Greg McElroy tabs Spencer Sanders as the favorite in Ole Miss' QB battle

Lane Kiffin has another offseason quarterback battle on his hands at Ole Miss. In 2022, he had to decide between the transfer in Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer. Now, in 2023, it’s even more complicated considering the competition will come down to Dart, who won the job a season ago, and at least two more transfers in Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard.

In Greg McElroy’s opinion, though, he thinks Kiffin should lean toward seniority and pick Sanders as the Rebel’s QB1.

While Dart has one year as the starter with the program under his belt, he says that doesn’t necessarily make him the best option considering the resume the Sanders is bringing with him from Stillwater.

“Jaxson Dart is the incumbent but I would not say he is the favorite,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “I would think the favorite right now? Based on potential, based on upside, based on the amount of reps he’s actually gotten at the college level? I would think that Spencer Sanders, the transfer from Oklahoma State, would be the favorite.”

“(Sanders) is a four-year starter, first-team All-Big 12. He’s thrown for a million yards,” said McElroy. “He is probably still going to be the guy that I would expect to be under center for the Rebels next year.”

Over his four seasons with the Cowboys, Sanders threw for at least 2,000 yards each season. In total, he threw for just over 9,500 passing yards for 67 touchdowns on a 61.3% completion percentage.

In his 43 career appearances, that production helped lead the Pokes to a 31-12 record. That includes one Big 12 Championship appearance and three bowl games.

Comparatively, Dart has had some decent performances as an underclassman with a 10-9 record at USC and Ole Miss. Still, when it comes down to it, nothing in his game can replicate the sheer amount of reps that Sanders has seen in college.

Howard falls in that same category as he has thrown only four passes in college. Age, experience, and history are all advantages that will be behind Sanders over the spring and heading into the fall.

With all that said, it’s still going to be a battle. Dart, along with the other Rebel quarterbacks, will all still have a more than fair opportunity to earn the job. If it were up to McElroy, though, he thinks Ole Miss should go with the senior under center next season.