Lane Kiffin calls out Jaxson Dart for checking into pass play late vs. Duke

Ole Miss never stepped on the brakes against Duke during the Rebels’ 52-20 Gator Bowl win on Thursday. That included a 69-yard touchdown pass from Jaxson Dart to Jordan Watkins during the final minutes of the game.

Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin issued an apology to Duke head coach Manny Diaz after the game, where he held his two skill players accountable for what some considered unsportsmanlike given the lopsided nature of the bowl game.

“I do apologize, I told Manny [Diaz] at the end, Jaxson’s touchdown pass to Jordan, that was just those two guys,” Kiffin said postgame. “I actually tried to take Jaxson out if you saw earlier, and he refused to go out, which says a lot about him. But he and Jordan came up with that play on their own, and he was supposed to hand the ball off.

“I didn’t like that part.”

The game’s score at the time of the play was 45-13. Ole Miss took over their possession with 2:16 left in regulation. An illegal block from the Rebels forced them into 2nd & 23 before Dart dialed up the audible before connecting on the long ball.

Watkins, who finished the bowl game with seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns, shared his side of the story following the game.

“We’ll take the blame for that one,” Watkins said. “Me and Jaxson just got a good connection, and sometimes no matter what it is we’re going to compete, and whether it’s a minute 30 left on the clock or whether it’s the first play of the game, it doesn’t matter. We’re always trying to win, and we got a good look, and we checked the play.”

Dart did not apologize for the play, saying that if he’s in the game, he’s going to play football. Duke pressed Watkins, and they adjusted accordingly.

After all, it was the final game of his college career and the play will go down as his last touchdown pass of his historic Ole Miss tenure.

Dart finished the game 27 of 35 for 404 yards and four touchdowns during the contest. He ends his career with 81 touchdown passes (95 total) and 11,970 yards. 10,617 of those yards, along with 72 of those touchdown passes came at Ole Miss. He began his career at USC.

To Duke’s credit, they came out on the ensuing kickoff at Blue Devils returner Sahmir Hagans ran back a 99-yard touchdown on the return to finish the game at 52-20. Dart was subbed out for Austin Simmons for the final minute of regulation.