The 2025 Ole Miss football season has been nothing short of a roller coaster. The season ended with a College Football Playoff berth and two wins en route to the semifinals. However, they also lost Lane Kiffin to LSU during this run. That has also complicated things because, with the transfer portal opening, some Ole Miss coaches are required to help LSU, and two have already left.
Yahoo Sports college football reporter Ross Dellenger reported that the two coaches who were with Ole Miss for their first two games will not be with the Rebels for the Fiesta Bowl. Tight ends coach Joe Cox and wide receivers coach George McDonald are leaving to join LSU and help their recruiting efforts now that the transfer portal is open. Ole Miss football head coach Pete Golding confirmed it.
“Do they want to be here? Damn right they do,” Golding said. However, LSU has 35 players in the transfer portal and noted that they have jobs to do since they signed their contracts.
“That's been something that has been coming the whole time,” Golding said during a Fiesta Bowl availability on Jan. 7. “There has been constant communication. They have another job that is paying them. They have a responsibility.”
It is worth noting that several other Ole Miss assistants are also leaving for LSU. However, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. will still coach the Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami.
Joe Cox was in his second season serving as the Rebels' tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator with Weis Jr. on Kiffin's staff at Ole Miss. He was hired by Kiffin ahead of the 2024 season after working under Nick Saban at Alabama for two seasons. He'll keep the duplicate job titles on Kiffin's new staff at LSU, as he is listed as the Tigers' co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
George McDonald was hired by Kiffin ahead of the 2024 season away from Illinois to be the Rebels' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. He will also keep the duplicate job titles on Kiffin's staff at LSU, as he is listed as the Tigers' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach.
