By Billy Watkins
He didn’t hide in the locker room like many would have. Wearing a blue “Ole Miss” hoodie, the quarterback faced the media after the devastating 24-17 loss to Florida on the road last Saturday.
Dart apologized to his coaches and Rebel fans. Understand, he threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 71 yards.
This is a guy who ranks third in the nation and first in the SEC in passing with 3,732 yards.
But he will be haunted by his two interceptions in the final two minutes — one throw into triple coverage, another when he and the receiver were not on the same page.
Rebel fans on the message boards wrote a lot afterward about the picks, very little about the fact head coach Lane Kiffin said Dart “played a great game until right at the end.”
We will get back to Dart in a minute, but let’s look at the overall picture. Ole Miss (8-3 overall, 4-3 in the SEC) is No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. To get into the 12-team field, it needs some upsets this weekend.
It also needs to win the Egg Bowl in Oxford on Friday afternoon vs. a 2-9 Mississippi State team. Ole Miss is favored by 26 points, an astounding amount in a rivalry game.
This has been a long, tough season for the Bulldogs under first-year head coach Jeff Lebby, who spent two years (2020-21) under Kiffin at Ole Miss. The two aren’t particularly close.
On Monday, Kiffin recalled a quote from Lebby’s introductory press conference at State.
“I think he said when he got the job that this was going to be a really fun Egg Bowl,” Kiffin said. “ Said he was really excited about it. So I guess we’re excited, too.”
For his part, I give Lebby credit for holding this Bulldog team together with its only victories over Eastern Kentucky and UMass. Through it all, the players have played hard for the most part. And I’m pretty sure they’ll play hard Friday.
As much as the Florida loss hurt, what would hurt the Rebels worst of all would be to have the needed upsets occur and fail to take care of their own business — and lose the Egg Bowl.
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This is the most talented roster Ole Miss has had in 60 years, maybe ever. This is the best defense — coordinated by Pete Golding — the program has had in a long, long time. It’s one of the main reasons the three losses have been by 3 points, 6 points in overtime and 7 points.
Sadly, one of those losses was at home to a Kentucky team that is now 4-7. And the biggest flaw on Ole Miss’ squad was exposed that day:
A lack of a competent running game. It rushed for only 92 yards, 3.2 yards per carry. That was a big “uh oh.”
As I’ve noted on numerous occasion, everything about Kiffin’s offense starts with the running game.
And the problem still looms. The line has been adequate pass blockers, but terribly inconsistent in run blocking. That only puts more pressure on Dart’s shoulders.
I am still baffled by three-year starters Caleb Warren and Jeremy James — injured before the season but was declared healthy by mid-season — never got a chance in game action.
Even more baffling has been the absence of running back Ulysses Bentley. Kiffin has maintained it has nothing to with any off-the-field issues. “Sometimes coaches have to make hard decisions,” Kiffin said again this week. In one of his rare chances, Bentley burst through the middle for a 9-yard TD against Georgia. It tied the game and the Rebels went on to knock off powerhouse Georgia, 28-10.
Against Florida? Zero carries. Four running backs gained 70 yards, and that includes a punt returner who hadn’t played running back all yeara.
Following the Kentucky loss, I wrote this: “Yes, the coaches see these guys every day, so who am I to question their decision at running back? I’m someone who has seen Bentley make huge plays against SEC competition. He averaged 5.7 yards on 95 carries a year ago. And I’ll say it again, the foundation of Kiffin’s offense is the running game.”
Why Bentley hasn’t been a major part of the offense will eventually be revealed. But that horse will be out the gate and long gone.
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Which brings us back around to Jaxson Dart, the Kaysville, Utah native who has given Rebel fans too many great moments to count the past three years.
He’s missed only one start — and that was when he was battling Luke Altmyer for the starting position in 2022.
He’s taken vicious hits that few quarterbacks would shake off and keep playing. He helped recruit many of the key portal additions — not just offensive players, but defensive as well.
Most of all, he has led the team to 27 victories: 8 games his sophomore year, a school record 11 in 2023 and 8 this season with at least two games remaining,
“This guy puts a lot into Ole Miss and this team and Ole Miss football, as much as any player I’ve ever seen, maybe more,” Kiffin said this week. “He took (the Florida loss) really hard. He really felt like he let down the team, the whole city of Oxford. Pretty unique to have a quarterback (sleep on my couch Saturday night) — that upset that he let everybody here down. He actually, when you watch the film, played great till the end of the game. He made great throws … worked through some tough situations.”
Friday afternoon is Senior Day at Ole Miss. I hope by then fans have come to their senses about the late picks at Florida and properly thank him for all he’s done for Ole Miss.
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