OTF Premium Steve Sarkisian, Pete Golding continue to keep things cordial in public | Thursday, 11:03 a.m.

[Jeff Howe]

TAMPA, Fla. — If book excerpts and off-the-cuff remarks have damaged the relationship between Steve Sarkisian and Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, neither coach is admitting it publicly.

Golding spoke of Sarkisian only with reverence while making the rounds at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Wednesday.

“I've always been a super-big fan of Steve Sarkisian. I was able to get really close to him in his time at Tuscaloosa and always had really, really admired him, even prior to that,” said Golding, who worked alongside Sarkisian on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in 2019 and 2020. “But to see him and how he works on a daily basis and his love of the game and his rapport with his players when he was the coordinator there, the ability to bring people around him with him from a leadership standpoint. I always thought he was one of the best game-day play-callers out there, and packaging plays and seeing things and the way he window dresses things to be able to get certain guys — as they're moving — the ball, which I think is very, very unique.”

Golding also made note of what Sarkisian and the Texas staff have done on the recruiting trail, quipping during his main press conference that he’s not fond of the Longhorns’ effort to recruit deep into the SEC footprint, specifically the state of Mississippi.

“I tell Sark all the time, ‘Dude, you’ve got plenty of guys in Texas. Get out of our state,’” said Golding, who suffered an in-state recruiting loss to Texas when Brookhaven (Miss.) EDGE Derwin Fields committed to the Longhorns over other suitors, including Ole Miss, in April. “They’re everywhere.” 

All joking aside, both parties have taken their share of shots in the last year, some more hurtful than others

The first indication of possible friction between Sarkisian and Golding came in August 2025, courtesy of an excerpt from Seth Wickersham’s book “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.” According to the excerpt, Golding reportedly tried to use Sarkisian’s battle with alcoholism to sway the hotly contested race for Arch Manning in Alabama’s favor (Manning committed to Texas on June 23, 2022).

After the dust settled, Sarkisian took what could be considered a swipe at Golding’s program while voicing his issues with transfer portal recruiting in a wide-ranging interview with Matt Hayes of USA Today.

“All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree,” Sarkisian said. He admitted during his appearance at the Touchdown Club of Houston’s annual Texas luncheon in May that he shouldn’t have used that specific example while trying to frame big-picture issues in college football.

Since then, Sarkisian has been complimentary of Golding, touting their friendship. For his part, Golding is returning the favor, praising Sarkisian and the Longhorns on Wednesday for the challenge awaiting the Rebels when they visit Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 24.

“I think it's going to be a really, really tough game. They're a very talented football team,” said Golding, who will continue to call the defense for Ole Miss, making the game a true head-to-head battle with Sarkisian. “(Sarkisian has) put together a really good staff. I've worked with a lot of those guys; a lot of respect for them. Really good relationship, obviously, with Arch. Playing down there is going to be tough.

“We've definitely done our homework; you have to with Sark,” he added. “You're going to get certain plays, but you've just got to contest those, man, and spot the ball and play the next one. Super excited about the opportunity.”

View full news story

[Little Carmine]

Ya - when people tell you who they are, listen. Golden already did that by weaponizing Sark's substance abuse history against him trying to recruit Arch, classLESS dude

[hookem1014]

Not worried about a coach who refers to another grown man as “Daddy.” Hope we blow them out in Austin. 

[Alex Butler]

I bet Pete loved getting smoked by that offense every practice in Tuscaloosa too. 

[Jbro52]

Didn’t Pete get arrested for a DWI?..

[Alex Butler]

10 minutes ago, Jbro52 said:

Didn’t Pete get arrested for a DWI?..

[Texasborn91]

12 minutes ago, Jbro52 said:

Didn’t Pete get arrested for a DWI?..

Believe so, Don’t believe in karma but stuff like that makes me a believer 

[Little Carmine]

13 minutes ago, Jbro52 said:

Didn’t Pete get arrested for a DWI?..

Yep 

https://www.al.com/news/2022/02/pete-golding-university-of-alabama-defensive-coordinator-jailed-on-dui.html

[Jbro52]

47 minutes ago, Alex Butler said:

 

[JGL333]

1 hour ago, Alex Butler said:

Golding isn't a head coach. ole miss will find that out this year!

[Deep in the heart]

1 hour ago, Little Carmine said:

Yep 

https://www.al.com/news/2022/02/pete-golding-university-of-alabama-defensive-coordinator-jailed-on-dui.html

 

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, Alex Butler said:

I bet Pete loved getting smoked by that offense every practice in Tuscaloosa too. 

Alabama lost an Iron Bowl in which Sark's offense scored 45 points because the defense Golding called gave up 48.

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, Little Carmine said:

Ya - when people tell you who they are, listen. Golden already did that by weaponizing Sark's substance abuse history against him trying to recruit Arch, classLESS dude

I clocked Sark's basket weaving comment as a clap back at Golding, not a dig at Ole Miss, per se.

[texcoyote15]

That’s a lower than low blow for someone to use alcoholism to try to win a recruit.  I’m not a choir boy, but I wouldn’t do that to my worst enemy 

[Jeff Howe]

1 hour ago, hookem1014 said:

Not worried about a coach who refers to another grown man as “Daddy.” Hope we blow them out in Austin. 

That was a cringeworthy quote in the book, for sure.

[Rocky P]

Just now, texcoyote15 said:

That’s a lower than low blow for someone to use alcoholism to try to win a recruit.  I’m not a choir boy, but I wouldn’t do that to my worst enemy 

I agree.  Going personal just shows you lost everywhere else and thats all you have left.  

[Jeff Howe]

1 minute ago, Rocky P said:

I agree.  Going personal just shows you lost everywhere else and thats all you have left.  

I get why schools negatively recruit, but I wish it didn't happen. You should be able to sell yourself without taking jabs at the competition.

[Rocky P]

Just now, Jeff Howe said:

I get why schools negatively recruit, but I wish it didn't happen. You should be able to sell yourself without taking jabs at the competition.

Negative recruitment should be about the program/results not about personal stuff.  Talk smack about how bad they are as a coach/developer and how they can't win the big game all day long.  But to go negative on something  that is 10 years old and he has overcome is just scum behavior.  

[Jeff Howe]

4 minutes ago, Rocky P said:

Negative recruitment should be about the program/results not about personal stuff.  Talk smack about how bad they are as a coach/developer and how they can't win the big game all day long.  But to go negative on something  that is 10 years old and he has overcome is just scum behavior.  

Point taken. Still, you'd be surprised how many parents and prospects power down or get flat sour on a school when the recruiting pitch is to bash the other schools in the mix. They want to hear about you and your program, not the other guy.

[Rocky P]

1 minute ago, Jeff Howe said:

Point taken. Still, you'd be surprised how many parents and prospects power down or get flat sour on a school when the recruiting pitch is to bash the other schools in the mix. They want to hear about you and your program, not the other guy.

i agree on that one.  Same thing in sales. as soon as you start trashing the competition, you lose a lot of your audience.