Ole Miss coach Pete Golding filled one of the biggest vacancies on his 2026 staff on Wednesday by hiring former Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Patrick Toney as defensive coordinator.
Golding and Toney worked together on Ron Roberts' staff at FCS program Southeastern Louisiana in 2012-13 and again when Golding was UTSA's defensive coordinator in 2016-17.
Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that Golding is expected to continue calling defensive plays in 2026, as he has done in the Rebels' surprising run in the College Football Playoff. Bryan Brown will continue to serve as co-defensive coordinator next season.
Before spending the past three seasons with the Cardinals, Toney was Billy Napier's defensive coordinator at Louisiana in 2020-21 and at Florida in 2022.
This season, the Cardinals ranked ninth in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 230.8 yards per game.
While much of Ole Miss' offensive coaching staff is leaving to join former coach Lane Kiffin at LSU, the defensive staff has largely remained intact under Golding. Kiffin's brother, Chris, the former defensive line coach, is now at LSU.