For Ole Miss, the future is now.

According to a report from 247Sports, it appears as if true freshman QB Shea Patterson will start this Saturday against Texas A&M.

Starting signal-caller Chad Kelly was lost for the season after a knee injury last week. Patterson — regarded by many as the best prep quarterback in the 2016 class — had been waiting in the wings during a supposed redshirt year.

However, it sounds like head coach Hugh Freeze will lift the redshirt in favor of getting Patterson some tangible experience against quality SEC competition.

Freeze delved into the situation earlier on Monday:

“That’s a very difficult thing to do this time in the year with three games left. All options are on the table sitting here Monday morning. We have looked at Markell (Pack) who has played quarterback, Evan Engram can throw, and Kentucky played a whole game with a running back at quarterback. Hopefully Jason (Pellerin) will stay healthy. I would rule nothing out at this point today. I am just trying to figure out what is best for individuals and for the team, that is not something I want to rush to make a decision on. It certainly would be difficult to do that, but I wouldn’t quite totally rule it out just yet, but I want to take my time and think through it for sure and we are looking at all the options.

I have talked to all our players and Shea is one of them. Shea will play anytime. He is ready to go, he wants to go play them, but it is not a decision I can make out of emotion, I want to really think through it.”