Lane Kiffin sees a "competitive" quarterback battle as Ole Miss begins spring practice
Football is back after a two and a half month hibernation with Ole Miss opening up its spring practices on Tuesday. Much like last spring there is yet another potential quarterback battle brewing involving two new faces and one who is very familiar with this environment.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart did this last March with former Rebel quarterback Luke Altmyer with Dart eventually winning the starting job six months later during the regular season. Now Dart is going to go through his second straight spring having to now keep the job he earned.
Transfer quarterbacks Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard are now in Oxford after coming from Oklahoma State and LSU, respectively. Dart has the edge being Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s starter from a season ago, but the veteran Sanders and freshman Howard are going to be in the mix these next few weeks.
“I just see it being very competitive,” Kiffin said after practice on Tuesday. “We actually have been allowed to throw with them, which is a newer rule I think in the last year or two, before the break. Before we weren’t allowed to do that in the ball.”
Kiffin has been able to lay eyes on Dart in a throwing capacity since the 2022 season concluded in a losing effort in the Texas Bowl on December 28.
Plenty was needed to be seen from Dart in terms of taking that next step in his game heading into the 2023 campaign. Something Kiffin has noticed during the offseason.
“Jaxson is throwing really well,” Kiffin said. “Actually was out in California. Got to be at the same place as (Kiffin’s son) Knox throwing. His dad was out there and commented on that. Looks like in the last season, first year playing so much he’s had some time to recover. He’s gotten stronger and just looks really good. Much improved, so that’s exciting.”
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While Dart is showing improvement in the offseason Ole Miss still brought in Sanders via the portal to help strengthen the room.
Altmyer transferred to Illinois while Kinkead Dent entered the transfer portal and as of this writing has not found a new home but still at Ole Miss finishing out his degree this semester.
That left the quarterback room bare outside of Dent, leaving Kiffin to have to hit the portal and restock. This is where Sanders and Howard come in.
Sanders has not been able to do much yet in terms of throwing due to a previous shoulder injury. But he did start getting some action in Tuesday’s practice.
“Spencer was limited throwing, initially, with a previous injury but he was out there today taking reps,” Kiffin said. “Excited for all three guys. Much different from where we were a year ago, in my opinion, as far as depth and quality in the room.”
Look for Sanders to slowly work his way back to getting full reps but not testing his shoulder too much in the early part of spring.
It is too early to tell if there will be a rotation of Dart and Sanders similar to last year with Dart and Altmyer.
