Jaxson Dart Discusses Rebels’ Performance Following 76-0 Win Over Furman: ‘That’s the standard that we want to play and excel at’
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss Rebels are 1-0 following a dominating performance against the Furman Paladins last night, winning 76-0.
After the game, quarterback Jaxson Dart took the podium and broke down his performance, consisting of 418 passing yards, 27 rushing yards, six total touchdowns, and a 97.3 quarterback rating, becoming the first SEC quarterback since Joe Burrow to throw for over 350 yards in one half.
The Heisman candidate was sure to credit his offensive line, who allowed him a clean pocket in nearly every play.
“I thought they played great. Felt pretty clean throughout the game, didn’t really take any big shots, so I give all the credit to them. Anytime we’re able to have a big pass play or a scoring drive, it all starts with them up front. I thought they came out with the right mindset and the right attitude. We knew what they were capable of, so it was great to have them out there on the field and for them to show their dominance as a unit.”
– Dart on the offensive line
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart at HALFTIME 😳:
– 22/27 Passing
– 445 Total Yards
– 6 Total TDsHe becomes the first SEC QB since Joe Burrow in 2019 with over 350 passing yards in a half 👀https://t.co/hmvDXMFCHE pic.twitter.com/SOXcXMClsT
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 1, 2024
In addition to his linemen, Dart commented on the positive effects of having Dae’Quan Wright and Caden Prieskorn in the same offense together, with both tight ends finished the night with several receptions and a touchdown.
“They’re both incredibly talented, they’re both NFL tight ends, so it helps a ton both in the run game and in the pass game. With them being such elite players, they’re very different, so it’s great having them both on the field because they can do different things and they do their job at a really high level. It’s fun when you’re able to get in the different sets, it puts a lot of stress on the opposing defense when you get two guys who can play like that.“
– Dart on the tight ends
Looking into the game itself, there were several points where Dart made incredible throws, such as his 46-yard touchdown pass to Prieskorn or his 61-yard touchdown pass to Tre Harris. But according to Jaxson, his favorite play occurred in the first quarter and involved a player with whom Rebel fans are quickly becoming familiar.
“I thought the one to Juice Wells was pretty special. Him coming in, I think it was his first or second snap, and him being able to go make a play down the field like that was super awesome. It was really good for us to have a connection like that, with him being out through the offseason and kind of working through some things. I was happy we executed on that play because we tried it in the mock game and missed it, so it was good to have those opportunities and to learn from your mistakes and make it right in the game.“
– Dart on his favorite play of the night
JUICE. WELLS. 🧃@JaxsonDart ➡️ @juicew3lls pic.twitter.com/HWiGCHj5ic
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) August 31, 2024
Wells, who transferred from South Carolina in the offseason, concluded the game with two receptions, 70 yards of offense, and a touchdown, making quite a mark in his debut. Along with Wells in the receiving room, Tre Harris recorded 179 yards on eight receptions, scoring two touchdowns, while Cayden Lee also hauled in 78 yards on four targets.
Despite the Rebs finding massive success in their first performance, Jaxson says that this is exactly what was expected of the team heading into week one.
“Quite honestly, it’s what we expected going into it, that’s the standard that we want to play at and excel at, so the big thing for us is trying to control what we can control, and regardless of the score and the situation, go into each and every play with the same mindset and try and execute it. I was really happy with how we were able to do that and thought it was incredible by our defense not giving up any points.“
– Dart on the Rebel’s performance
Ole Miss will return to the field next Saturday at 3:15 p.m. to take on Middle Tennessee State University. Until then, be sure to stay tuned to The Rebel Walk for all your Ole Miss updates.
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