Ole Miss Football 2025 Season Preview: New Look QB Room Ready to Lead Rebels Into 2025
OXFORD, Miss. — The Ole Miss Rebels are entering the 2025 football season with a new chapter at quarterback following Jaxson Dart’s departure to the NFL. Dart, who became the program’s all-time leader in passing yards and total offense, leaves behind a legacy that won’t be easy for anyone to live up to.
Many believe that the quarterback position will be the biggest determinant regarding how well the Rebels’ 2025 campaign will play out. Here’s a look at the current Ole Miss QB room.
Austin Simmons
Austin Simmons, a 6’4,” 215-pound dual-sport athlete is set to step into the starting quarterback role. After flipping his commitment from Florida to Ole Miss in 2023, and re-classifying up two years from the 2025 class, Simmons has spent the past two seasons being groomed under Dart and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.
His game experience, though somewhat limited, includes a notable drive against Georgia in 2024, where he completed 5-of-6 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Simmons has been very well-received by fans and college football analysts, with everyone looking forward to him taking the field.
Simmons spoke earlier this year in spring practice about moving into the role of starter.
“I don’t really look at being like ‘the guy’ here very different. Football is football at the end of the day, regardless of if I’m the starting quarterback, if I’m the backup quarterback doesn’t matter. We’re still playing football, we’re preparing for one thing and we always have one goal to win a national championship. I always like to set forth a goal for myself each and every day to always progress and get better at one thing every day.”
Austin Simmons
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AJ Maddox
AJ Maddox, a Mississippi native from Oak Grove High School, where he was a four-start recruit, is another piece in the quarterback room. Originally committed to Texas A&M, Maddox has shown promise in practice thus far. Weis Jr. and head coach Lane Kiffin have praised his understanding of the offense. A year in the weight room could bolster the 185-pound Maddox’s prospects for the backup or possibly starting role if he is needed.
Trinidad Chambliss
Trinidad Chambliss, a 6’1,” 200-pound dual-threat quarterback from Grand Rapids, Michigan, joins the Rebels after a standout career at Ferris State. In the 2024 season, Chambliss led the Bulldogs to a Division II national championship, throwing for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,019 yards and 25 touchdowns.
His 51 total touchdowns led all of Division II that season. His dynamic playmaking ability and leadership will add depth and competition to the quarterback room in Oxford. Simmons spoke in the spring about the QB room and the addition of Chambliss.
“There’s a lot of competition, we talk a little smack here and there. We’re just all close; I don’t think like I’ve ever been a part of a quarterback room where we all don’t talk to each other every single day. We have meaningful conversations and we chill with each other outside the facility. We have Trinidad coming in, can’t wait to meet him. Hopefully he’s going to be a great addition for us and can’t wait to compete with him out here.”
Austin Simmons on Rebels’ QB room and Chambliss
Maealiuaki Smith
Maealiuaki Smith, a freshman from San Mateo, California, landed in Oxford after a brief stint at Oklahoma State. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 200 pounds, Smith offers a strong arm and mobility. His experience includes starting two games for the Cowboys in 2024, where he threw for 489 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. While he faced challenges at Oklahoma State, his name on the Rebels’ roster certainly adds depth to Lane Kiffin’s quarterback room.
Conclusion
The 2025 season presents both challenges and opportunities for the Ole Miss quarterback corps. With Dart’s departure, Simmons is expected to step up as the leader. The development of Maddox, Chambliss, and Smith will be crucial in providing depth and competition. As the season progresses, the Rebels will look to establish a strong offensive identity—a recurring theme amongst Rebel football teams in the Kiffin era—with the quarterback position playing a central role in their success.
Jacob Quaglino
Jacob is a New Orleans, LA native and Ole Miss alumni, Class of 2024 and staff writer with The Rebel Walk. He has been a diehard fan of all Ole Miss sports his entire life, with his earliest Ole Miss sports memory being the Rebels' iconic 2008 upset of then-No. 4 Florida. Among his other favorite Rebel sports memories are storming the field after beating LSU in 2023 and Georgia in 2024, watching the Rebels upset Alabama in back to back years in 2014-15, seeing the women's golf team win the school's first-ever NCAA-recognized national championship in 2021, and watching the Rebel baseball team win the College World Series in 2022. He remains exceedingly hopeful that the Ole Miss Athletics Department's national championship trophy collection will grow in the coming years. Outside of The Rebel Walk, Jacob also works for a local radio news station and has many interests and hobbies, including reading, writing, watching college sports, playing pickleball, and traveling.
