Greg McElroy weighs in on Ole Miss quarterback battle

The SEC West is home to a couple of interesting quarterback battles, with Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss being at the forefront again. Jaxson Dart is involved once again but this time, Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders serves as competition. Walker Howard is in the discussion as well but heading into fall camp, this is believed to be a two-horse race.

And well into fall camp ESPN’s Greg McElroy expects this competition to go. In fact, McElroy believes Kiffin may let a couple of regular-season games play out before naming a starter. That’s not something foreign to Kiffin and he could deploy it for Ole Miss this season.

“This is something I expect to go all the way to fall camp,” McElroy said. “I wouldn’t even be surprised if both players started games. That’s what’s happened at times the last couple of years. Both players have started games — for multiple teams by the way. Lane Kiffin has used and utilized that approach in the past as well.

“Wouldn’t be shocked if Spencer Sanders got a start, wouldn’t be shocked if Jaxson Dart got a start — may the best man win. And then Week 3, you figure out exactly which way you’re going to go from there.”

Ole Miss opens the season in Oxford against Mercer, one you can likely already mark down as a win. However, Week 2 presents a challenge in New Orleans, facing off against a potentially preseason-ranked Tulane team. The Green Wave may be too good of an opponent to mess around with your quarterback.

But in McElroy’s plan, Ole Miss figures everything out by Week 3 when Georgia Tech comes to town. At the very latest, SEC play begins a week later against Alabama. And we all know how seriously Kiffin takes facing off against Nick Saban.

As for his opinion on the competition, McElroy believes they know what Dart can do. Letting Sanders go out onto the field after a down season in Stillwater could be what Kiffin needs to make a decision. Getting a fresh breath of air may be what Sanders needed.

“This guy has played a lot of football,” McElroy said. “He’s also started a game in the New Year’s Six. So he’s seen the very best in college football and has been up to the challenge. Little banged up last year, didn’t have a great year, gets a fresh start at Ole Miss.”