Tag: Jaxson Dart

‘College GameDay’ predicts winner of Georgia-Ole Miss game

The ESPN College GameDay crew predict is split on their Georgia at Ole Miss predictions

The ESPN “College GameDay” crew had a lot to say about No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs traveling to No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels.

Desmond Howard claimed that Ole Miss defense will create turnovers and cash them in for the upset for the Rebels.

Nick Saban said, “Jaxon Dart is a great player but hasn’t always stepped up in big moments for his team. He also called Georgia’s front seven the best in the country.” Saban went ahead and took Georgia with his pick.

Lee Corso claims the Ole Miss will upset Georgia due to their new and improved front seven, which leads the nation in sacks.

Pat Mcafee without any question took Georgia as soon it was his turn to pick.

Celebrity guest pickers, MLB rising star Paul Skenes and NCAA champion gymnast Livvy Dunne, predict that Georgia will defeat Ole Miss.

Kirk Herbstreit offers his insight that when Georgia is questioned or doubted is when the Bulldogs play their best. Herbstreit went on to pick Georgia to win.

No. 3 Georgia and No. 16 Ole Miss plays at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

How Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart will match up vs. UGA

Georgia defense has massive test against nation’s leader in yards in Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

There’s a lot of pressure for the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) heading into their matchup with the No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels (7-2) at 3:30 p.m. ET and it’s due to Ole Miss’s offense being considered elite.

The biggest reason Ole Miss’ offense is great is quarterback Jaxson Dart. The senior quarterback is just coming off of a record-breaking performance where he threw for 515 yards and six touchdowns in a blowout 63-31 win over Arkansas. Overall, Dart has 3,210 yards (leads the nation), 21 touchdowns, and a 192.4 passer rating.

For those of you wondering how Dart will attack the Georgia defense, here’s a scouting report on him:

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Explosive Plays

Dart has a cannon for a right arm, which was on full display in his game against Arkansas. He’s shown great chemistry with his receivers. Each of the top four reception leaders are averaging over 16 yards per reception. Overall, he averages an insane 11.6 yards per attempt.

Kirby Smart said it best:

“I think Jaxson Dart is playing (like) probably one of the best quarterbacks playing in the country in terms of explosive plays. A lot of respect for how he competes. I mean, the guy runs extremely physical, like a SEC running back. He doesn’t try to avoid contact — he actually seeks it. You can tell he’s got a fiery, competitive attitude, just like his coach does, just like Lane does. So they have a lot of the same personality traits.”

Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Running Physicality

Dart complements his gunslinger mentality with his toughness and physicality as a scrambler. This season, he has 254 yards and three touchdowns on 77 rushes, which makes him the third-leading rushing quarterback that Georgia has faced behind Jalen Milroe (380) and Cade Klubnik (270).

When asked about Dart’s running ability, Smart had this to say:

“Jaxson Dart is their second-leading rusher and that’s just telling you, man, they got, and they get rushing yards too when he takes off and runs. And he’s a tremendous athlete, hard to tackle.  And if you counted the passing yards they get on the RPOs in their run game, they lead the country because they get a lot of yards off that as well.”

So how does the Georgia defense overcome Jaxson Dart?

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Malaki Starks

Dart often looks for the home run ball. He doesn’t check down to receivers unless that’s the first read and it’s open on an in-breaking route. Granted, he’s often been able to connect on these deep passes, but there are times where it can cause him to take drive killing sacks or force a pass into a tight window.

This is where Malaki Starks comes in. While KJ Bolden is more of the blitzing safety, Starks is a ballhawk safety with great range. Georgia fans have seen him capable of taking away the deep ball before, but his play has fluctuated wildly. When he’s on his A-game he can create a no-fly zone from 30-40 yards past the line of scrimmage, especially if one of Ole Miss’s awesome receiving group misses this game.

Jay Janner/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Blitz Packages

Georgia’s front seven can create havoc for Jaxson Dart. The offensive line has shown to be competent in protecting against blitz packages in the past, but they allowed six sacks against LSU. Georgia’s pass rush, with Mykel Williams and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, is one of the best in the SEC, so if they can win the matchup versus Ole Miss’s line, then they could neutralize Dart.

