Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Named Transfer Portal Boom-Or-Bust Candidate
After leading the Rebels to their first 10-win regular season in program history, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin was forced to replace his talented quarterback, Matt Corral.
Kiffin already had a viable option at quarterback in freshman Luke Altmyer but knew he needed more competition in the quarterback room. Kiffin found his guy, quarterback Jaxson Dart, via the NCAA Transfer Portal in January, and ever since there has been a quarterback competition in Oxford, Miss. Altmyer performed better during the Ole Miss spring football game, but Kiffin has still not named a starter for week one.
After Dart's underwhelming performance in the Grove Bowl, 247Sports listed the Kaysville, Utah, native in their top six college football boom-or-bust candidates from the transfer portal.
Here is why the Ole Miss quarterback was named a candidate.
JAXSON DART, QB, OLE MISS
One of the top-rated players this transfer cycle regardless of position, Jaxson Dart arrived in Oxford with a lot of hype and thus far, his play on the field has come with mixed results. A so-so, turnover-filled performance in the Ole Miss spring game left a lot to be desired and came as a result of trying to do too much, according to Lane Kiffin. Dart is in competition with Luke Altmyer for the job. Altmyer appeared in four games last season, seeing most of his action following Matt Corral's injury in the Sugar Bowl loss to Baylor.
Altmyer showed mastery of the Rebels' offense this spring and according to those close to the program, may have a leg up on the job entering fall. That put pressure on Dart to perform after leaving USC for an opportunity in the SEC to work with one of college football's leading offensive minds. It's not exactly a plug-and-play scheme, but Kiffin's playbook is geared toward tempo-based precision. Dart will have to be able to run the offense with fluidity to play over Altmyer and there's a lot of time left to decide who will be the Rebels' primary snap-taker under center in 2022.
The jury will be out on Dart until he either gets a chance to start for the Ole Miss offense or gets benched for Altmyer. The Rebels open their 2022 season at home against Troy on Sept. 3.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.