Ole Miss Spencer Sanders Commitment: What Does it Mean for Jaxson Dart?
With the news out of Oxford on Thursday, the near future of the Ole Miss Rebels quarterback position is now in question.
Spencer Sanders of Oklahoma State committed to the Rebels out of the transfer portal, so the proverbial ball is now in the court of current starting quarterback Jaxson Dart. Will Dart remain in Oxford and battle (again) for the starting position, or will he transfer for a second time during his collegiate career?
First, let's look at this from the perspective of Spencer Sanders. Student-athletes are, of course, allowed to attend school wherever they choose, but for a Power Five quarterback to enter the portal with one year of eligibility remaining, it likely means that he wants to play wherever he ends up.
Simply put, would Sanders have committed to Ole Miss if he wasn't assured the starting spot under center or, at the very least, given very strong odds at winning a competition by the coaching staff?
Our thought is no. Just putting two and two together, logic dictates that Sanders would not have committed to a school without a firm grasp on his playing time moving forward.
So, what does Jaxson Dart do? If he is faced with yet another quarterback competition, would it not make sense to transfer?
This puts Ole Miss in a somewhat awkward situation. Dart visibly improved as a quarterback throughout the 2022 season, and although Sanders is certainly talented and capable himself, rolling the dice on another transfer provides its own set of risks.
Would Dart have continued his improvement in the 2023 season? Players, especially quarterbacks, tend to make a jump between their second and third years of play, so reasoning would suggest that he could.
Still, Lane Kiffin is known for being a quarterback guru, and if he wanted Sanders, there is likely a good reason for it.
It's now up to Jaxson Dart to determine the next move in his young career.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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