Lane Kiffin would 'prefer' not using two-quarterback system

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has options at the quarterback position heading into 2023. Rebels incumbent quarterback Jaxson Dart is back for the season and Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders is also fighting for the starting job.

Most of the discussion around the quarterbacks has been as a zero-sum game. One quarterback would win the job. One quarterback would lose it.

But Kiffin was asked about another possibility Thursday at SEC Media Days: whether he would be interested in using a two-quarterback system.

“I would prefer that not to happen,” Kiffin said. “But again, we don’t ever do something just because we’re supposed to. If that’s the best chance to win, then we would do that. I just think that that’s been challenging. There’s some times you can point where it’s worked. But most of the time, it’s not really worked great. The team’s got two different people (calling) cadence and different plays and stuff. So I would prefer that not to happen.”

Dart transferred in from USC after the 2021 season and started all 13 games for the Rebels last season. He threw for 2,974 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on the year while completing 62.4% of his passes.

Ole Miss won its first seven games of the season before dropping five of its last six.

Sanders arrived in Oxford, Miss., after a great career with the Cowboys. After redshirting his first year on campus, Sanders was the starting quarterback the past four seasons for Oklahoma State. He was the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

His best season came in 2021 when he earned the All-Big 12 first team spot at quarterback and led the Cowboys to a 12-2 season, Big 12 title game appearance and Fiesta Bowl title.

During SEC Media Days, Kiffin discussed his process with transfer quarterbacks and how he tries to bring them along.

“Bringing them in, letting them experience things on their own at first, and then kind of feel them out, see how they are. And then kind of get more involved one on one with them,” Kiffin said. “That’s just kind of the way I’ve kind of done it.”