Why the Ole Miss offense is best that Georgia has faced

Why Georgia football faces their biggest challenge defensively of the season against Ole Miss

The Ole Miss Rebels’ offense will be a significant challenge for the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense. This matchup for Georgia against Ole Miss has elements that the Bulldog defense have not seen this season. UGA has not seen an offense this explosive.

Here are three reasons why this offense can cause headaches for this Bulldog team.

Jaxson Dart

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart poses a threat that the Bulldogs have not seen all season. Dart leads the nation with 3,210 passing yards. Dart still has the ability to leave the pocket and create a positive gain with his legs. Head coach Kirby Smart knows what is in front of his defense this Saturday.

“He’s playing at a really high level. He sees things well. I think he, Lane (Kiffin) and the offensive staff are further along. They know what they’re looking for. They know when you get in something, what beats that, and they know how to attack it. He’s just a proven winner, and he’s a fierce competitor. He’s hard to stop,” Smart said.

Dart’s elite play has propelled the Ole Miss passing offense to the top of the nation and Rebels have the second-best total offense at 555 yards per game. Much of that success is thanks to Dart, whose contributions have been crucial. If the Bulldogs hope to walk away with a win, then they’ll need to contain Dart and slow down the Rebels’ high-powered offense in Oxford this Saturday.

Receiver Core

Jordan Watkins #11 of the Ole Miss Rebels had a historic game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris leads the charge for the Rebels with 987 yards, ranking third in the nation and first in the SEC. Harris is questionable to play with an injury.

Receiver Jordan Watkins stepped up in a big way last week against Arkansas, racking up 250 yards and scoring five touchdowns. Adding to the firepower, Antwane “Juice” Wells brings familiarity with Georgia from his time at South Carolina. This trio will challenge the UGA secondary all game long.

“They’ve got several draft pick receivers that are good players,” Smart said.

Having three options that can win in any situation is tough to cover especially with a home crowd that is waiting for a big play to happen.

Lane Kiffin 

 (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Lane Kiffin as averaged the sixth best total offense for the Rebels since arriving in Oxford in 2020. Kirby Smart knows the challenge that Kiffin brings as a play caller.

“He knows scheme. Lane (Kiffin) has been around a lot of football. His dad is one of the greatest defensive minds there ever was. He knows how to attack defenses probably at a higher rate than most offensive coordinators. He’s been experienced with that. He knows the difficulties that come with it,” Smart said.

Kiffin stands out as one of the most creative play-callers in college football, always looking to exploit matchups and put his team in the best position to succeed. Facing a potential College Football Playoff elimination, expect for Kiffin and Ole Miss to unleash his full playbook, using every trick and scheme to secure a critical win. Kiffin and Smart were on Alabama staff from 2014-2015, so they have a lot of familiarity.

5 things to know about Ole Miss prior to Week 7 meeting with LSU

LSU will square off with Ole Miss on Saturday night. Here are five things to know about the Rebels.

Things are changing throughout the sport of college football but the LSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry remains an annual staple. The programs have met 112 times in their storied histories. It’s a series with a tendency to produce SEC classics.

That’s what we saw last year when LSU dropped a 55-49 shootout in Oxford. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] threw for 414 yards and ran for 99 more, but it wasn’t enough thanks to LSU allowing over 706 total yards on defense.

LSU fans who watched that game should be familiar with this Ole Miss offense. QB Jaxson Dart and WR Tre Harris are still here and Lane Kiffin’s offensive style is no secret.

Ole Miss hit the transfer portal hard and it’s a team with plenty of new pieces, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Today, we’ll take a look at five things LSU fans should know about Ole Miss prior to the top 25 showdown on Saturday night.

Ole Miss season to this point

Ole Miss began the year ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll with many calling this team a national title contender. The Rebels won their first four games by a combined score of 220-22. The competition wasn’t stiff, but the dominance was noteworthy nonetheless.

When conference play began, Ole Miss ran into a hiccup, dropping one at home to Kentucky. The Rebel defense held UK to 4.43 yards per play but surrendered a 63-yard pass to set up a touchdown when it mattered late.

