Golding: Up to LSU which assistants can coach for Ole Miss - ESPN

Ole Miss coach Pete Golding says it's up to LSU to determine how many of Lane Kiffin's assistants can continue to coach their former team as the Rebels prepare for Thursday's Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against Miami.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator Joe Cox, wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator George McDonald and running backs coach Kevin Smith have all signed contracts to coach with Kiffin at LSU. A source said all of them returned to LSU's campus Friday to welcome official visits for the first day of the transfer portal window.

Sources told ESPN's Mark Schlabach that the Rebels aren't certain they will have all of those assistants with them when they play the Hurricanes.

«They have every opportunity like they have up to this point to be able to make that decision,» Golding said Saturday on a CFP media videoconference. «So week in and week out, I don't dictate whether they do that or not, because they're not employed by me. Up to this point, that's how it's been, and that's my expectation.»

A source told Schlabach that some of the assistants have pushed back on leaving an Ole Miss team that is two victories away from winning a national championship.

«There are going to be some fireworks,» an Ole Miss source said. «We always knew this might be a possibility.»

Golding downplayed the whole situation even though he still doesn't know who will be available — or when he might find out.

«Our players know what to do,» he said. «It's going to have no impact on the game. Keep blowing it up and making it a big deal, it'd be great.»

Asked when he would know which assistants would be available to coach, Golding said, «I don't know. Do you know if you're going to show up at work