Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart limited to begin spring following offseason procedure
OXFORD, Miss. — As Ole Miss football began spring practices Wednesday, Rebel quarterback Jaxson Dart was limited as to how much he could participate.
According to head coach Lane Kiffin, Dart did throw in seven-on-seven drills and threw some routes on air.
“But he did have an offseason procedure and he’s very limited movement-wise,” Kiffin said.
Back at it 🎯@JaxsonDart | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/1zx4h9BZpB
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) March 6, 2024
Dart, who is entering his third season as the starting quarterback in Oxford, threw for 3,364 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. He helped lead the Rebels to an 11-2 season, the first time the program reached the 11-win mark in school history.
Additionally, Dart only threw five interceptions in all of 2023.
When asked if he had a timeline on Dart’s full return from injury, Coach Kiffin said he did not yet know.
“It is good that it’s a lower-body issue and he can still throw in the seven-on-sevens,” he said. “I think he’ll continue to get back.”
With Dart’s role somewhat limited this spring, greater opportunities exist for Walker Howard and Austin Simmons to work with the Ole Miss offense.
”Every cost has a benefit,” Kiffin explained.
“And, that benefit is the other people getting getting reps and being able to play a lot. And in that absence, I think, Walker (Howard) and Austin (Simmons) — even coming back from playing baseball, coming over here — have done a great job.”
Lane Kiffin
Although Coach Kiffin didn’t go into detail and list any names, he did note that Dart isn’t the only Rebel player out due to injury recovery.
”A lot of injuries, offseason surgeries, which gives an opportunity for a lot of other guys to be able to play out there. So, we’re definitely not at full strength, which is fine because we don’t play games right now.“
Lane Kiffin on injuries
David Walker
David is the consummate true-freshman quarterback, first pioneering the position only a year after college freshmen were given varsity eligibility by the NCAA in 1972. In 1973, the left-handed all-state gunslinger from Sulphur, Louisiana started for the Texas A&M Aggies and earned the All-Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year award as selected by the league’s coaches. David is the first college quarterback ever awarded Freshman of the Year in the NCAA. He was only 17, and still holds the NCAA record as the youngest starting quarterback in college football history. He wore No. 8 at A&M in honor of one of his football heroes, Archie Manning.
In becoming the winningest quarterback ever at A&M, David was converted from a dual-threat QB to a triple option trailblazer. The two-time team captain led three record-breaking offenses that changed the direction of football at A&M forever, establishing once and for all the winning tradition that the Aggies had so-long desired.
As a high school head coach in Houston in the late ‘80s, David stationed his quarterback in the shotgun formation, having him reading defenses and throwing hot routes at a time when such offensive schemes were frowned upon by traditional fans and coaches. One of his quarterbacks tossed 57 passes in a single game, which stood as the all-time Greater Houston Area record for many years.
As you can tell from his bona fides, David is extremely qualified as our expert on all things Quarterback at Ole Miss. Enjoy his exclusive analysis only here at The Rebel Walk!
