Ivey League: Walker Howard fell in love with Ole Miss, now waiting his turn as QB2

Jaxson Dart is entering his third and final full season as the starting quarterback for Ole Miss football.

Walker Howard, a former Top 50 recruit and transfer from LSU, is waiting in the wings to replace him.

That’s the idea, anyway. Underclassmen Austin Simmons and AJ Maddox will have cases to make, too, and Ole Miss is sure to add a quarterback or two in the off-season.

But Howard is currently penciled in as the clear-cut No. 2. And he’s ready to step in if/when called.

“Oxford’s a cool place,” Howard said during his stop by the ‘Ivey League,’ a weekly podcast hosted by his Ole Miss teammate, star Rebel defender Jared Ivey. “It’s a small town, and football runs this place. It’s fun to be around.

“These fans are really involved; they just want to help out football players. I love how close everyone is here. People here are just willing to help you. It makes it feel like home over here. People take care of you. Relationships are big to me.”

The ‘Ivey League’ is exclusive to the Ole Miss Spirit and powered by RiverLand Roofing.

Howard hit the NCAA Transfer Portal last January fully intending on transferring to TCU with his lifelong best friend, wide receiver Jack Bech. However, a visit to Ole Miss altered those plans.

Now he’s finally on the doorstep of leading an SEC team all his own.

“I really enjoyed my freshman year at LSU,” Howard said. “My boy, Jack Bech, hit the portal and he was like, ‘Let’s go, let’s do it.’ Played high-school ball with him; my best friend my whole life.

“I was like, ‘You know what? I love LSU, but I want to play. Let’s go; I’ll go to TCU. Hit the portal thinking I was going to TCU the whole time. Then I got a call from Ole Miss that day.”

TCU was his second choice to the Tigers out of high school. He visited Ole Miss and then TCU. However, the Horned Frogs simply didn’t compare to the Rebels, specifically his tight bond with the Ole Miss coaching staff.

“The system, for a quarterback, means everything,” Howard said. “You’ve seen over the last couple of quarterbacks that have gone through (Ole Miss), they’ve been really successful in college. I really enjoyed watching the offense and (offensive coordinator and QBs) coach (Charlie) Weis and (head) coach (Lane) Kiffin.

“I fell in love with Oxford. This is where I wanted to be. I made the decision in a day.”