Archie Manning has never been the type to stir things up publicly, and that’s exactly why his support carries weight when he chooses to show it.
Over the weekend at the Manning Passing Academy, he made it clear he’s fully behind Pete Golding as the man leading Ole Miss football.
And if you’ve been paying attention the last couple of years, that endorsement lands a little differently than the ones he offered during the Lane Kiffin era.
Archie didn’t hide it. He likes Golding. He likes how Golding handled the chaos of last November. He likes how the transition unfolded. And he likes the direction of the program.
“I didn’t get involved with Arch’s recruiting, but Pete recruited Arch for Alabama. So, Cooper and Ellen got to know Pete very well,” Manning told OMSpirit’s Jake Thompson. “Actually Olivia and Pete kind of became friends a few times we met him. So, I like Pete.”
That’s not just a polite nod. That’s familiarity, comfort and trust.
And it lines up with what we saw last December.
In the days leading up to Ole Miss hosting Tulane in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, Archie and Eli showed up at practice. They spoke to the team. They spent time with Golding and Trinidad Chambliss.
It was a quiet moment in the middle of a loud week, but it spoke volumes.
Because let’s be honest. Everyone involved said the right things when Lane Kiffin was leading the Ole Miss program. That’s how it works. Nobody in Oxford is going to publicly take a swing at the Manning family, and the Mannings aren’t going to torch a current Ole Miss coach.
But actions matter more than statements, and the actions last December made it pretty clear where the first family of Ole Miss stood. How many photos are there of the Mannings visiting a Kiffin-led practice?
Golding took over on November 30 and walked straight into a blender. He had to prepare a team for the CFP, hold together a staff, keep a signing class intact and manage the transfer portal. He had to do all of that while navigating the tsunami-like waves Kiffin’s exit left.
It was a tough situation, and Archie noticed how he handled it.
“I like him. I knew he was a good defensive coordinator and I’ve been impressed with the way he’s taken over a very unique, tough situation there,” Manning said. “But the way he’s taken off, and it seems to me people approve what he’s doing. So we’re looking forward to hopefully a good year.”
That’s not just approval. That’s confidence.
Golding earned it with how he steadied the program, how he connected with players and how he guided Ole Miss to two playoff wins and a near miss against Miami in the CFP semifinals. He earned it with how he recruited, how he built his staff and how he handled a transition that could have easily gone sideways.
And now he has something every Ole Miss coach wants: the full backing of Archie Manning.
That doesn’t guarantee wins. It doesn’t guarantee another playoff run. But it does tell you something about the foundation Golding is building and the relationships he’s already strengthened.
In Oxford, that matters.