On offense, Ole Miss turned the ball over and took four sacks. Tre Harris produced, but Dart didn’t play his best game.

Ole Miss bounced back with a win over South Carolina last week. The OM interior defensive line dominated and Ole Miss didn’t allow a touchdown.

Dart completed just 51.9% of his passes and his PFF passing grade ranked 11th among SEC QBs in Week 6, but it was enough to get the job done.

That brings Ole Miss to 5-1 entering the showdown with LSU.

Tre Harris is still doing damage

Tre Harris caught eight passes for 153 yards and a score against LSU last year. Most of that production came in key moments to keep Ole Miss on the field and in the game.

Harris did most of his work against [autotag]Laterrence Welch[/autotag] and [autotag]Denver Harris[/autotag] while [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] and [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] held up fine. Welch and Harris aren’t with LSU anymore, but Alexander and Stamps are.

With 885 receiving yards after week six, Harris leads the SEC. He’s catching 81.3% of his targets and his 5.67 yards per route run are nearly a yard better than the SEC’s second-best. He’s putting together a Biletnikoff campaign.

The Ole Miss offense runs through Harris. If LSU allows him to get going, it will be a long night for the Tigers.

Ole Miss is good on the interior defensive line

Ole Miss’ group of interior defensive linemen is one of the best in the SEC. Walter Nolen and JJ Pegues lead all SEC defensive tackles with 17 and 14 pressures, respectively.

Nolen was disruptive last week, forcing seven pressures and coming up with two sacks against South Carolina.

According to PFF, four of the SEC’s best five run-defending defensive tackles play for Ole Miss. Pegues and Nolen rank first and second in the conference in run defense grade while William Echoles and Zxavian Harris aren’t that far behind.

With Nolen and Pegues forming one of the best duos in the SEC, this DT unit is dangerous.

Ole Miss leads the nation in explosive play rate

Counting explosive plays as 20+ yard passes or 10+ yard runs, Ole Miss leads the FBS with an explosive play rate of 19.2%. Nearly every fifth play is an explosive play at that clip.

That’s trouble for an LSU defense that struggles to limit big plays on the ground. The good news is that Ole Miss wasn’t quite as explosive vs Kentucky and South Carolina, the two real defenses it faced.

LSU will get aggressive on Saturday night, so some big plays are expected. LSU needs to generate enough big plays of its own to keep up.

Players to watch

You know Jaxson Dart is the QB and Tre Harris is the guy on offense. We mentioned the group at defensive tackle, too. Here are some other names to keep an eye on.

LB Chris Paul: The Arkansas transfer is playing like one of the best LBs in the country right now. He has 18 pressures and 26 stops to go along with a forced fumble. He’s impacting the game in every phase.

RB Henry Parrish Jr: He was questionable last week, but ended up playing and carried it 21 times for 81 yards and a score. Parrish leads the SEC in runs of 10 or more yards with 21 on the year.

RT Micah Pettus: Now in his third year with Ole Miss, Pettus ranks third among SEC tackles in PFF run blocking grade.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Stunning upset loss to Kentucky cools the hype for Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

Stunning upset loss to Kentucky cools the draft hype a little for Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

We got a great example this weekend of why one-week reactions are but snapshots and not full pictures of players and draft prospects. Coming into the weekend, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was surging with the unbeaten Rebels, looking a lot like a more aggressive version of Broncos’ first-rounder Bo Nix.

However, Dart’s wave crashed on the shoals in a stunning upset by Kentucky. It’s not that Dart played poorly in the game, a 20-17 Wildcats win on an offensive fumble recovery in the end zone with a little over two minutes to play. But Dart’s inability to get much going against the best defense he and the Rebels have seen all year puts a damper on the draft buzz.

Dart led just two touchdown drives against a Kentucky defense that flew around the field with aggressive discipline. He completed just 18 of his 27 passes, netting 261 yards and a touchdown. Dart had thrived on his consistency all season, but this performance was more uneven.

Take the final Ole Miss drive, which came after Kentucky took a 20-17 lead. Dart made a bad choice in trying an ill-advised keeper on first down, then was inaccurate under pressure on second and third downs. Fourth down saw Dart remind everyone why he’s still a very impressive prospect on the whole. A picture-perfect pass to Caden Prieskorn kept the drive, and unbeaten hopes, still very much alive.

