Ole Miss OC says Deuce Knight is getting better ‘quicker than expected’
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Ole Miss sought safety in its quarterback room this offseason. With the future of Trinidad Chambliss up in the air, the Rebels brought in a player — Deuce Knight from Auburn — who could run the show if Chambliss’s legal challenge went the wrong way.
Fortunately for the Rebels, Chambliss has cleared the hurdles that stood between him and 2026 eligibility. Ole Miss will have one final season with the guy who led it to its first College Football Playoff appearance.
That also means Knight will get one more year of seasoning before he can challenge for a starting job.
Ole Miss offensive coordinator John David Baker was asked about his two quarterbacks on Friday. His take on Knight might suggest a role — even if not as the starting passer — could be in the cards.
“He has all the talent in the world. He’s progressed very well. Quicker than expected, to be honest with you,” Baker told local media. “He’s doing some really good things. He adds an element — obviously size, speed — that nobody in the room really has.”
Knight made one start as a true freshman at Auburn last season. Against Mercer on Nov. 22, he threw for 239 yards, ran for 162 yards, and scored 6 touchdowns. The quality of the competition bears mentioning, but Knight is in the Auburn record books regardless.
His 6 total touchdowns tied a single-game program record. His ground total was the best rushing day by an Auburn quarterback since 2013. His 4 rushing scores tied for the fourth most by an Auburn player in program history, and tied for the third most by an SEC quarterback since 1995.
The 6-foot-4 rising sophomore can scoot. His first 2 rushing attempts of his first career start went for 75- and 51-yard touchdowns.
And, fortunately for Knight, he can learn some of the more cerebral parts of playing the position from Chambliss.
“Trinidad is exactly what you want in the quarterback position — ultra-competitive, a perfectionist, he wants it right the first time,” Baker said. “He’s a football junkie. He lives in this building. He’s a great teammate to the guys around him. You can tell guys want to play for him, and I picked up on that early when I got here in December.”
With one of the better quarterback rotations of any program in the country, Ole Miss is certainly a threat to make it back to the CFP in 2026.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
