After Lane Kiffin poached six Rebels’ coaching staff to Baton Rouge, Pete Golding was left in limbo. But that doesn’t seem to bother Hurricanes’ HC Mario Cristobal as they take on the Rebels in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday.

“It has zero impact on our preparation, and I think be safe to say that it doesn’t impact their preparation as well,”  Miami head coach Mario Cristobal stated on January 3. “They’re a great football team with great coaches that are in place, and they’re preparing just as hard for this as they have for anything.”

After Kiffin walked out the door, OC Charlie Weis Jr. was quick to follow him to LSU. And he wasn’t alone. Over the next few days, TE coach Joe Cox, WR coach George McDonald, inside receivers coach Sawyer Jordan, QB coach Dane Stevens, and RB coach Kevin Smith all made the move.

It’s a pretty normal practice, and hence Ole Miss and Golding both have no qualms about it. What’s concerning is the fact that the Rebels are under their most significant stretch in the playoffs. The national championship is shining on the horizon; however, an offensive collapse (coaching) might pose a threat to their natty dreams.

When Ole Miss took down Georgia at the Sugar Bowl, they all played their part. Even as they were busy rebooting LSU’s offense, they somehow managed to pull off double duty, making sure the Rebels still powered their way to the Fiesta Bowl. And they did.

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After a sweet payback (34-39), which left the Bulldogs on a crusty note, the Rebels now look forward to facing off against Dawg’s former QB, Carson Beck (Miami Hurricanes). However, with a thinned-out coaching staff, can Pete Golding’s roster make it big? Will the six coaches stay put on the Ole Miss sidelines? When asked about that possibility, Athletic Director Keith Carter remained vague.

“I don’t know,” Carter responded. “We’re going to celebrate tonight and get ready for Arizona in the morning.”

So far, there is no official statement regarding their availability. However, smoother communication has ensured that Rebel’s coaching fiasco doesn’t affect its national championship dreams.

Pete Golding gets candid on Ole Miss staff exodus

Despite Ole Miss’s coaching fiasco, Mario Cristobal made it clear that it will have zero impact on their game preparation. And so did Pete Golding.

“We don’t know,” he shared. “It’s grown people making decisions, so I have no idea. We’re going to go out there and spot the ball. We got plenty. Enough people in this building who showed up this morning. We’ll be just fine.”

Neither AD Keith nor Golding is sure of their coaches’ availability so far. Yet, the question persists. One Ole Miss insider has shared with ESPN that there is a growing pushback, with some coaches hesitant to leave Oxford. With the national championship game just two wins away, it’s not rocket science to see why they would want to stay put.

But as it seems, LSU is calling. There’s no doubt, Lane Kiffin will pluck elite talent from the transfer portal to reboot LSU’s offense. And he will require all the hands on deck to achieve so. That being said, clear communication has remained vital amid such chaos.

“Communication has been constant the entire time,” Pete Golding said in a press conference. “They have every opportunity, as they have up to this point, to be able to make that decision.

“Our players know what to do. It’s going to have no impact on the game. Keep blowing it up and making it a big deal; it’d be great.”

When Ole Miss beat Georgia, it wasn’t just about winning anymore. But rather a promise that the Rebels can win big without Kiffin steering the command. And Cristobal couldn’t agree more. Kiffin may have led the Rebels to a 10-2 record, giving them their first shot at college football playoffs. However, sustaining that winning culture requires an innate hunger that absolutely takes root in the locker room- one which they already proved at the Sugar Bowl.