Jaxson Dart reacts to starting Week 1 for Ole Miss, not being named starter

Jaxson Dart finished last season as the Ole Miss starter and began this season as the Ole Miss starter, but the road there wasn’t so simple.

Instead, after a solid last season by Dart at the helm of the Rebel offense, Lane Kiffin opted to add some quarterbacks in the transfer portal in the offseason. Namely, he grabbed longtime Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders to give Dart some competition this summer and fall.

Dart was never officially named the starter, but there he was on the first snap of the season vs. Mercer, leading the offense. While Kiffin certainly played up the competition between he and Sanders, Dart figured he’d be the guy all along.

“Yeah, I mean, to be honest, like, I felt like that was going to be the case since the season ended last year. So I think I just I feel like I earned it and it’s kind of just what I expected,” the Ole Miss QB said after the Mercer victory.

He may not have loved sitting in limbo not knowing for sure whether he was the starter, but Dart just stayed the course and let things play out.

“I think it kind of just comes back to, just like, controlling what I can control, you know. There may be times where I disagree with something here and there, but at the end of the day, he’s the head coach and he makes the calls around here and he’s going to put us in the best chance to succeed. And, you know, I think that’s all that you can really ask for as a player.

“So I know that… going forward, I’m confident in my role, you know, what is expected of me and I’m gonna do my job each and every week.”

As for his goals as a player, well, Jaxson Dart expects to blossom into one of the top QBs in the entire nation.

“You know, my kind of focus on this year is to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” said Dart. “And that’s all due respect with everybody in the room, but that’s just my mindset and what I want to accomplish this year.”

Beyond his individual aspirations, Dart really hopes to see a team trophy in his future as well.

“I just want to take those steps in my growth and put myself and this team in the best situation to succeed and hopefully be holding up a championship by the end of it.”