Ole Miss football is making a splash in the coaching world with a significant addition to head coach Pete Golding’s inaugural staff: former LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson. According to multiple reputable sources, Wilson is expected to leave Baton Rouge after LSU’s Texas Bowl appearance on December 27, 2025, and will join the Rebels’ coaching ranks for the 2026 season, most likely as the running backs coach.
Wilson’s arrival in Oxford comes at a notable moment in both programs’ histories. LSU recently underwent a turbulent coaching transition when Brian Kelly was fired on October 26, 2025, and Wilson was elevated to interim head coach. Meanwhile, Lane Kiffin departed Ole Miss to become LSU’s new head coach, resulting in a major SEC shuffle that also included the promotion of Pete Golding — previously Ole Miss’s defensive coordinator — to head coach.
Return to Oxford and Familiar Faces
For Wilson, this move represents a homecoming of sorts. He began his collegiate coaching career at Ole Miss from 2005 to 2007 as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator under Ed Orgeron, before moving through a variety of roles at other programs. His early work in Oxford gave him foundational recruiting experience in the Southeast, particularly in Louisiana and Mississippi, that has continued to define his career.
Wilson is widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in college football — a reputation that will be prized by Golding’s staff as Ole Miss continues to leverage its momentum in the NCAA Transfer Portal market and in traditional high school recruiting. His deep ties to Louisiana, especially in the New Orleans area where he grew up and coached, give the Rebels added strength in pulling talent from one of the richest recruiting regions in the country.
Coaching Journey and Credentials
Before his 2025 interim head coaching stint at LSU, Wilson spent multiple years in Baton Rouge as running backs coach and associate head coach, first under Les Miles (2010–15) and later under Brian Kelly (2022–25). His contributions included recruiting classes consistently ranked among the nation’s best and helping LSU land the No. 1 transfer portal class for the 2025 cycle.
Although Wilson has been praised for his ability to land high-impact players, his on-field results at LSU have been mixed, especially in rushing performance, where the Tigers have struggled at times. Still, his off-field connections and proven track record in recruiting are seen as valuable assets for the Rebels.
Strategic Move for Ole Miss
For Ole Miss, hiring Wilson strengthens Golding’s first full staff and communicates a clear focus on recruiting and player development. It also adds continuity and experience to a program that’s undergoing significant changes, especially after the departure of Lane Kiffin and the reshuffling of key assistants. Wilson’s ties to Golding run deep: the two previously coached together at UTSA — Golding as defensive coordinator on a staff where Wilson was head coach.
Golding has been cautious in public comments about staff decisions, emphasizing that his immediate focus remains on the Rebels’ College Football Playoff preparation. However, sources indicate that Ole Miss is moving quickly to assemble a competitive and dynamic coaching staff for 2026 and beyond.
What It Means for LSU
Wilson’s departure is another notable shift for LSU under Lane Kiffin’s new regime. With more than a dozen staff changes between the two SEC rivals in recent weeks, LSU’s coaching makeup is also evolving rapidly. Wilson’s exit — and potential movement of players or other assistants — could affect recruiting and continuity for the Tigers moving forward.
In sum, Ole Miss’s reported hiring of Frank Wilson represents not only a personnel acquisition but a strategic statement about the direction of the program: a blend of recruiting firepower, SEC experience, and alumni connection that Pete Golding hopes will propel the Rebels forward in a competitive conference landscape.