By landing a pair of transfer quarterbacks, Lane Kiffin has created a battle royale for Ole Miss' starting job in 2023
Lane Kiffin isn’t messing around.
After watching Jaxson Dart struggle against top-flight competition in his first season at Ole Miss, the Rebels’ head coach clearly wants steadier quarterback play in 2023, so the self-dubbed Portal King went shopping in the hopes that competition breeds consistency.
Kiffin grabbed a pair of notable transfer quarterbacks this week, landing former LSU 5-star Walker Howard and veteran Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders to come to Oxford and battle for the 2023 starting job.
Or something like that. That’s the message that’s being sent anyways.
Many assume Sanders, who was a four-year starter for the Pokes with 85 career touchdowns, will be the Rebels’ QB1 in the fall, while Howard, a former top recruit who redshirted in 2022 and has four years of eligibility remaining, represents the future at the position.
Perhaps, but as this week proved for Jaxon Dart, situations can change on a dime.
A week ago, Dart, who started 11 of 12 games for Ole Miss in 2022, looked all set to return as the team’s incumbent starter. It wasn’t a banner year for the former USC transfer (11 interceptions were second-most in the SEC), but the former blue-chip quarterback flashed moments of promise.
Still, Lane Kiffin clearly wasn’t thrilled with his team’s QB play, especially on the heels of developing Matt Corral into one of the best duel-threat quarterbacks in the country the two prior seasons. The Rebels ranked No. 3 in passing in the SEC in 2021 and 2022, but they dropped to seventh in the conference last season, averaging almost 40 yards per game less through the air.
So Kiffin did what he always does — go off script.
In today’s landscape of college football free agency, if you’re not happy with whatcha got, then another option — or two — is right around the corner.
Kiffin needed to restock the Rebels’ quarterback room after Luke Altmyer and Kinkead Dent entered the transfer portal. He could’ve settled on a safe, backup option. A body just to round out the roster and continue moving forward with Dart as Ole Miss’ starter.
Instead, in a stroke of strategic gamesmanship, Kiffin added Howard on one day, and then Sanders, just before the initial portal window closed.
That’s not a coincidence.
Lane Kiffin has essentially said, “Your move, Dart.”
Jaxson Dart can’t transfer until after spring practice now, and although there’s an assumption because of Sanders’ bonafides and experience that Dart will pack his bags and bounce in April, he has every incentive to raise his level of play to hold onto his job.
Spencer Sanders is a graduate transfer who chose Ole Miss over Auburn (another feather in Kiffin’s cap here to beat out Hugh Freeze for a player who could’ve definitely started Day 1 on The Plains). Sanders has one year to prove to NFL scouts he has a future in football.
But Dart has already used his one-time transfer, too. He’s not guaranteed to get a waiver to play elsewhere in 2023. His best option is to elevate his game and prove to Kiffin that he has a higher ceiling than either Howard or Sanders.
That’s not out of the question, either.
Dart is a tough, gritty quarterback who is best served in an RPO-heavy system because he struggles (for now anyways) to consistently read the field. His accuracy (just 62% completion) comes and goes.
You know who else that describes?
Spencer Sanders.
Sanders comes to Oxford with plenty of accolades — the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2019 and a first-team all-conference quarterback in 2021 — but he was also a turnover machine at Oklahoma State. He had 49 giveaways (40 picks and nine fumbles) in 42 games and has never completed more than 62.8% of his passes in a single season.
So both players are talented but flawed. And we have little idea of Howard’s true ability since he’s thrown all of four passes in college.
Each quarterback has something to prove though, so Kiffin has created a high-stakes battle royale for the Rebels’ job this spring.
The pieces are in place for Dart, Sanders or (likely a long shot) Howard to succeed.
After grabbing a couple starter from the transfer portal, Ole Miss’ offensive line should be better in 2023. The Rebels led all Power 5 teams in rushing in the fall, and stud tailback Quinshon Judkins is back. The receiver room has more weapons, too, with the additions of former Texas A&M 5-star Chris Marshall and Louisiana Tech transfer Tre Harris (65 receptions and 10 touchdowns in 2022).
So may the best man win. Let the cream rise to the top. Kiffin wanted competition and has it.