Luke Altmyer Discusses Sugar Bowl Loss, Spring Quarterback Competition
OXFORD, Miss. -- Luke Altmyer has experienced a winding road in the last few months, but he finds himself in the midst of a quarterback competition for an SEC team this spring.
Altmyer, who played the majority of Ole Miss' Sugar Bowl appearance in January after starter Matt Corral went down with an ankle injury, is competing with Jaxson Dart and Kinkead Dent for the starting spot. Altmyer discussed his relationship with the transfer Dart on Thursday.
"It's been a lot of fun," Altmyer said. "I think when spring started, we had been doing a lot. With Dart, we've become really fast friends. He's a great guy and great competitor. We help each other out, and I root for him when he's in and the other way around."
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Altmyer was expecting a transfer QB to come to Oxford this offseason due to a lack of depth at the position, but he says that the coaching staff kept him informed throughout the process.
"I knew they were going to bring someone in because of the lack of depth and only having two scholarship QBs on the roster," Altmyer said. "I believe in myself. I really do. I understand the nature of the business, but I go to work every day with the belief that I can lead this team.
"They always kept me in the loop as to who was visiting and things like that."
Whoever leads the Ole Miss offense in the 2022 season will do so under a new offensive coordinator. Jeff Lebby departed for Oklahoma after last season, and Charlie Weis Jr. is the new kid in town over that side of the football.
Although there are some differences within the systems, the change might be more seamless than some may think.
"There's obviously some different things, but there are a lot of similarities," Altmyer said. "With Kiffin being the offensive mind that he is, he obviously has his own niche and how he wants to play ball. Weis is going to keep a lot of the same things we did last year because we were so productive.
"What Matt [Corral] did last year was really cool, and thinks me and Jaxson can do the same things."
Altmyer also discussed Ole Miss' loss in the Sugar Bowl in January, and after three months of processing the loss, he still finds himself called back to that night in his mind.
"When you go in, you don't really feel the magnitude of it all," Altmyer said. "I think about it every day. Kind of beat myself up over it. I think my biggest flaw as a player and a person is that I'm the biggest perfectionist and over thinker there is, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.
"The perfectionism and overthinking wasn't with the game itself; it's right now and how I deal with it."
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The sophomore quarterback has the distinction of being from Starkville High School (Miss.), home of Ole Miss' rival Mississippi State. From his high school days to now, he feels that he has matured at his position, and he hopes to show that during the course of this competition in camp.
"From high school to college, the time you put in, you're forced to grow," Altmyer said. "Being around Matt and looking up to him, he helped me in a lot of ways. You naturally get better as a player."
Starkville quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) throws over the middle against Clinton on Friday, November 2, 2018, at Clinton High School in Clinton, Miss.11 02 Clinton Starkville 009
There is no set timetable for when Ole Miss will announce its starting quarterback, but the Rebels will open their 2022 season at home against Troy this September.
"I have no clue how that will work," Altmyer said. "All I can do is control what I control. I love what I do, so I'm just going to play ball."
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