Look at Ole Miss just two years ago and look at it now. To say that HC Lane Kiffin has transformed the Rebels would be an understatement. Before Kiffin took control of the team, the Rebels had only secured 10 wins in a meager 3 seasons in the last 50 years. The moment Kiffin had the reins, the team went on to grab double-digit wins in the last 2 seasons. Back during the 2023 season, the team managed to climb the No.9 spot on the AP preseason polls. This was all because of Lane Kiffin leading the team to an 11-win season along with a solid win at the Peach Bowl. However, it looks like there is a new kid on the block who is making an even bigger impact than Kiffin did.

And on 31st August on the Sports Detective Podcast, Stephen Willis and James Williams talk about exactly that. “They love watching Jackson Dart and they think that he is the, the star of your football team,” James noted. Stephen had the perfect explanation for why starting QB Jaxson Dart is somewhat of a prodigy. “Well, think about this: this 2024 team is Jackson Dart’s team, not Lane Kiffin’s team,” Stephen mentioned. This is the 3rd year Dart is starting as the lead QB for the Rebels. When the team lost to Alabama last season, the next game against LSU was go big or go bust. Dart knew what he had to do, and the kid accomplished it. He managed to rank in an 8-play and 88-yard drive for the final winning score for the Rebels. Throughout the game, the kid managed to pull in 5 passes for around 106 yards. However, that isn’t what makes him so different.

“He spent all of his free time that he had recruiting the number one transfer portal class,” Stephen mentioned. Yep, that is true. Dart himself assisted Kiffin in forming the current roster. This allowed the young QB to pick out players who matched his own skill set and formulate the perfect team for this season. Mike Detillier, a Louisiana draft expert, had noted that the way Dart has been progressing, he has the shot to have a jump similar to what Jayden Daniels did. Daniels had the same magnetic personality that Dart has and that allowed him to easily really everyone around and become the leader the team needs. Heck, even Kiffin himself has agreed that Dart has become the leader the Rebels needed. So will this be enough to grab the win against the Paladins?

Lane Kiffin and Jaxson Dart go up against the Paladins

September 1st will see Ole Miss hitting the turf for the team’s season opener against Furman. While many would think that this is probably the first time the Paladins are going up against the Rebels, they’d be dead wrong. Almost 100 years back in 1914 was the first time both teams went up against each other. The Paladins would secure a 7-2 win against the Rebels back then. While we know that Kiffin and the Rebels are already struggling with 2 injuries (Juice Wells and Jordan Watkins), could the team still grab a win?

Back in 2023, the Paladins had a 10-win season and managed to move forward to the playoffs. However, physically, the team does not have enough to match against the Rebels. Many veterans have already left the roster. QB Tyler Huff, EDGE Jack Barton, Corner Ivan Yates and many more have left for teams like Colorado or Georgia Tech. This makes the current roster relatively weak compared to the 2023 counterpart. So, Kiffin and Dart should have it easy. Still, we gotta wait till tomorrow to see how everything turns out.