Ole Miss heads into Week One with no announcement on starting quarterback
OXFORD, Miss. — We are now officially in week one of the college football season, and per head coach Lane Kiffin Ole Miss has still not made a decision on who the starting quarterback will be in Saturday’s game vs. Troy. .
The competition between sophomore quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer will continue until further notice with Kiffin and the coaching staff not yet seeing a clear favorite in the race.
“I do not know when I’ll have that answer. We haven’t even discussed a timeline as coaches because it (the starting QB) has not emerged at all,” Kiffin said in Monday’s press conference.
The two quarterbacks will now have to adjust to competing for the starting job while simultaneously preparing for their first game Saturday against Troy.
“My mindset going forward is just to prepare myself like I am going to be the starter and Luke’s doing the same thing,” said Dart.
This isn’t Dart’s first time to compete for signal-caller duties. The transfer from USC went through a similar quarterback battle last year and believes that experience will help him this time through. “It’s helped me tremendously, especially me having to go through it during the season (last year),” said Dart. “That’s an experience for sure.”
“At the end of the day we just want to win so we’re going to do anything in our power to do that. I think a big thing is really just focusing on things you can control.”
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
Altmyer begins his second season at Ole Miss after having backed up Matt Corral. The Starkville, MS native saw action in five games last year, including the Sugar Bowl after Corral went out with injury.
Altmyer, wearing a “Rocky” t-shirt at Monday’s press conference, has embraced this year’s competition.
“It’s very competitive. We’re both doing really good things I feel like. t’s really cool to see us both do well. When we both do well our offense is really rolling.”
Ole Miss QB Luke Altmyer
Altymer says he’s just trying to take things day by day and moment by moment. “Obviously, I’d be lying if I said I never think about that time and that decision but I have no control over it,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I’m thankful for the position I’m in. I’ve worked really hard. I’ve shown up every day for teammates and my coaches and I’ve given it everything I have, and at the end of this I’ll have no excuses.”
Luke Altmyer
With kickoff now just five days away, Rebel fans are left to speculate who the starter will be as a decision from the coaching staff may not come until Saturday.
Stay tuned to The Rebel Walk and we’ll keep you updated as news breaks.
(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)
Dillon Cader
Dillon is from Yazoo City, Ms. He is a senior journalism major pursuing a career in sportswriting. He grew up an Ole Miss fan and has always followed Ole Miss sports as well as the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Braves. He played football and basketball in high school and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
