Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Excited About Rebels 'Huge' Addition of DC Pete Golding
To be the best, one must beat the best. That was something Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart couldn't accomplish last season when then-No. 9 Alabama came to Oxford for a showdown against the Rebels.
Dart struggled from the start. He only threw for 212 yards and a touchdown. Most drives, however, ended in punts instead of points.
The reason? Pete Golding's defense had his number. Now, Dart will have the chance to master his craft against the same defense daily since Golding took over as the Rebels' coordinator in the offseason.
"Playing against Alabama was pretty tough," Dart said of Golding's defense at Alabama. "He’s still introducing everything to the guys. He’s very very detailed in every little thing… I think they’re going to make some huge jumps going into the fall."
Nothing is set in stone for Dart as QB1. Rebels coach Lane Kiffin retained last season's starter, but he also bolstered the quarterback room by adding former Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders and redshirt freshman Walker Howard from LSU.
For now, Dart has the most experience in Kiffin's system. His results were mixed throughout the 8-5 season in Oxford. Some games, like his 448-yard, three-touchdown outing against Vanderbilt, showed proof of growth. Others, like his 154-yard performance against Tulsa, showed that the former USC commit is still a work in progress.
Dart views himself as the starter. He should until Howard and Sanders surpass him on the depth chart. Every rep this spring will benefit not only his development but also his confidence.
"I'm just ready to do my job. I'm loving where I'm at right now," Dart said. "I'm just expecting myself to have a great spring and keep performing the way that I'm performing."
Alabama missed out on the College Football Playoff for just the second time since its inauguration in 2014. Inconsistencies on both sides of the ball ultimately factored into the 11-2 season, but Golding's defense had more of its fair share of ups and downs.
Still, Golding has been a staple in the SEC since taking over for Jeremy Pruitt in 2018. Last season, the Tide ranked ninth in scoring (18.2 points per game) and 13th in yards allowed (318.2). Against SEC programs, Alabama only allowed opponents to score more than 26 points twice, both coming in losses to Tennessee and LSU.
Dart knows that if he can master carving up Golding's defense in practice, everything should become easier during the regular season.
"I know in the spring it’ll be a good learning experience for them, getting the defense down," Dart said. "There’s always a learning curve when you have a new coach."
On the flip side, Golding's arrival should benefit the Rebels when it comes to upping the standard. After all, it's not every day a national champion takes over a unit.
Said Dart: "He’s going to be great for us and I think our defense has good pieces. With him coming in with his scheme and who he is as a coach will be huge."
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