Report: Ole Miss targeting Kansas State Co-DC Marcus Woodson for role on staff

Ole Miss is targeting Kansas State co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson for a role on its staff, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Saturday night.

Woodson played safety at Ole Miss from 1999-2002. He was hired as Kansas State‘s co-defensive coordinator this offseason after spending three seasons at Arkansas. The Mississippi native has previously made stops at Florida State (2020-2022), Auburn (2018-2019), and Memphis (2016-2017).

Ole Miss is targeting Kansas State co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson for a role on its defensive staff, sources tell @CBSSports.

Before being hired at Kansas State, worked most recently for teams like Arkansas, Florida State and Auburn. pic.twitter.com/mx6TvMl4b8

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 15, 2026

Ole Miss is coming off a rollercoaster of a season, in which it finished 11-1 prior to Lane Kiffin‘s departure for the LSU opening. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to head coach, and promptly led the Rebels to two victories in the College Football Playoff prior to Semifinal loss to Miami.

Pete Golding reveals how he’ll remember 2025 Ole Miss team

At the conclusion of the season, Golding revealed how he’ll remember the 2025 Ole Miss team. It will forever be one of the best in program history.

“To be honest with you, I think I’ll just remember how they embraced each other,” Golding said. “There was a lot over the last month or so to where somebody could have not been a good dude. Somebody could’ve not worked hard. Somebody could have not showed up on time. I can’t recall one issue, and that’s just based on who these guys are. They took over the team and they showed up everyday and went to work and made sure the people around them went to work.

“For me, it’s the smiles. It’s the memories, the laughs, and the times with those guys. The camaraderie man… they grew together. They’re gonna be talking about this for a long time. Some of it’s gonna be what could have happened and those types of things, but they’ve made memories in that locker room that will last a lifetime. For a lot of this group coming back, there’s gonna be a chip on their shoulder.

“But also the guys that are leaving, this is a legacy of a team that’s going to be celebrated for a while. They’re gonna have to come back at some point and have a reunion and stuff like that, as far as getting together. We appreciate the senior class and what they’ve done for the legacy of this team, and making an expectation. The underclassmen are gonna want to go to work pretty quick, because they’re gonna be pretty hungry.”

Ole Miss finished the season ranked No. 3 in the final AP Poll Rankings. It was its highest finish since 1962.