Ole Miss Football's Pete Golding Compares Trinidad Chambliss to Alabama Legend

Chambliss has taken the keys to the offense and never looked back, Rebels College Football Playoff bound.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has stolen the spotlight this fall after taking control of the offense in Week 3 and never looking back as the program's signal-caller.

Following an injury to Austin Simmons, the starting quarterback at the time, Chambliss stepped in where he's now made history across his first season in Oxford - leading Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff.

Chambliss, an All-American selection and National Champion at the Division II level, joined the Ole Miss Rebels last offseason as the backup quarterback behind Austin Simmons.

But once Simmons went down with an ankle injury earlier this season, Chambliss earned the starting job and never looked back - finishing Top-10 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He has led a powerful Ole Miss offense that leads the SEC and ranks third nationally in both total offense (498.1 ypg) and passing offense (309.6 yards per game), as well as third in the conference and 11th nationally in scoring (37.3 points per game).

On the year, Chambliss is 218-of-333 (65.5 percent) passing for 3,016 yards, 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions and an efficiency rating of 157.6.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Trinidad Chambliss.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

The dual-threat signal-caller has been effective on the ground as well, rushing 118 times for 470 yards and six scores – giving him 3,486 yards of total offense.

“I think kinda when he first got here, you’re talking about a guy that won a National Championship at a different level and was the Player of the Year at that level who came in to a backup from the jump,” Pete Golding said. “How he handled that… you never heard him talking or complaining or anything like that.

"I feel like he came in and went to work and accepted the role of where he was at during that time. Then he just took it to, ‘hey, I’m going to grind and work and when my opportunity comes, I’m going to be ready’. I think that’s the message for our whole team.”

Golding's Comparison: Chambliss to Jalen Hurts

“That’s what I told them about the Jalen (Hurts)/Tua (Tagovailoa) situation at Alabama. You’ve got Jalen, who’s 18 and was a starter and a National Champion. I remember at halftime wondering if they wanted to pull him or not.

"Then Tua came in and had 2nd & 26 to win the National Championship Game. Fast forward to the next SEC Championship, Tua started all year and goes out in the third quarter and gets hurt down 10. Who comes in? Jalen.

Ole Miss Rebels Football vs. LSU Tigers: Trinidad Chambliss.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

"It’s because of the decision when he got pulled to out work everybody else to get another opportunity and be ready when his opportunity comes. He came back and we won the SEC Championship and went on to compete for a National Championship.

“So, that’s the mentality. That’s the attitude Trinidad has, to me. I think he’s an unbelievable example and with him now as the leader of the team, having that attitude the entire time spreads. Hopefully all the other guys are doing the exact same thing of buying in and preparing like a starter because they don’t know when an opportunity is going to come.”

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

ESPN Predicts Outcome of Ole Miss Football vs. Tulane Green Wave in CFP Showdown

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Ole Miss Rebels On SI, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Rebel Football, Baseball, Basketball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving Ole Miss athletics. Nagy has covered the Southeastern Conference for over half a decade after being born and raised in New Orleans (La.).

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