On3 Roundtable: Jaxson Dart is 'the guy' for Ole Miss at quarterback

Ole Miss has seemingly had one of the more interesting quarterback competitions in the country heading into this season. However, according to OM Spirit’s Ben Garrett, everything hasn’t necessarily been what it has seemed when it came to the competitiveness in that specific battle in Oxford.

Garrett joined J.D. PicKell on the On3 Roundtable on Friday and discussed Lane Kiffin’s eventual decision between Jaxson Dart, Spencer Sanders, and Walker Howard. Based on what he knows, he went on to say that Dart will be Ole Miss’ QB1 again because, frankly, he has “been the guy” and “controlled it” from the spring until now.

“Jaxson Dart is going to be the quarterback. I think that’s pretty safe to say now,” said Garrett. “I mean there’s only a few weeks left until Mercer on September 2nd. Even understanding how close the season is? I mean he has been the guy.”

“He has been the guy since the spring. Even when they brought in Spencer and Walker Howard from Oklahoma State and LSU respectively? Jaxson has held his own, he has held it down. He hasn’t surrendered his QB1 status,” Garrett said “Jaxson Dart still controlled it.”

Garrett added that Sanders’ injury issues in the spring and Howard’s youth didn’t necessarily help their cases. Still, Dart, who came into the offseason with some criticisms, has commanded the battle from start to finish. That’s even with the added competition that some may have meant to potentially phase him out of the position.

“I think it’s more of a testament about what Jaxson has done and not necessarily what Spencer and Walker haven’t done. That’s a testament to him. Because, let’s be honest, when you bring in those two players from where you got them from? You’re bringing them in to push Jaxson Dart out, potentially, if they can. That’s why you fill up that room,” said Garrett. “You want the competition and Jaxson has embraced the competition. He has owned it.”

Garrett left no buts about where he stands when it comes to the Rebel’s quarterback this fall. After accumulating over 3,500 total yards, 21 touchdowns overall, and 11 interceptions a year ago, he fully expects Dart to be the starting quarterback for Ole Miss when the Rebels take the field in just over a week inside Vaught-Hemingway

“It’ll be Jaxson Dart come Mercer,” Garrett stated. “Jaxson has pretty much controlled it. He’s going to be the quarterback come Mercer. And I don’t think, with all the indications we’ve been given up until this room became what it is with these three guys, that he’s going to give it up.”

“What we thought was going to be the dominant headline, the dominant story of fall camp has really been kind of boring,” admitted Garrett. “It has been Jaxson Dart’s gig and he has held on to it.”