Jaxson Dart Named Finalist for Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

BALTIMORE – (Release) Ole Miss senior quarterback Jaxson Dart has been named one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, as announced by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee on Thursday.

Dart is the lone SEC representative to make the final cut for the award, which annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field. The candidates are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players.

Other finalists alongside Dart are Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, and Miami’s Cam Ward.

Dart – a native of Kaysville, Utah – is in his third season as Ole Miss’ starting quarterback in 2024 after transferring from USC his freshman season in 2021. In his overall career, Dart is 787-1,207 (65.2 percent) for 11,100 yards and 74 touchdowns with a career rushing line of 1,350 yards and 14 scores on 354 carries – making him one of four active FBS quarterbacks at 12,000 yards of total offense at 12,450.

At 26-9 as a starter with the Rebels, Dart owns the most wins by any Ole Miss starting quarterback of the modern era since Archie Manning’s first start in 1968. Last season, Dart led the Rebels to their first 11-win season in program history at 11-2 – capped by a Peach Bowl victory over Penn State – and this season he has led Ole Miss to a current No. 10 ranking and recently helped lift the Rebels to a historic 28-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia.

As a Rebel, Dart owns a passing line of 670-of-1,018 (65.8 percent) for 9,747 yards, 65 touchdowns and an efficiency rating of 163.4. His 1,307 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground also make him one of the best rushing quarterbacks in Ole Miss history – 31 yards shy of Matt Corral’s record 1,338. Dart already owns Ole Miss career marks in total offense (11,054) and 300-yard passing games (13), while closing in on several other career and season records – including Eli Manning’s career passing yard total of 10,119.

This season, Dart owns a passing line of 211-of-298 (70.8 percent) for 3,409 yards, 22 touchdowns, four interceptions and an efficiency rating of 188.6. On the ground, Dart owns 304 yards and three scores, pushing his total offense to an FBS-leading 371.3 yards per game. Dart also leads the FBS in passing efficiency and yards per pass attempt (11.4), while leading the SEC and ranking FBS top-10 in passing yards (FBS No. 2), yards per completion (16.2; FBS No. 3), passing yards per game (340.9; FBS No. 4), passing touchdowns (FBS No. 6) and completion percentage (FBS No. 7).

Elsewhere, Dart is a finalist for the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy, a semifinalist for the Maxwell, Walter Camp and the Davey O’Brien awards, and he has earned weekly conference honors twice and national weekly awards 10 different times – most coming after his record-breaking performance against Arkansas on Nov. 2. Dart set Ole Miss single-game records in passing yards (515) and total offense (562), while tying the single-game record in passing touchdowns (6).

This year’s award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy at the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award celebration the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Fri., Dec. 6, 2024.

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalists

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Cam Ward, Miami

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports