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Jaxson Dart reacts to Lane Kiffin leaving for LSU, Pete Golding hire

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax2 hours agoBarkleyTruax

Lane Kiffin and Jaxson Dart were the faces of Ole Miss football during their three years together in Oxford. Dart rewrote the Rebels record books while leading one of the most high-powered offenses in the country each season along the way.

Now, Dart is in the NFL as QB of the New York Giants, while Kiffin has since moved on to become head coach of the LSU Tigers. Dart revealed his reaction to Kiffin’s move across the SEC, and how he expects it to impact his alma mater.

“He kind of does some things that are unexpected,” Dart said. “I’m looking forward to his next opportunity and him and I have such a great relationship. I know for him, he’s going to put his best foot down and do some really great things for that program.

“I’m definitely happy for Ole Miss keeping Coach (Pete) Golding at the helm there. I was also happy to keep their offensive staff, being able to come back and coach for the rest of the playoff. … Excited to see their run to a national championship this year.”

In 2024, Dart became the program’s all-time leader in passing yards, breaking Eli Manning’s previous record. In 2024, he led the nation with 10.8 pass yards per attempt while totaling 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Dart’s numbers improved every year in Oxford under Lane Kiffin’s watch. He threw for 2,974 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first year in 2022 after transferring, and he took a leap forward with 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2023. That set the stage for his impressive 2024 campaign, and his draft stock took a leap, as well, eventually becoming a first-round draft choice by the New York Giants this past offseason.

Back in Oxford, the Rebels are gearing up for its first College Football Playoff game vs. No. 11-seed Tulane. A home game for Ole Miss, the winner of the matchups will face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for new head coach Pete Golding. He’s a first-time head coach and his first assignment is to win a College Football Playoff game.

That’s a tall task for Golding, but this is the same Rebels team that finished with an 11-1 record during the regular season. The only difference is that Lane Kiffin won’t be around to coach the team. How that impacts this Ole Miss squad remains to be seen.