Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has earned cockiness, but remains even keeled about leading his team

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has proven a lot in the two years he’s been taking shotgun snaps in Charlie Weis Jr/Lane Kiffin’s offense.

He’s proven his toughness. Oh, boy, has he, to the point where you wince whenever he is confronted with a contact/avoid contact situation because you know which one he is going to choose. It’s just in his DNA to take on the contact challenge.

He’s proven he’s a leader – on the list of one of the best to have ever come through Ole Miss during a time when coaxing transfers to come here and current Rebels to remain Rebels is part of the leadership gig. Kiffin gives Jaxson credit for Dart’s prowess in recruiting for this 2024 team.

He’s proven he has the physical skills as a passer and a runner that equate to wins. With him at the helm, the Rebels have won, as you know, 19 games in two seasons, including a school record 11 victories last year.

Yet he remains unassuming and totally about his team when he could easily be engulfed in a large ego and a big head. He’s earned some cockiness, but that doesn’t seem to matter to him at all.

Now, Dart is embarking on his third year leading the Rebels and he’s doing so with just the right amount of confidence. He wants to make sure people outside of the Rebel football program see him as one piece of a team. Nothing more, nothing less.

It starts with his knowledge of the Ole Miss offensive system.

“I feel like I know the system like the back of my hand, but there’s always something else to learn,” he stated in a recent interview with The Spirit. “This offseason has been a lot of fun because we have implemented a lot of new things and new packages. I’m really happy with the plans for the season and what we are going to show.”

Jaxson doesn’t consider the other offensive pieces as his supporting cast. He knows he’s got it good with the other offensive players.

“I’m spoiled. I’m spoiled to say the least,” he continued. “I have a lot of talent around me for sure. Some of the guys are considered the best in the country at their positions. My job is to just get the ball in the hands of our playmakers and they will make me look good.

“I just have to be the point guard, the facilitator, and we will have a lot of success. It’s super fun because all of them do different things to accomplish the goal of making plays. They run routes differently, what they do with the ball after the catch is different, but the one thing they have in common is that they are all explosive athletes. I think having players who play at a really high level in different ways is going to help us mesh and be a very exciting offense.”

Dart said he’s had ample time this summer to get the timing down in the passing game with all of the receivers who were at Ole Miss during the spring and summer.

“Juice (Wells) is a good example. He got healthy and started moving around well. He’s a freak athletically,” Jaxson assessed. “He went to California with me this summer and we got that one-on-one time together that really helped our chemistry.”

Dart’s confidence in his offensive teammates does not stop at the talented receiving corps he has.

“I think all of our running backs are extremely talented. I think that’s the room that people aren’t talking about enough,” he said. “I understand it because Quinshon (Judkins) was such a great player and did so much for our offense, but at the same time, these guys we have now are hungry and ready to put on a show. I’m really excited about what they can do – they are all going to get a chance to play and I think they are all going to have a huge impact on our offense.

“Up front on the offensive line, we are like 10 deep with guys with a ton of experience and have succeeded on a high level. This is the first time since I have been here that we have had that type of talent and depth. I’m really happy where we are with our O-line. It will be interesting to see how the coaches piece that together and land on the best lineup and the best rotations. They are all very talented.”

Dart smiled when he was asked about the Rebel defense.

“Let’s just say, for now, they pass the eye test,” he laughed. “I looked across the line today and got a little wide-eyed at the look of them. The coaches did a great job of retaining some great talent and bringing some great talent in.

“I’m excited for that side of the ball. There’s a different energy about them this fall and they are playing with a chip on their shoulders. They want to prove themselves as a top defensive unit. They are fun to compete against.”

The thought that the offense might not have to score 40-plus points to win eases some pressure on the offense, but Dart doesn’t look at it that way.

“No matter what the defense does, we are always going to try to score 40 or more points,” he responded to the pressure question. “That’s our job – to score as many points as possible – and that will be our goal every game. I don’t look at it as pressure and I don’t think of it as the defense will do more so the offense can do less.

“My mentality is for us to score every time we have the ball. That’s it.”

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has proven more than most in his career, but in his mind, he’s got a lot more work to do.

That’s the only way you’d expect Dart to look at things. It’s just his nature.

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