Jaxson Dart details what allowed him to take more deep shots in Week 2

Lane Kiffin’s teams are known for slinging the football around in the passing game. So with USC transfer Jaxson Dart stepping into the starting quarterback spot for the Rebels, the expectation was that he would light it up immediately. However, he barely reached 150 yards in Week 1 vs. Troy and only threw for 8.5 yards per completion.

However, in Ole Miss’ Week 2 vs. Central Arkansas, Dart was much more effective. Coach Kiffin decided to play both quarterbacks a hefty amount, so Dart only threw 15 total passes in Week 2. But he made efficient use of them, completing 10 throws for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Roughly 10 yards per completion better than in the season-opener.

So what was the key to the huge leap in effectiveness between the first two weeks for Jaxson Dart? According to QB1 himself:

“I think it was really just kind of taking what the defense gave us this week. Last week against Troy, they kept everything in front of them. So we didn’t have a lot of opportunities to get behind them and get big plays. But this week, we did have those opportunities. And, you know, for me, I just have trust in the guys that are out there. I’m going to give them a shot anytime it’s a one-on-one. Or just opportunities like that for a big play. And tonight, you know, they showed their ability to make plays.”

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

Dart was also asked if hitting on some of those bigger plays gives the team more and more confidence. He answered that those plays are a huge boost in that department.

“Yeah, I think that when you hit a big one, you know, you you gain a little bit of confidence going into the very next play. And you get excited when you see the coaches call plays like that. Because of the possibility of making a big play like that. And yeah, so once you kind of hit one, you feel a lot of confidence going into the next play.”

The Rebels stacked great play on top of great play on offense last weekend with Dart on the field. And it reflected in the score with that 59-3 win.