Ole Miss short-handed by LSU-bound coaches for CFP semifinals, but OC Charlie Weis Jr. stays

As Lane Kiffin builds out his program at LSU, Weis Jr. is the only staffer confirmed to remain with Ole Miss through at least the Rebels' semifinals game against Miami on Jan. 8

Ole Miss might lose most of its LSU-bound coaches to former coach Lane Kiffin this week, but it will keep at least one critical piece of the offensive staff in place as the Rebels prepare for the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is in Oxford and will continue leading the Rebels' offensive unit through at least this week's semifinals game, head coach Pete Golding confirmed Saturday. Weis Jr. is set to take over as LSU's OC whenever the time comes. 

Several position coaches, however, are expected to remain at LSU after coaching the Rebels to a thrilling 39-34 victory against Georgia in the quarterfinals on New Year's Day, sources told CBS Sports.

Running backs coach Kevin Smith will not return to Oxford this week, 247Sports' Chase Parham first reported Saturday. Tight ends coach Joe Cox, receivers coach George McDonald, analyst Dan Stevens (quarterbacks) and graduate assistant Sawyer Jordan (slot receivers) are also in flux and are not expected as of Saturday to return to Ole Miss, sources told CBS Sports. They remained in Baton Rouge, helping with recruiting visitors after the transfer portal opened Friday.

Golding, who was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach when Kiffin bolted for LSU, did not confirm the status of the position coaches, but said he has been in "constant" communication with LSU and Kiffin about the staffing situation. Kiffin echoed those words in a statement to ESPN on Friday.

"They have every opportunity like they have up to this point to be able to make that decision," Golding said Saturday. "So, week in and week out, I don't dictate whether they do that or not because they're not employed by me. Up to this point, that is how it's been and that's my expectation."

Questions about Ole Miss' staff have lingered over the program since Kiffin left the program to take over at LSU on Dec. 1. He hired eight staffers from Ole Miss to his LSU staff. However, many remained in Oxford through the first two rounds of the playoff -- a 41-10 win against Tulane and the aforementioned thriller against Georgia.

Complicating matters is the football calendar. The transfer portal opened Jan. 1 and will remain open until Jan. 16, and both schools were expected to host players for visits this weekend.

FBS programs are allowed an unlimited number of staffers after previously only allowing 11 on-field coaches, which has alleviated much of the workload, Golding said.

"We've got a lot of coaches here," Golding said. "That's the one thing about Division I football. This building is filled with guys that have been elite coaches everywhere they've been. Once they eliminated the rule to where there's not 10 coaches, as long as they're employed here, you can have a million coaches that can instruct on the field. So at every college across the country, a lot of guys that you all don't know by name are actually the ones instructing and teaching players, and so we have an elite staff here that's been together for a long time that knows the ins and the outs."

Golding said he wasn't sure when he'd receive clarity on the staffing situation. Ole Miss departs for the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday. Kickoff is slated for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"It's grown people making decisions, so I have no idea," he said. "So we're gonna go out there and spot the ball. We've got plenty enough people in this building that showed up this morning. We'll be just fine."

LSU did not immediately respond to CBS Sports' request for comment.