Ole Miss football hype is loading. Jaxson Dart, Quinshon Judkins will either unleash or crush it

ATLANTA — With a shred of red celebratory confetti nestled above his left ear, Ole Miss football wideout Tre Harris devoted a chunk of his conversation with reporters to analyzing what it will take to enjoy more confetti showers next season.

The two biggest variables in that quest, it just so happened, sat on either side of Harris as he chatted inside a small room within Mercedes-Benz Stadium after the Rebels (11-2) defeated Penn State 38-25 in the Peach Bowl.

Neither quarterback Jaxson Dart nor running back Quinshon Judkins offered any hints of their future intentions when asked. But Harris intends to give them each his best recruiting pitch.

"Oh, trust me," Harris said. "I'm on their heads. I'm on their backs. I'm trying to get them boys to stay. Don't even worry about that. I'mma close the deal on them, too. Don't worry."

Those two announcements are all that stands between the Rebels and the loudest offseason buzz in recent memory.

The majority of the offensive core that sliced through Penn State (10-3) is positioned to come back. Ole Miss hung 540 yards of total offense on college football's third-best regular-season defense. Caden Prieskorn, who already announced his intent to return, caught 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Harris, who will also be back for 2024, racked up 134 yards through the air.

On the opposite side of the ball, Ole Miss has already received good news from Jared Ivey, whose two tackles for loss and fumble recovery earned him defensive MVP honors from the Peach Bowl. Defensive tackle JJ Pegues, viewed internally as a key contributor, has announced his return, too.

And reinforcements are coming. Ole Miss owns college football's top transfer portal class, which includes six SEC starters on defense and is headlined by former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen, the top overall player in the portal according to 247Sports. Walker Jones, who runs Ole Miss' NIL collective, told The Clarion Ledger this week that the Rebels have been targeting the expanded 12-team playoff field in 2024 as a watershed moment for the program.

"I really do believe we're just getting started," said Lane Kiffin, who became the first Ole Miss coach to secure 11 victories in one season with the win. "I think that we're doing something – we're on our way to something really special."

To fulfill Kiffin's prediction, the Rebels need Dart and Judkins. Dart is eligible for the NFL Draft, and the recent NCAA ruling on two-time transfers means the portal is an option as well for the former Southern Cal QB. Judkins can't move on to the pro ranks, but he's been coy when asked about his Ole Miss future, too.

"I've just been focused on the bowl game," Judkins, who rushed for 106 yards, said postgame when asked if he'd made a decision. "I'm still dwelling and soaking it all in as far as the process goes, so not really been focusing on anything else besides getting this win. Now I'm kind of just taking it all in."

Likewise, when asked about his future Dart said he intended to enjoy the victory in which he passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another.

Dart spent 2022 as Ole Miss' quarterback. In 2023, he became the Rebels' anchor. He declared himself the starter this spring despite unresolved competition from Spencer Sanders, backed up those words and, in doing so, made this team his.

His growth within a complicated offense has been apparent, too. He exceeded last season's yardage totals while cutting his turnovers by more than half. Moving on would mean the Rebels starting that progression anew.

"It's really easy for me to have a great offensive line and guys to distribute the ball to," Dart said in quintessential quarterback fashion. "My job is just to distribute and be the point guard of the offense. When you have great players around you, it makes your job a lot easier."

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Since 1970, Ole Miss has been ranked in the AP's Preseason top 10 once. That came in 2009, when the voters picked the Rebels eighth.

If more good news follows in the days to come, it's easy to see the Rebels exceeding that hype.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football hype loading. Jaxson Dart, Quinshon Judkins are key