Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is a wild ride. You could even say he’s a roller coaster. And it’s not always the same coaster. Sometimes, he’s an easy-going, family-friendly roller coaster that you may find in Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Other times, it’s a stress-inducing ride that you may find yourself on at a local fair, questioning whether its going to remain working long enough to finish the cycle.
The 6-2, 215-pounder from Kaysville, Utah started his career at USC, where he put up solid numbers (albeit with a rough Touchdown/Interception ratio) during his freshman season. However, following that campaign, he decided to make use of the transfer portal. A short stay in the portal then led him to Oxford, MS to play for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.
In his time with the Rebels, he often has fans jumping for joy following great passes or even utilizing his mobility. However, he’s also had fans yelling expletives at their televisions on numerous occasions. Oh, and more often than not, the switch can occur multiple times throughout the same drive.
In fact, he’s not unlike a former Rebel quarterback, in that regard.
The Bo Wallace Comparison
Bo Wallace led the Ole Miss offense during the good times of the Hugh Freeze era in Oxford, from 2012-2014. He was the quarterback of the Rebel team that knocked off top-ranked Alabama at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in 2014. That game became notorious throughout the town due to pieces of the goalposts being paraded through the streets following the victory.
He also happens to be the Ole Miss all-time leader in total yards (10,478), slightly ahead of Eli Manning. While Manning is the all-time passing leader in school history (10,119), Wallace’s ability to run gave him the edge in total yardage. But yardage isn’t the only thing Wallace is the leader of in terms of Ole Miss history.
He’s also certainly the leader in moments where fans use some version of the phrase, “What are you doing?!” More colorful language may or may not have been included in many of these phrases. The frequency of those moments even led him to have a new nickname amongst plenty of Rebel fans. To many, he simply became “Dr. Bo and Mr. Pick”, in honor of his split personality and decision-making.
Proof of that point can be seen in the fact that Wallace never had a season with fewer than 10 interceptions. During his sophomore season alone, he threw a whopping 17 picks. He followed that up with 10 and 14 respectively, during his junior and senior years.
So far, it looks as if Dart is determined to garner a new nickname himself. And probable cause suggests it could be for similar reasons.
The Talent of Jaxson Dart
There’s no denying that Dart is supremely talented. He has enough arm strength to make every throw that’s required. Primarily, he’s accurate enough to be considered a solid NFL prospect. He’s also mobile enough to escape the pocket when needed. Or, occasionally, just draw up a designed quarterback run.
For instance, in his 20 starts as a Rebel, Dart has thrown for 4,814 yards. That’s good for 241 yards per game. He’s also run for 960 yards on 205 carries. That’s averages out to 4.7 yards per carry, or 48 yards per game rushing. In just about any program in the country, a quarterback putting up 240 yards passing and 48 yards rushing per game would cause fans to be ecstatic.
He’s also a guy that relies heavily on momentum and confidence. In addition to numbers, he’s shown the ability to simply take over games when it’s needed. Against LSU, a 55-49 Rebel victory, Dart was unstoppable, especially in the second half. There were good decisions and accurate passes. And he used his legs to extend plays.
This past weekend on the road at Auburn was a similar story. Following a shaky first half, Dart was tremendous in the second half. That includes an 18-yard scramble in the fourth quarter, that eventually led to a Rebel touchdown. That score would end up becoming the difference in the game.
Here’s that HUGE scramble by Jaxson Dart for 18 yards on 2nd & 15 on the Rebs’ fourth quarter touchdown drive! pic.twitter.com/FeEyyY3sFl
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) October 22, 2023
His late-game heroics led Ole Miss to a 28-21 win, which was only their fourth win in program history at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Dart Decision Making
For all the good he does, you do have to take into account the missed throws, the bad reads, or the plays that you simply question what he was thinking.
In the Rebels’ lone loss of the season, on the road at Alabama, Dart made a bad read on a vertical route that likely would have been a touchdown with the right decision. Later in the same game, he missed a wide-open receiver in the end zone that would have kept the game alive. Ole Miss ended up losing the game by two scores, in a game they had plenty of chances in.
Furthermore, during this weekend’s Auburn game that he eventually took over in, it would be worth pointing out that he’s part of the reason they needed the heroics to get the win anyway. Bad decisions, bad throws, and questionable play-calling marred the first half for the Rebels.
There’s also been situations where he runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage, instead of simply throwing the ball away. Those would go down as “What are you doing?!” moments.
The good news for Dart himself, and Rebel fans at home, is that the turnover number hasn’t been affected. Following 11 interceptions last season, he’s only thrown three so far this year. That puts him on pace for six on the season, which is a really solid number.
As long as that remains the case, there’s a good chance the sketchy decision-making doesn’t become overly problematic.
The Lane Kiffin Connection
The last piece of the Dart puzzle is the connection to his head coach. At his very core, Kiffin is an entertainer. Active on social media? Check. Joking around with the media? Check. Stirring up drama with other coaches? Check. Bizarre, head-scratching decisions? Check.
He realizes that, in the end, football is an entertainment business, and he embraces that. Needless to say, he doesn’t believe in making things easy. For his sake, it seems to be working reasonably well, as he continues to win football games.
And now that mentality seems to have worn off on his quarterback. Dart isn’t afraid to talk trash. He isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and run over defenders (fans probably wish he were.) And he isn’t afraid to take chances or make odd decisions, even in bad situations.
They’re a perfect match. With Dart at the quarterback position, and Kiffin on the sideline, nothing is ever made easy with Ole Miss football. Luckily for those two, and Rebel fans everywhere, the duo has been reasonably successful, bizarre decisions and all.
As long as that remains the case, things in Oxford will stay enjoyable for everyone involved.