Yet Dart couldn’t seal the deal. He just missed his running back on a wheel route that was there for the taking on the next play, then took a terrible sack on second down when he had chances to throw the ball away or tuck and run and gain more yards for his field goal kicker. He got let off the hook on a lost fumble on the next play with a twitchy offsides call. Those yards proved precious, as the 48-yarder that would have tied the game (very badly) missed.

A comeback win in a game like this would have provided another big feather in Dart’s draft hat. It’s certainly not all on Dart, but the fact he couldn’t avoid the upset will work against him with many evaluators. It was Dart’s weakest performance–by far–on the season, one that should cool the momentum a bit on the ballooning draft hype that saw Dart floating as a top-15 pick in many mock projections.

One game shouldn’t weigh on the full picture like that, but given how easy of a schedule Dart and the Rebels had faced, it was seen as a validation test going in. Dart’s still good–he’s firmly a top-40 overall prospect on my board, but the illusion of his near-perfect first four games took a hit.

Jaxson Dart passing his way up the 2025 QB rankings

Dart leads the NCAA in passing yards and completion percentage after three games

In recent draft classes, quarterbacks like Bo Nix and Hendon Hooker have risen up draft boards thanks to pinpoint accuracy and smart decisions in the structure of a base offense. Add in some toughness and mobility, especially in Hooker’s case, and it helped make them more complete prospects.

There’s a player of that caliber in the 2025 NFL Draft class quickly emerging in Oxford, Mississippi. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart is quickly passing his way into a higher draft range in the way that his similar predecessors did recently.

Through the Rebels’ first three games, Dart is completing an absurd 83 percent of his passes. He leads the nation in passing yardage with 1,172, throwing eight touchdowns against one interception.

While he’s not known for being an aggressive runner, Dart proved he’s got some grit to his game, too. This is a grown-man touchdown run against Wake Forest:

 

There are a lot of similarities between Dart and the 2023 Nix at Oregon, but Dart is proving to be more aggressive. Dart is throwing with a much deeper average depth of target (aDOT). Dart is currently at 9.5 aDOT for the season, while Nix dinked and dunked his way to his exceptional accuracy, with an aDOT of just 6.8. Dart’s ability to his receivers moving downfield in stride is more impressive than Nix hitting quick swing passes and comebacks at Oregon.

Dart and the Rebels haven’t really been tested yet in playing Wake Forest, Furman and Middle Tennessee. A matchup with Georgia Southern shouldn’t be too much resistance, but a September 28th date with a very good Kentucky defense will help the evaluation process. Dates against LSU, Georgia and a South Carolina team with a nasty pass rush combo will determine how high Dart’s stock can soar.

SEC Network features Oklahoma in X-Men intro to 2024 season

The SEC Network released an X-Men styled animated intro to the 2024 season and an Oklahoma Sooners star was prominently featured.

The SEC is embarking on a new adventure in 2024, welcoming the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns to the conference. With the season kicking off, Oklahoma and Texas were featured in a video released by the SEC Network’s social media account on X formerly known as Twitter.

In a play on the 1990s animated “X-Men The Animated Series”, the SEC featured a number of teams, including the Red River Rivals.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and Quinn Ewers can be seen flying the X-Wing, the jet that had stealth properties into SEC country. The video featured a number of players as X-Men.

  • Jalen Milroe, Alabama, as Cyclops.
  • Carson Beck, Georgia, as Storm.
  • Harold Perkins, LSU, as Wolverine.
  • Quinn Ewers, Texas, as Jubilee.
  • Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, as Gambit.
  • Luther Burden, Missouri, as Nightcrawler.
  • James Pearce, Tennessee, as Magneto.
  • Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, as The Beast.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1829584490143809902

Danny Stutsman as The Beast is fitting, considering he matches a physical play style with an intelligence garnered from years of experience. The preseason All-SEC and All-American selection will lead the Oklahoma Sooners defense into the SEC as they hope to make a run at a conference title in year one in the league.

