Jaxson Dart’s time at Ole Miss has come to an end, though Lane Kiffin might still try to convince the NCAA to grant him an additional year of eligibility.
Dart, the senior quarterback who redefined the Kiffin era, wrapped up his career in style with a remarkable performance at the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Duke. The senior passed for 404 yards and four touchdowns, breaking two more records and earning MVP honors in the Rebels’ 52-20 win.
The No. 14 Rebels (10-3) will certainly miss Dart, whose impressive play against a top-25 Blue Devils defense could make him a contender for the NFL draft’s first round. Kiffin, who secured his third double-digit win season in five years, joked after the game that Dart might request an extra year of eligibility, referencing Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s success in receiving one.
“You never know, maybe he’ll file a waiver and come back another year,” Kiffin said, speaking to ESPN.
Pavia, who led Vanderbilt to its first bowl victory since 2013, was granted an extra year of eligibility after successfully suing the NCAA, a ruling that stemmed from his time in junior college. Dart, who transferred to Ole Miss after one season at USC, doesn’t qualify for the same exemption.
When asked if he was lobbying for Dart to return for a fourth year, Kiffin expressed excitement for the future under Austin Simmons but didn’t dismiss the possibility of working with Dart again.
“Maybe,” Kiffin responded.
Dart leaves Ole Miss as the all-time leader in wins and set the single-season record for total yards with 4,542 in Thursday’s victory, surpassing Chad Kelly’s previous mark of 4,042 passing yards from 2015. With the win, the Rebels secured their first back-to-back 10-win seasons since 1959-60.
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