Ole Miss Football Hires Patrick Toney as Co-Defensive Coordinator

SCOTTSDALE — The Ole Miss Rebels are amidst a historic run as they are just a day away from taking on the Miami Hurricanes in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The ride has been filled with coaching changes and heroic efforts from the players on the field — as well as with part of the coaching staff flip-flopping between Oxford and Baton Rouge. With the coaching transitions, now also comes another new face to Ole Miss, co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney who was hired on Wednesday morning to assist Pete Golding’s defensive staff.

Your new Ole Miss defensive coordinator, Patrick Toney! Toney brings NFL experience with him. For the last three years, he served as the defensive backs coach at the Arizona Cardinals. He also previously coached under Pete Golding at Southeastern Louisiana and UTSA. Now the two… pic.twitter.com/oZkmzZwmh3

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) January 7, 2026

Toney’s coaching career kicked off eleven years ago, as he joined the Sam Houston Bearkats as the team’s safeties coach. After a season with the Bearkats, Toney took on the same role with the safeties, this time with the UTSA Roadrunners for the 2016 and the 2017 seasons.

In 2018 Toney became a part of the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns coaching staff, once again working with the safeties. After two seasons, in 2020 he was promoted to the defensive coordinator position as well as the outside linebackers coach.

Toney then landed a spot on Billy Napier’s staff for the Florida Gators just a year later, earning the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach positions.

This all came before landing his first NFL coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals — again as the safeties coach — from 2023 until Wednesday when he joined Golding’s Rebels.

All this experience is great for any coach, but at the young age of 35 where Toney sits today, it is an especially great get for Golding’s squad.

Toney and Golding actually have experience together, as Golding was the defensive coordinator during Toney’s tenure at UTSA, and the connection could have ultimately helped land Toney this spot.

A Look Ahead

While we are unsure if Toney will be with Rebels Thursday at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, we will keep you posted. Ole Miss and Miami are each looking to punch a ticket to the National Championship at 5:30 pm local time in Arizona, which is 6:30 p.m. Oxford time.