miss? Maybe so, but Ole Miss fans can sell themselves on the fact that things with Lebby could go smoother with the bump in resources that Ole Miss could provide. This also could leave the door open for several familiar coaches to stay in Oxford as well as maybe a few familiar names come back to Oxford. Perhaps even John David Baker comes back to bring back the high tempo, high octane offense. Overall, Lebby would bring head coaching experience and a familiarity to Ole Miss following the departure of Lane Kiffin.” — TJ Oxley

Shannon Dawson, Offensive Coordinator – Miami

Currently in his third season at Miami, Dawson has been credited with the growth of the Hurricanes’ offense. In his first season with Miami, Dawson helped improve an offense from 97th to 39th in scoring offense. Last year (2024), Dawson assisted with the development of #1 overall pick Cam Ward. During their lone season together, the Miami offense exploded to be the best in the NCAA in scoring offense (43.9) and total yards (537.2). This year Dawson has shown some flexibility with a more balanced approach in using the run game.

Prior to being at Miami, Dawson has had stops as the offensive coordinator at West Virginia, Kentucky, Houston, Southern Mississippi. More recently with Houston, he coached the duo of Nathaniel “Tank” Dell who led the nation with receiving touchdowns in 2022. At West Virginia, Dawson oversaw a trio of All-American receivers in Kevin White, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. Notable quarterbacks under Dawson’s tutelage include Clayton Tune, Nick Mullens and the aforementioned Cam Ward.

Why it makes sense: “In 2024, Dawson’s Miami offense led the nation in several key metrics, including points per game (43.9) and total offense (537.2 yards per game), which is widely considered an exciting brand of football. He emphasizes a balanced attack that can beat opponents with both the run and the pass, as does Ole Miss currently, preventing defenses from keying in on one aspect. His offenses have historically placed an emphasis on explosive plays and maintaining high yards per play. He prides himself on adapting his system to the strengths of his personnel, suggesting he would tailor the offense to Ole Miss’s players to maximize their potential. And, he likes to distribute the ball to multiple playmakers in the passing game, which makes the offense dynamic and difficult to defend.” — Evie 

Jake Dickert, Head Coach – Wake Forest

The overall record won’t wow many fans but if you look deeper into the context, Jake Dickert has quietly been a successful coach. This year’s Wake Forest squad currently sits at 8-4, way beyond their initial preseason ranking to finish 15th in the ACC. The low expectations were warranted as the Deamon Deacons saw over 30 players transfer out following the retirement of longtime coach Dave Clawson. Now they are one win away from finishing with nine wins for only the fourth time in program history. This impact has immediately been seen in Dickert’s recruiting efforts as the Demon Deacons 2026 recruiting class stands to be the highest rated in the past 25 seasons.

Prior to making the move across the country, Dickert was the head coach at Washington State, a position he held since midway through the 2021 program when the Cougars parted ways with then coach Nick Rolovich. During his tenure in Pullman, Dickert accumulated a 23-20 record in 3.5 seasons while reaching three bowl games, and being nationally ranked in two separate seasons. Under his tutelage, Washington State found success with a pair of star QBs including Cam Ward and John Mateer. In his last year at Washington State, the Cougars started the season 8-1. A team that featured three NFL Draft selections, tying a program best since 2006.

Why it makes sense: “This would be a projection hire. Ole Miss feeling comfortable with the support they have shown the program, the collective, & the administration can feel good about hiring a coach who does things the right way. Dickert does just that. His defense has translated in scaling up from his time at Wyoming, to Washington State and now Wake Forest(which has been a top-20 overall defense and 2nd in the ACC). He has brought in the right staff members for the offensive side and bringing in the proper people to assist with recruiting. While the double-digit win season has yet to come, Dickert has things trending in a very positive direction at Wake Forest.”  — Oxley