Pete Golding rallies Ole Miss fans ahead of first SEC Media Days appearance

Ole Miss football coach Pete Golding made a stop at the Country Club of Jackson Tuesday, July 21, just hours ahead of him taking the podium at SEC Media Days.

SEC Media Days is being held through July 23 at the Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott. Ole Miss will take the stage on July 22.

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and defensive tackle Will Echoles will join Golding, who is entering his first full season as a head coach.

Golding spent part of the day in Jackson rallying Rebels supporters before heading to Tampa for his first SEC Media Days appearance as a head coach, emphasizing continuity within the program and confidence in a roster he believes is built to compete in the SEC.

Golding speaks to Ole Miss fans in Jackson

Speaking at the Country Club of Jackson before a crowd of nearly 200, Golding said SEC Media Days serves as a reminder that the start of the season is fast approaching.

"Anytime these things come, you know, all right, the season's right around the corner," Golding told the Clarion Ledger before the event. "Tomorrow's really about them."

He said the event provides an opportunity to showcase the players and the work they have put in throughout the offseason.

Golding enters the season with a strong degree of continuity on both the roster and coaching staff. Golding said retaining key assistants was a priority after taking over the program.

Among those returning are quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, offensive line coach John Garrison and the entire defensive staff. Golding said the carryover has helped accelerate player development during offseason workouts and summer conditioning.

"A lot of carryover from last year, not only from a player perspective, bringing 10 starters back, but more importantly from a staff standpoint," Golding said. "I think that's really helped the development in the offseason and the summer."

While the media spotlight will intensify this week, Golding said his focus remains on preparing a team he believes has the right makeup for success.

"I like this group a lot," he said. "I think they're wired the right way. I think they're tough, competitive. I think they love football."

Leadership will be key for Rebels

Golding pointed to leadership as one of the team's biggest strengths.

"Our best players are our best dudes, and they're our best leaders," Golding said. "The teams that I've been around that have been wired that way and have really good leadership normally have a lot of success."

The Rebels face what Golding described as a challenging SEC schedule, but he expressed confidence in the talent across the roster. He highlighted Chambliss at quarterback and said he expects improvement on the defensive side of the ball, a unit that has been his specialty throughout his coaching career.

Depth at running back is another area where Golding believes Ole Miss is better positioned entering the season. With Lacy expected to play a featured role, the Rebels have added complementary pieces that could lessen the burden on their top back.

Golding praised Makhi Hughes' development during the spring and summer while also highlighting newcomer JT Lindsey's explosiveness and pass-catching ability out of the backfield. He added that returning former 4-star running back recruit Shekai Mills-Knight gives Ole Miss multiple options at the position.

"When you've got three to four guys that can play winning football at a position that allows you to rotate, that does allow you to keep guys healthy through the course of the year," Golding said.

Ole Miss opens preseason practice in the coming weeks as Golding prepares for his first season leading the Rebels full time. The campaign begins with heightened expectations after reaching the CFP semifinals and having a roster the coach believes is built to contend.

The Rebels open the season with Louisville Week 1 on Sept. 6 in Nashville, Tennessee, followed by Ole Miss hosting Charlotte in Week 2 on Sept. 12.

After that will be the most anticipated game of the season on Sept. 19 when former coach Lane Kiffin and LSU visit Oxford for a night game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Sam Hutchens contributed to this story.

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Pete Golding rallies Ole Miss fans ahead of first SEC Media Days appearance