3 Things Actually Different About Ole Miss Football Next Season

When the Ole Miss Rebels entered the 2025 season after losing star quarterback Jaxson Dart, most people expected Austin Simmons to take over and lead the team to its first College Football Playoff appearance. Little did Rebels fans know that a Division II quarterback transfer from Ferris State University would lead them to the Fiesta Bowl in the winningest season in program history.

With a full season of SEC experience under his belt, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, along with the return of running back Kewan Lacy, should allow the Rebels to play at an even faster pace this fall. With Lacy considered one of the most explosive running backs in the nation and Chambliss a true dual threat, expect an offense heavy on run-pass options, play-action and explosive dive plays up the middle.

In 2025, Chambliss threw the ball 445 times and ran 113 times, while Lacy had 303 carries last season. The Rebel offense ran play-action a big dose last season. In their away loss versus Georgia, Chambliss’ first SEC road game, the Rebels ran play action with Lacy 15 times, while Chambliss completed seven of the attempts.

Things Have Changed For Ole Miss

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding runs off the field during warmups before the CFP Fiesta Bowl at the State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Ariz., on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The loss of Dezhaun Stribling to the NFL Draft was a little hit to the already great Rebels wide receiver corps. Returning players such as Deuce Alexander and Caleb Odom will be familiar deep ball and cross route targets for Chambliss this fall. Last season, the Ole Miss passing concept consisted of fast paced 5-6 yard curls, with a deep ball thrown in here and there, making for great rhythm within the offense.

With all these returning stars and new offensive coordinator John David Baker, who came over from the East Carolina Pirates, Ole Miss will continue its fast paced, no huddle type of offense. ECU in 2025 had the 33rd best offense in the nation despite being in the AAC and having less recruiting funds and NIL money. Baker had the Pirates averaging 360 total yards of offense a game, highlighted by quarterback Kaden Houser’s 3,300 passing yards.

Coach Baker has already had experience at Ole Miss, serving as the tight ends coach from 2021-23.

On the defensive side of the ball, expect a change of direction in the secondary and on the line. Last season, the Ole Miss defense recorded 35.0 sacks, good for 19th in the nation. Just the year prior, in 2024, the Rebels led the nation in sacks with 52. On top of the 19-sack drop-off from the 2024 season, Ole Miss lost its leading pass rusher, Princewill Umanmielen, who recorded 10.5 sacks last fall.

The Ole Miss secondary is undergoing a full revamp, too, with the loss of Chris Graves, TJ Banks and Ricky Fletcher. Pete Golding brought in Edwin Joseph, Joenel Aguero, Jay Crawford and Sharif Denson, a full renovation to a secondary that was giving up 21.1 points per game on average.

Pete Golding and the Rebels are entering this season with something to prove, that last fall was not a fluke and that Golding can win without Lane Kiffin for a full season. With most of the Rebels returning and a coaching staff that has been at Ole Miss and familiar with Oxford expect another successful season for Ole Miss football.

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