Most people in college football circles refer to Lane Kiffin as the ‘Transfer Portal King.’ Perhaps Jaxson Dart’s moniker should be the ‘Portal Prince’ because he played an important role in helping Ole Miss develop a roster worthy of national title consideration. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player actively recruit more to put together a team on both sides of the ball than Jaxson did this offseason,” said the fifth-year Rebels coach on Tuesday. “That reveals a lot about him.” It says a lot about him as a leader, and I’ve even said, perhaps, one day as a head coach if he wants to be, because he has really remarkable skills, one of which is to convince people to follow.
Dart returns to Oxford for another round. He might have tested the NFL market, shined at the combine in Indianapolis last month, and maybe earned first-round consideration in April. What else did the former USC transfer have to prove? Dart guided the Rebels to their first 11-win season in program history. His four-touchdown effort in the Peach Bowl against Penn State guaranteed a New Year’s Six Bowl triumph and a top-10 finish in the AP poll.
Dart, who enters his third season, wants to win more than just a bowl game, so it’s why he turned his attention to recruiting and re-recruiting players to come to The Grove. Jordan Watkins is back for what Dart proclaimed as ‘The Last Dance.’ So is Caden Prieskorn. Running back Logan Diggs (LSU) and receiver Juice Wells (South Carolina) are also joining the franchise in what looks to be a lethal offense headlined by Kiffin, who admitted that several players likely wouldn’t be on the roster without No. 2 being a No. 1 recruiter.
“I think a number of guys would say (Dart factored into their decision), especially offensively,” Kiffin said. “I think that the receivers would tell you that, Juice Wells. And I think even, not just portal guys, but even the guys that came back, like Tre (Harris), like Prieskorn. I think they would tell you that he recruited them really well, too.” The Rebels are now Dart’s team. Last season, Kiffin ensured that the Utah native earned the starting job, creating a competition between him, Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders, and LSU transfer Walker Howard.
He rose to the occasion, throwing 23 touchdowns to five interceptions and adding eight more scores as a runner. He also set career highs for completion rate (65.1 percent), passing yards (3,364), and passer efficiency (162.4). Ole Miss achieved new heights under Dart’s leadership. He wants to go further. The Rebels, who finished second in transfer portal rankings, have the talent to advance to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. They have a roster that can compete in the enlarged College Football Playoff.
