Who should be Ole Miss football's quarterback? The case for Jaxson Dart, Spencer Sanders
OXFORD — Another Lane Kiffin media availability came and went Tuesday without the coach showing his hand as to who will play quarterback when Ole Miss football opens its season.
Kiffin had previously said that he would prefer to name a starting quarterback before the Rebels play Mercer on Sept. 2 (1 p.m., SEC Network+). However, Kiffin did add a caveat. He would not reveal a decision between Jaxson Dart and Spencer Sanders if he wasn't yet certain about his choice.
On Tuesday, Kiffin sounded positive about the performance of that duo in the Rebels' most recent scrimmage.
“I thought quarterback play was really, really strong Saturday," Kiffin said. "I thought the week before, the defense in general had a really good Saturday. This Saturday the offense did with the pass scheme and running game. There were much more points, much more yards with the average per carry. I thought the quarterbacks did some really good things.
"(Sanders and Dart) made significant plays they want to take back, but I saw some really good things. I think we’re in a great position with multiple guys that can go into a game and help us win.”
How, exactly, will Dart and Sanders help Ole Miss win? Here's each quarterback's case to win the starting job.
The case for Jaxson Dart to be Ole Miss football starting quarterback
Before any discussion of ability, Dart offers an element of continuity that Sanders simply can't match. He played 970 snaps under center last season, winning a quarterback competition against Luke Altmyer. And circumstances have ensured he's taken more reps with the key Ole Miss newcomers this offseason. Sanders was injured during the spring and on a pitch count. Dart took almost all of the first-team reps in spring ball.
He has spent significantly more time with the first unit than Sanders has in preseason action, too. He's had more time to develop an understanding of Kiffin's system – something offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. highlighted as important. And he's someone the Rebels could hope to develop beyond this season.
Dart, throughout the competition, has been the more accurate passer of the two. He's also been better at taking care of the football. Until a scrimmage interception on Aug. 12, he had not turned the ball over all offseason.
There are, however, some conditions that accompany this observation. Sanders struggled with his accuracy last season, but overall has a career completion percentage similar to Dart's. Dart has been playing with better talent around him than Sanders, who was obviously hampered by mistakes typical of a second-team unit in the Rebels' first scrimmage.
It's also important to note that Dart's accuracy could be a product of his familiarity with the offense and its personnel. But is that caveat relevant when making a decision? Probably not. In fact, it's probably a point in Dart's favor.
The case for Spencer Sanders to be Ole Miss football starting quarterback
The stats will tell you that Dart, who rushed for 614 yards in 2022, was more effective on the ground than Sanders, who accumulated 368 yards rushing with Oklahoma State last season. What we've seen in preseason action has indicated that those numbers may be deceiving. Dart offers dual-threat ability, but not to the extent that Sanders does.
Sanders, often playing behind a second-team offensive line against a really deep defensive front, has frequently been flushed from the pocket and is clearly comfortable making plays off-script, whether they come with his arm or his legs. With 1,254 career rushing yards, he would join LSU's Jayden Daniels and Arkansas' KJ Jefferson as one of only three quarterbacks in the SEC this season with over 1,000 yards rushing.
Sanders can't match Dart's continuity factor. Likewise, Dart can't match Sanders' experience level. Sanders has appeared in 43 games. Should he win the job, he would be tied with Daniels for the most games played of any of the SEC's projected starting quarterbacks.
MORE QB COVERAGE: Why Lane Kiffin called Ole Miss football quarterback competition an 'awesome obstacle'
At a position where processing information quickly and efficiently is vital, that experience is invaluable. So is Sanders' experience playing at the heights the Rebels would like to reach. He is 31-12 all-time as a starting quarterback, having lost eight games total over the last three seasons. He brought the Cowboys to the Big 12 title game in 2021 (though his performance in that game was one to forget). Ole Miss has not played in an SEC title game since the championship game began in 1992.
It's simplistic analysis, but Sanders has proven himself a winner – repeatedly. And that, more than numbers, is how we tend to judge quarterbacks.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jaxson Dart or Spencer Sanders? Who starts at QB for Ole Miss football
