Unpacking coach Lane Kiffin's reluctance to name Ole Miss football starting quarterback
OXFORD — Not all quarterback competitions are created equal. The one coach Lane Kiffin decided not to end on Monday as Ole Miss football enters its first game of the season belongs to a unique category of luxury.
Some find their roots in mediocrity, with coaches straining to select the candidate who can complete the occasional 10-yard crossing pattern and manage the game without turning the ball over. Others buckle under the force of inexperience, as coaching staffs choose between talented youngsters who might not be ready for the task ahead of them.
These are choices mandated by suboptimal circumstances. A good decision lessens the damage done by the quarterback position rather than maximizing the gain. They belong to a different category than the decision Kiffin is dragging his feet with.
Make no mistake. The choice between Jaxson Dart and Spencer Sanders is a choice of splendor.
"We've not made that final decision," Kiffin said Monday. "We're very excited about all the guys. As far as the starter, that's between two people. Both guys played extremely well and made very explosive plays on Saturday (in a mock game). Managed the offense well. We feel very confident with either of them."
Kiffin, if you've been listening, has been telling you all offseason that he feels confident that both Dart and Sanders can effectively play quarterback for Ole Miss this season.
Every question about his quarterback situation has been met with praise for the group of quarterbacks and the improved situation at that position relative to last season ― often at the expense of actually answering the question.
Here's Kiffin's response Monday when asked what he'd still like to learn from Dart and Sanders before making his call.
"I'd just still like to collect information and still keep practicing and keep pushing forward," Kiffin said. "I feel extremely confident that both guys can win games, and both guys have, on big stages, which is very unusual to have."
WHO SHOULD START? Who should be Ole Miss football's quarterback? The case for Jaxson Dart, Spencer Sanders
Expecting complete honesty from college football coaches is a fool's errand. But Kiffin is typically pretty forthright when he has concerns about his team. And there's been too much sunshine pumped on this group of quarterbacks for all of it to be artificial light.
Besides, the facts support his words. There is no quarterback in the SEC who has appeared in more games than Sanders, and he's won more than 72% of them. Dart, playing in Kiffin's offense for the first time as a sophomore last season, threw for just shy of 3,000 yards and rushed for 614 more last season. He offers the rare combination of proven ability and upside.
Ideally, Kiffin said previously, he would like to have made his choice by now. That he hasn't might present him with some minor challenges – including personality management. Dart, shortly after Kiffin made his non-announcement, posted (and later deleted) a context-free yawning emoji that may or may not have been related to the indecision.
Issues like these, if handled correctly, should be nothing but speedbumps in a process that only ends with a really good quarterback under center for Ole Miss.
That it's taking an extra week or two to decide which one is not a concern.
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: What to make of Lane Kiffin's reluctance to name Ole Miss football QB
