Lane Kiffin explains being ‘very proud’ of Jaxson Dart for Week 13 performance
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Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Week 13. All the Rebels had to do was beat Florida and Mississippi State to end the season and they’d have a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Instead, the Rebels suffered a 24-17 loss to the Gators and ended their chances to play in the SEC Championship. The team’s College Football Playoff hopes are almost dead as well, with ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) giving the team just a 6.2% chance to be selected.
Still, Kiffin was proud of his quarterback Jaxson Dart for battling. The coach revealed that Dart spent the night at Kiffin’s house and was devastated by the loss.
“I spent last night with Jaxson, actually, at my house. This guy puts a lot into Ole Miss and this team and Ole Miss football, as much as any player I’ve ever seen, maybe more,” explained Kiffin Sunday night. “He took it really hard. He really felt like he let down the team, the whole city of Oxford.”
However, Kiffin feels like his QB “played really good.” Dart finished with 323 passing yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs which were especially ugly in the final minutes of the loss.
“He actually, when you watch the film, played great til the end of the game. He made great throws, worked through some tough situations,” explained the coach.
Kiffin also mentioned that Dart was unable to practice last week while he nursed an ankle injury. Overall, the coach liked what he saw from his QB given the circumstances.
The Rebels will look to end the regular season on a positive note in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. With a win, the Rebels would secure 9+ wins for the 3rd time in Kiffin’s tenure.
Coach Kiffin talks about Jaxson Dart’s performance against Florida and how devastated the Rebels’ QB was by the loss: “I spent last night with Jaxson, actually, at my house. This guy puts a lot into Ole Miss and this team and Ole Miss football, as much as any player I’ve ever… pic.twitter.com/D0BL5J8GLZ
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) November 24, 2024
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
