Report: UTSA hires Southern Miss assistant Pete Golding as defensive coordinator

A key member of the Southern Miss football staff is making the move to a Conference USA rival.

Southern Miss secondary/safeties coach Pete Golding is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at Texas-San Antonio, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports.

Golding worked the last two seasons at USM and proved to be a important part of the staff as a coach and recruiter.

UTSA recently hired LSU assistant Frank Wilson as its new head coach. Wilson is a New Orleans native who served as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at USM in 2008 under then head coach Larry Fedora.

At LSU, Wilson was regarded as one of the top running backs coaches and recruiters in the nation.

Golding served as defensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana for two seasons before joining the USM staff prior to the 2014 campaign. He also worked in the same capacity at Division II Delta State prior to moving to Southeastern Louisiana.

Part of Golding's recruiting area at USM included the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He played a large role in receiving verbal commitments from Harrison Central defensive tackle Jordon Beaton and D'Iberville defensive end Jacques Turner. Both players plan to sign with Southern Miss on National Signing Day on Feb. 3.

Golding also was the lead recruiter for Pascagoula product Jauan Collins, a Southern Miss defensive tackle who sat out the 2015 season while receiving a redshirt.

Jacorius Cotton, Emmanuel Johnson, Picasso Nelson Jr. and D'Nerius Antoine all had standout seasons at the two safety positions during Golding's two years at USM.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Report: UTSA hires Southern Miss assistant Pete Golding as defensive coordinator ."