Lane Kiffin reaffirms belief in Austin Simmons despite emergence of Trinidad Chambliss

Coming into the 2025 season, sophomore Austin Simmons was widely hailed as the next great Ole Miss quarterback. Following two years behind Jaxson Dart, who rewrote program record books over the prior three seasons in Oxford, Simmons was among Ole Miss’ three player representatives during SEC Media Days in Atlanta this past July.

But, after starting the Rebels’ first two games this season, Simmons was relegated to the bench while nursing nagging injuries. In his place, senior backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss stepped in and quickly established himself as Ole Miss’ No. 1 quarterback when he threw for a season-high 353 yards on 72.4-percent passing in a 41-35 win over Arkansas in Week 3.

Since then, the dual-threat Chambliss hasn’t released his vice-grip on the starting spot, amassing a 6-1 record while leading No. 6 Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1 SEC) to the precipce of securing the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff bid. Simmons, meanwhile, has been relegated to a change-of-pace role, attempting just two total passes two weeks ago against Oklahoma in his first action since Week 2.

Despite the lack of playing opportunties, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin maintains he’s not lost faith in Simmons as the Rebels’ starter. It’s simply a matter of playing the hot hand at the moment.

“I think we have the best quarterback room in the country,” Kiffin said Wednesday during the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “I think Austin (Simmons) is a great quarterback, was playing really well for a first-time starter, and I think he’d be having a great year if he was still in there. I have all the confidence in the world in him. So I think we have two that are better than a lot of people’s No. 1.”

Since taking over as the starter, Chambliss has combined for 2,458 total yards and 16 combined touchdowns to just two interceptions, including 2,023 yards on 60.6-percent passing and 10 scores through the air. Chambliss transferred in this past Summer from FBS-level Ferris State.

Lane Kiffin opens up on ‘chess’ game Austin Simmons, Trinidad Chambliss allow him to play

Following the win over Oklahoma, Kiffin praised both of his quarterbacks. In particular, he highlighted the dynamic utlizing Chambliss and Simmons provide him as a play caller. Known as an offensive guru, Kiffin loves the opportunity having two viable quarterbacks presents to opposing defenses, which must now dedicate practice time to defending both Ole Miss QBs.

“And I think, too, it’s hard to prepare for. Everybody over time played the other way. Everybody over time played the other way,” Kiffin said following the 34-26 win in Norman on Oct. 25. “Like, here’s the better thrower, necessarily, is what people would say, you know, whatever. And here’s the guy that’s more dual threat. And so they put in the runner, you know, like as a change up. Well, why wouldn’t you do it the other way too? So even though we dropped one of them today, he misses one today, that’s hard, especially when they’re both in there, too, sometimes. It’s hard to game plan against, I think. Ask them, I bet they would say it’s challenging.”

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.