The four-year tenure of Pete Golding as Alabama’s sole defensive coordinator ended last month when he made a lateral move to become Ole Miss’ defensive play-caller.

The decision was greeted by celebration from segments of Alabama’s fan base that had blamed Golding for Alabama’s defense slipping behind Georgia’s as statistically the SEC’s best.

But Golding’s exit met by former players at the Senior Bowl with surprise, and some of the eight Alabama defensive starters at the NFL scouting combine this week in Indianapolis continued to defend their former coach.

“Coach Pete definitely got a bad rap a lot of the times,” defensive lineman DJ Dale said Wednesday. “But him being the person that he is, he’s selfless, so there could be times where we would completely mess up the call, but he’d just take the blame for it. A lot of times when we messed up as a defense, it was because we didn’t execute and not because he didn’t put in the right call in. Him being who he is, he’ll take the blame for it.”

The problem with execution was something Saban brought up during the season, including after a breakdown led to LSU’s key touchdown of a November overtime win. Asked Saban later: “Guys make calls, guys have to respond to the call. If you say ‘Lucky’ [and] the guy goes ‘Ringo,’ is that lack of communication? I mean, it’s lack of execution, aight?”

Another of Golding’s players, defensive lineman Byron Young, had no interest in fans’ opinions.

“I think I heard about it, but I think it came from a lot of people who weren’t aware of what actually goes into playing football,” he said Wednesday. “I think you go on social media and there’s a million coaches, but none of them are at Alabama, so what they say really doesn’t matter to me.”

Former linebacker Henry To’o To’o even gave a dismissive wave with his hand this week when the fan criticism of Golding was mentioned.

“We don’t worry about the fans, I ain’t gonna lie,” he said. “We leave them alone.”

Instead, To’o To’o tried to paint a picture of his position coach the past two seasons.

“Pete Golding was my dog,” he said. “I don’t consider him a coach — I consider him a close, close brother. Me and him have had a relationship to where I could call him for anything, I could go over to his house and grab a bite to eat when I’m struggling.”

Nick Saban’s defensive playbook is “complicated,” To’o To’o said, noting that NFL teams this week in Indianapolis have asked him about how well he knew it and how fast he was able to get other players aligned.

To’o To’o said it took him a year to learn Alabama’s playbook after he transferred from Tennessee in May 2021.

“That came of came with a lot of film study, a lot of alone time trying to figure things out by myself,” he said. “We ran a similar defense at Tennessee with Coach [Jeremy] Pruitt, but everything is so ‘if this, if that, what do we do then?’ So Coach Saban harps on the details, so that was one of the things I had to pick up quickly when I got to Alabama.”

One of the benefits of playing in the NFL, To’o To’o added, will be the helmet radio that linebackers can wear to receive defensive play calls.

“At Alabama, we’d have to look to the sideline to get a call, and I’m gonna get it in a microphone,” he said. “So I think that will make it so much more easier to communicate a call to guys and get everybody aligned faster.”

Although Dale and Young reiterated this week how they were surprised with Golding’s departure when he was still under contract with Alabama, the move was taken more in stride by one of the Tide’s former defensive backs.

“I didn’t really have much of a reaction,” safety Jordan Battle said Thursday. “You can’t do nothing but be excited whenever a guy comes through Alabama and leaves. That happens almost every year. I had three different cornerback coaches when I was there — Coach [Karl] Scott, Coach [Travaris] Robinson, and Jay Valai — guys come in and go out every year, and you can’t be nothing but excited for them.”

Golding was a “great coordinator” and had “a great relationship with the guys,” former safety Demarcco Hellams said, adding that criticism is part of the territory in his role.

“We play the game of football, so there are going to be people that are fans of you and people that are critics of you,” Hellams said. “I feel like Coach Pete, he knows the landscape that he’s coaching in, and playing in the SEC, playing for fans that care. So whenever you feel like you’re struggling, you’re going to get backlash.”

Rebels coach Lane Kiffin said Golding’s family ties to Mississippi played a part in his move. Golding’s wife, Carolyn, is a native of the state and attended Ole Miss.

“I think he’s gonna do a great job there,” To’o To’o said. “The guys over there are gonna love him. He’s gonna do a great job. Hopefully they can compete really well in the SEC.”

Both of Alabama’s coordinators faced fan criticism last year, with several offensive players defending Bill O’Brien before the Sugar Bowl. Now O’Brien is calling plays for the New England Patriots, while Golding has moved to Oxford. They were replaced by Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele, respectively.

Golding will make his return to Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 23.

“Coach Pete is a great coach,” Dale said. “And he’s going to have success no matter where he’s at.”

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.