Jaxson Dart: 'I Think We're Going to Have One of the Most Talented Offenses in the SEC'
OXFORD, Miss. -- Mississippi is not Los Angeles, but Jaxson Dart wanted to play in the SEC, and he's found a fit at Ole Miss.
The Utah-native spent his freshman season at USC before entering the transfer portal following the 2021 season, and his adjustment to life in Oxford has come with a lot of positives.
"I keep reflecting on it," Dart said. "If you had told me that my first year of college would have turned out this way, I would have told you that you were crazy. It's been quite a whirlwind, but I'm thankful for where I'm at right now."
Once Dart entered the portal, he says that he wanted to head to a school in the Southeastern Conference, and Ole Miss quickly became a spot that seemed like a solid fit.
"Ultimately just seeing the production that they had last year and hearing about it on the news when I was playing at USC," Dart said. "I like how electric the offense is. It's super quarterback-friendly, and I love the excitement that's carried around with it.
"Coach Kiffin has really turned some things around here and brought it back to what it used to be. That's something that really excited me."
Dart was joined in transferring to Ole Miss from USC by teammate and tight end Michael Trigg who has already garnered high praise from Rebel head coach Lane Kiffin.
"That's my brother," Dart said. "He came into USC a little bit later than me, but right off the bat, we became super close. When all the discussion was going down with me hitting the portal, he texted me right away and said, 'Hey, bro, I'm going where you're going.'"
Dart isn't going to win the QB1 title overnight, however. He will be competing for that position with incumbent Luke Altmyer who served as Matt Corral's backup in the 2021 season.
Altmyer saw his first significant action in a Rebel uniform during the Sugar Bowl against Baylor after Corral went down with an ankle injury in the first half. While both Dart and Altmyer have the same goal in mind of being this year's starting quarterback, they seem to enjoy being around one another.
"Luke's a great kid," Dart said. "I remember one of my first days coming in here, we threw in the indoor facility with some of the receivers, and he was the first kid to come shake my hand. We're good friends."
This level of competition isn't foreign to the transfer signal caller. Dart committed to USC at the same time as another quarterback in his class, so he's used to vying for a spot on the starting 11.
"For me, I came into SC in a similar position," Dart said. "I'm in the same position as I was when I went to SC. We have the same goals in mind, and it's a competition. It brings the best out of both of us and will help us be better players, ultimately."
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USC is located in Los Angeles, a city pushing 4 million residents. Dart left that city and transplanted to Oxford, Mississippi, a city with a little over 25,000 residents. That culture change is something that is different for the young quarterback, but he has enjoyed his Mississippi experience thus far.
"It's complete polar opposites to L.A.," Dart said. "It's more similar to Utah and how controlled the environments are and how low-key it is. I'm getting transitioned well into it, for sure. There aren't as many distractions around you."
Despite its relatively-small size, Oxford and Ole Miss are consistently ranked among the best college towns and campuses in America, and Dart testified to that on Thursday.
"I still remember when me and Trigg came on our visit," Dart said, "and we walked into a little restaurant with our families, and the amount of people who came up to us and knew who we were, that was really cool. I love the support and how people are involved here."
Adjusting to a new way of life is one thing, but Dart is also here to play football, and he's learning a new offensive system under Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.
"Getting those reps really helps," Dart said. "If I compare myself to where I was last spring to this spring, I feel like I'm a lot farther ahead. Coach Weis has done a great job with that. Meeting with him has been an easy transition for me."
Dart believes that he can help Ole Miss build on its momentum established in the first two years of Kiffin's leadership in Oxford. Last season, the Rebels won 10 regular season games for the first time in program history, and even with Matt Corral's departure for the NFL, the pieces may be in place for another strong year on offense.
"We have a lot of really, really good players," Dart said. "I think we're going to have one of the most talented offenses in the SEC, and I'm super excited for it."
Ole Miss will open its 2022 season at home in September against Troy.
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