Ole Miss can create problems in the SEC with the right quarterback

Ole Miss is one of the programs in the Southeastern Conference that hasn’t yet officially decided on a quarterback. However, if they choose one correctly, On3’s J.D. PicKell believes that they have every reason to expect that they can make some noise in the league this fall.

PicKell spoke about the Rebel’s quarterback competition while hosting ‘The Hard Count’ at SEC Media Days last week. He says Ole Miss can be “scary” offensively for the rest of the conference to deal with if they pair their run game with a capable quarterback.

“For Ole Miss, I don’t know if we’re all realizing that they are a solution at quarterback away from being a problem, from being scary for the SEC like the movie ‘IT’,” PicKell stated.

“When you look at what they have on this team? 61% of the time they ran the football. And the dude toting the rock for them this season is going to be a super sophomore in Quinshon Judkins. Over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns last season,” continued PicKell. “The dude is a dog and they gave the ball to him a lot.”

That’s where we reach their potential options at quarterback. It’ll either be in the returner in Jaxson Dart, the incoming elder option in Spencer Sanders out of Oklahoma State, or the younger transfer in Walker Howard out of LSU.

With that said, PicKell is high on Dart at this point considering how he has seemingly progressed under the heat of competition. He realizes that he didn’t have the best first season with Ole Miss but, with Sanders and Howard pushing him, he respects how Dart continues to lead the race in what will be a crucial call for the Rebels heading into the season.

“Now, the only issue is last year at quarterback? You had Jaxson Dart who was kind of ‘meh’, kind of mid. 20 touchdowns, 11 picks,” PicKell pointed out. “But it sounds like, for him, he’s starting to progress. He sounds like the guy right now in Oxford even though you brought in Spencer Sanders. It sounds like he is at the top of the quarterback food chain for Ole Miss.”

“You brought in guys who were supposed to take Jaxson Dart’s job. And it sounds like he leveled up and fought him off,” said PicKell. “Now he hasn’t been named the starter officially to my knowledge. But, even so, Jaxson Dart? If he was able to level up and progress in this RPO system, something he had never done before until last year, and takes that next step? That could be good news for Ole Miss.”

Ole Miss went 8-5 last season with them reaching as high as No. 7 in the nation and as low as them losing five of their final six. That’s why, with similar pieces back in the mix, PicKell puts so much emphasis on the quarterback pick. If Lane Kiffin gets it right, whether it’s Dart or not, he thinks we could see the Rebels right back in the mix in the SEC at some point in the upcoming season.

“If we get a ‘Darty’ at Ole Miss? There’s going to be problems. At that point in time? You run the football as well as they do and you’re able to compliment it with the pass game? You have some balance there? I’m just saying now,” said PicKell. “Keep an eye on Lane Kiffin, keep an eye on Ole Miss. They’re going to be a team you’ve got to deal with.”

“If they get that quarterback position right? And they hold it down on defense? They’re going to be a problem for somebody now.”