The Sooners open year one in the SEC Friday night at 6 p.m. CT against the Temple Owls. Their first SEC game comes in Norman on September 21.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Ole Miss quarterback and former USC star Jaxson Dart signs NIL deal

Jaxson Dart cashes in on NIL before the most important season of his career.

According to On3‘s Pete Nakos, former USC Trojan and current Ole Miss starting quarterback Jaxson Dart has inked one of the biggest NIL deals of the offseason with Dick’s Sporting Goods.

A Heisman Trophy candidate entering the 2024 season, Dart has thrown for 7,691 yards with 52 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions. With a 17−10 overall record in two seasons at Ole Miss, he and head coach Lane Kiffin are poised for the most anticipated season in recent memory.

“Partnering with Dick’s Sporting Goods is an incredible opportunity,” Dart said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to sharing my style and gear preferences with fans and being part of a brand that truly supports athletes.”

According to On3, the total value of the deal is estimated to be roughly around $100,000 for the upcoming season.

Ole Miss opens the season against FCS member Furman at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford on Aug. 31 on SEC Network Plus.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.

2025 NFL Draft first impression: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

2025 NFL Draft first scouting impression of Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart and what to look for in the Rebels’ coming CFB season

Jaxson Dart is next up in the summer scouting series. The well-heeled Ole Miss quarterback should be one of the top prospects at his position in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Dart does a lot of things very well. The Ole Miss offense, under Lane Kiffin, does a lot with RPOs and route combinations to help scheme open some throws, and Dart is very adept at the controls. He has a strong arm and excellent accuracy on downfield throws. The ability to throw the ball between layers of the defense when and where it needs to be is probably my favorite attribute of the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Dart.

When pressured, Dart gets conservative; he’s not a risk-taker when the protection breaks down. It keeps him from making the big mistake but also leaves some meat on the bone offensively; there were opportunities for Dart down the field if he wanted to try them while pressured against Mississippi State and Alabama. Dart also gets a little too predictable in escaping pressure by dropping deeper and to his right, something he can mix up a little more in 2024.

[lawrence-related id=653309]

Another trait that stands out is Dart’s willingness to let plays develop, even if his primary read isn’t initially there. He’s a lot better when he doesn’t have to come off that first read, but Dart can advance through progressions and make decisive throws if needed.

Mechanically, Dart has some work to do. He throws from different platforms and shoulder angles, which in and of itself can be a positive. But Dart doesn’t always rotate through his throws, and his shoulders, hips and feet don’t always stay aligned. Most of his inaccurate passes come from this more than timing or arm strength issues–especially on shorter throws.

There’s some early Deshaun Watson to Dart in that regard; Watson progressed during his Texans time at becoming more mechanically consistent and Dart certainly can grow there too. He’s just 21 and appears to be still physically maturing in his physique.

Dart can run effectively, and he’s got very good pre-snap instincts about when to run or keep it on the RPO. Not many NFL offenses use that, alas, but if a red zone set presents itself, Dart can be very effective working the option. He’s tough without being reckless.

Entering the ’24 college season for the Rebels, I like Dart’s all-around skill package. He’s in the Michael Penix Jr./Bo Nix range as they entered their final seasons, and it’s easy to see Dart ascend into that draft range with an impressive CFB season. It’s also entirely possible Dart stays in the Day 2 range where certain teams will like him a lot more than others, a la Will Levis or Desmond Ridder.

SEC quarterback rankings ahead of 2024 spring football

Where does Jackson Arnold rank among SEC quarterbacks heading into spring ball?

As the SEC expands to 16 teams in 2024, the conference is stacked at the quarterback position. From former five-star prospects to 2024 Heisman contenders to intriguing transfer additions, there will be some fantastic quarterback play on display this fall in the SEC.

Seven of the last nine Heisman winners have come from Oklahoma and the SEC. Two of those seven were non-quarterbacks, DeVonta Smith and Derrick Henry.

Much of what will determine which teams emerge as SEC title and College Football Playoff contenders will be on the shoulders of the quarterbacks who will lead their team in 2024.

There are some quarterback competitions that need to take place, but here’s our pre-spring ball SEC quarterback rankings.