Jaxson Dart is a top five SEC quarterback and continues to stay on the radar for national awards
Jaxson Dart has been the glue for the Ole Miss offense through the first half of the 2023 season and there is not much to argue that fact.
When the run game started off sluggish it was Dart who managed to find a way to keep drives going or get in the end zone, either with his arm or his legs. Sometimes both.
The second year jump Dart would take under Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was something on everyone’s minde and so far it looks like it has taken effect.
After six games the Ole Miss quarterback is among the top five passers in the Southeastern Conference. Dart is currently fifth in the SEC, averaging 273 yards per game and his 1,638 passing yards has him sitting sixth in the league. His 12 touchdown passes ties Georgia’s Carson Beck for fifth in the conference.
Coming off its bye week No. 13 Ole Miss (5-1, 2-1 SEC) has turned its attention to the back-half of its schedule, starting Saturday at Auburn (3-3, 0-3). Dart will be making his first trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium after leading the Rebels to a 48-34 win over the Tigers at home last year.
With the down time and the chance to rest up and get as close to 100 percent as possible, Dart also took the time to study himself closely and see what can be cleaned up for the final six games of the regular season.
“I’m really interested to turn on the tape and see what I need to clean up and that stuff,” Dart said his bye week plans after the Arkansas game. “Probably my consistent leadership of being consistent throughout the game. Making sure that we keep the guys on the same page, whether it’s the first drive or our fourth or fifth drive of the game, just keep the same mindset. The biggest thing is probably through practice just being a good leader and holding each other accountable to make sure we execute the right way and play to our standard each and every rep.”
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Ole Miss saw its quarterback continue to be in the national award race with Dart named to the Maxwell Award watch list.
The announcement came on Thursday as part of the Maxwell Football Club’s midseason update to both the Maxwell and Bednarik Award watch lists.
Dart joins Ole Miss teammate Quinshon Judkins on the watch list. The Rebels top running back was added in the preseason as a potential candidate to win the award given to the most outstanding college football player this season.
Judkins is starting to see his season get going after a slow start through the first three games. Battling an injury suffered late against Tulane, Judkins showed signs of his 2022 version against Alabama and then turned things up against LSU, rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown.
Through six games Judkins is currently ninth in the SEC with 443 rushing yards but his six rushing touchdowns puts him tied for third in the conference.
“I think we have gone back to more of the things we did last year – simple things – the last two games and that has helped us be successful like last season,” Judkins stated this week. “We have to continue on that road and do things even better, but I think we are going in a good direction now.”
