Latest additions have Ole Miss football's offense going from questionable to possible contender

Since the Sugar Bowl concluded Ole Miss football’s 2021 season nearly a month ago, January has been filled with speculation of what the 2022 Rebels might be like.

Questions became forming once the departures of Matt Corral, Jerrion Ealy, Snoop Conner and other players became reality. Corral’s exit was a foregone conclusion and known before the Egg Bowl, the latter two names revealed their future plans after New Orleans.

An offense that finished as one of the top 10 in the nation last season suddenly looked on paper as if it might struggle to put together a handful of successful drives.

All of the worry from Ole Miss fans lingered throughout the month as the transfer portal heated up and head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff started to navigate it but were coming up empty, until this past weekend.

Southern California transfers Jaxson Dart and Michael Trigg finally made public their decision to come to Ole Miss, making it officially official. It was known for some time the Trojan duo would end up in Oxford, but some other things needed clearing up first.

Now, the obstacles are gone and the pair are Ole Miss students, providing a boost to the Rebels offense that was in need of one.

The arrival of Dart to the quarterbacks room provides depth, first and foremost, but also gives competition to rising sophomore Luke Altmyer.

Yes, the competition may be in name only and simply a formality, but Kiffin will probably explain it as one once spring practices begin and then Dart makes his debut in the Grove Bowl.

The former USC quarterback did not transfer across the country to hold a clipboard or compete for the job, the ‘Darty in the Party,’ as he called it in his announcement on Sunday, should more than likely be QB1 come fall camp, if not by April.

In six games at USC last season, Dart threw for 1,353 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

Dart’s addition is a major one to the Rebel offense, but bringing Trigg into the tight ends room could possibly be bigger.

Atlmyer was at least the known next quarterback for the Rebels if the transfer portal did not work out, but who would be the starting tight end was a toss up.

Casey Kelly returns the most experienced tight end from the 2021 season, but there was always going to be major need in bringing in another tight end from the portal.

Trigg fit that need perfectly. In six games, Trigg finished with seven catches for 109 receiving yards and a touchdown before suffering an injury in October.

Getting Trigg to Oxford for the spring semester helps his development ahead of summer workouts and fall camp.

Then there is running back Zach Evans, a new addition but one that Kiffin and his staff have had for a little longer than Dart and Trigg.

When the former TCU standout announced his decision to transfer to Ole Miss, the running back room suddenly went from very empty to very full.

Now, there is plenty of bodies within the running back corps, but the loss of Conner, Ealy and Henry Parrish, Jr. essentially reset that position at zero.

Bringing in Evans, a consensus five-star recruit, their is a known starting back before any practices are held to determine the depth. Isaiah Woullard and Kentrell Bullock are probably the next two on the depth chart and could possibly be the next three-headed monster for the Rebels. Time will tell.

Now, the trio of Dart, Trigg and Evans are unproven in the SEC ranks and will be thrown into the fire immediately. How they handle their new conference will be known come Oct. 1 when the Rebels host Kentucky for the SEC opener.