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Top 3 Offensive Storylines to Follow in Ole Miss Football Spring Practice

For the Rebels' offense, what are the movements to watch this spring?
Top 3 Offensive Storylines to Follow in Ole Miss Football Spring Practice
Top 3 Offensive Storylines to Follow in Ole Miss Football Spring Practice

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OXFORD, Miss. -- With spring practice on the horizon for the Ole Miss Rebels, there are plenty of talking points surrounding Lane Kiffin's team that will draw attention before the season begins in September.

Kiffin, the dubbed "Portal King" of college football, was at his usual antics in the transfer market this offseason, and much of that motion has led to some key storylines that we will see unfold this spring.

With that being said, what are three key storylines for the Ole Miss offense as the team nears spring workouts?

1. The Quarterback Battle

All eyes in Oxford (and many across the country) are focused on the battle for signal-caller at Ole Miss and its unique situation in the quarterback room.

Kiffin still has incumbent starter Jaxson Dart on his roster, but he also has two new transfer arms in Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) who will be competing for the job. 

How does Dart respond to the new competition? Will he rise to the challenge and beat out a veteran and young gun? Or will he lose the job that he won a year ago over Luke Altmyer?

2. Wide Receiver Standouts

How quickly can transfer wideouts Tre Harris and Chris Marshall make an impact in the Ole Miss offense? Following the departure of names like Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath, that could be the most pressing question.

Also, how reliable can Jordan Watkins and Dayton Wade be in 2023? Those two were the lead receivers last season behind Mingo and Heath, and if they can take a step forward this spring, this room could be a strength for whoever emerges out of the quarterback competition.

3. Who Will Backup Quinshon Judkins at Running Back?

Could former SMU Mustangs transfer Ulysses Bentley IV be the new workhorse behind Judkins? Following the departure of Zach Evans for the NFL, that is the biggest question in that position room.

Bentley was expected to be part of a three-headed rushing attack for the Rebels last season, but he found himself lost in the shuffle behind Judkins and Evans. Now, however, it may be his time to shine, and spring is the time to prove it.


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John Macon Gillespie
JOHN MACON GILLESPIE

John Macon Gillespie has a journalism background spanning 10 years and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Mississippi in 2020 and 2022, respectively. His experience in the field includes work on the Ole Miss beat for nine years and high school sports coverage in the state of Mississippi for the Calhoun County Journal. He is currently a columnist for Ole Miss On SI and a high school journalism teacher in North Mississippi.

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