Three Observations From Ole Miss' Second Saturday of Spring Practice
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss quarterback battle is the headline-grabber this offseason in Oxford, but there is plenty more to watch as the Rebels prepare for their 2022 season.
The Rebels took the field for a loose scrimmage on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and all three quarterbacks saw time in the rotation of play. Ole Miss is coming off one of its best seasons in school history, winning 10 regular season games and earning a berth in the Sugar Bowl, but it has a lot of talent to replace off of last year's roster.
Lane Kiffin took to the transfer portal to alleviate some of that transition, including grabbing running backs Zach Evans and Ulysses Bentley. He also managed to snag QB Jaxson Dart and TE Michael Trigg from USC along with some key pieces on defense.
Here are three observations from Ole Miss' spring scrimmage on Saturday.
1. Dart, Altmyer and Dent will continue to rotate reps as one tries to separate in the QB competition.
The three quarterbacks all saw significant action on Saturday and were surrounded by different combinations of backs, receivers and linemen. Altmyer saw the first series on Saturday followed by Dart and Dent, respectively.
That's not an indication of who is "winning" the current battle for the starting quarterback position, but it is a testament to the fact that all three will likely see reps with different groups throughout the spring and even into the fall.
The offense looked different with each signal caller, as well. Many of Altmyer's passes resulted in check downs to backs or receivers in the flats, which could be influenced by what defenders were on the field at the time. Dart took more shots down the field, and Dent was a bit of both. That likely has something to do with the play calls too. Scrimmages don't allow for much rhythm in a quarterback competition, so it's not vital to read much into that.
2. One throw from Jaxson Dart stood out among the rest.
Partway through the scrimmage, Dart connected with his fellow-former Trojan Michael Trigg on a pass down the right sideline. It was a good ball, but what was notable about the play was Dart's pocket presence.
The rising-sophomore was able to avoid pressure, step up in the pocket and find his big target down the sideline for a gain that set up a touchdown. Footwork is a vital part of the quarterback position, and even though Dart is young and still developing, that play showed what is possible with him and his awareness when he's on the field. It was impressive to see the young gun have that kind of composure.
3. The running back room is deep.
This may be an obvious point, but Zach Evans, Ulysses Bentley, Kentrel Bullock and Quinshon Judkins all saw quality snaps on Saturday and made the most of their opportunities.
One play from Evans early in the scrimmage stands out. On the first series of the day, Evans came in late in the drive to relieve Bullock, and he broke a tackle, stumbled, kept his balance and found the pylon for six. Evans' skillset is well-documented, but with the production seen in this skeleton scrimmage on Saturday, the running back position may be one of the best strengths of this team this fall.
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