The transfer portal works fast, but rarely this fast. Before the dust could even settle on Deuce Knight’s departure from Auburn, a national title contender was already making its move. The wound is still fresh in the Auburn Tigers camp after parting ways with their quarterback, Deuce Knight. But Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels are already knocking at Knight’s door. 

“Sources tell On3 that Ole Miss is the team to watch in this recruitment,” wrote On3’s Pete Nakos on January 5. “It had been rumored that Knight could potentially take a visit to Oxford on Tuesday.” 

However, it all depends on the quarterback picture in Golding’s squad. The Ole Miss quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, is still stuck in the middle. He is awaiting clearance from the NCAA to receive a waiver for his sixth season.

But even though he receives the approval, it’s said that Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers are lurking in the corner to poach him away. In that case, the Rebels are already taking a step ahead in their process to woo Knight. Things are a bit easier for the SEC program. 

Knight already has built-in ties with Golding and multiple members of the Ole Miss staff, dating back to his high school recruitment. The Rebels were arguably Auburn’s most significant competition after his flip from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

Significantly, Knight delivered a record-tying performance, accounting for 401 yards and six touchdowns as Auburn rolled past Mercer 62-17. Making his first career start, the freshman quarterback ran nine times for 162 yards and four scores, while completing 15 of 20 passes for 239 yards and two more touchdowns.

Knight became the first Auburn quarterback to rush for four touchdowns in a game since Heisman winner Cam Newton in 2010.

In the offseason buzz, Auburn’s former head coach dropped high praise, saying he saw flashes of Malik Willis, one of the best quarterbacks he’s ever coached, in Knight.

“He (Knight) has the demeanor about himself, like Malik did, that people gravitate to and want to follow,” Hugh Freeze said. “Malik had this humility about him also, even though he carried this great confidence. I think Deuce has that.”

All this makes Golding and Co. even more excited about bringing Knight home. But what makes Ole Miss an ideal fit for the quarterback? Ole Miss checks every box because the fit is both clean and instant. The Rebels prioritize quarterbacks who can pressure defenses with their legs, create outside of structure, and manufacture explosive plays.

And Knight brings all of that, blending immediate impact and long-term juice. The geography fits, too. It’s like how Bo Nix’s transfer from Auburn to Oregon sparked a remarkable career revival in 2022. 

Knight is a Mississippi native, and the Rebels offer familiarity, proximity to home, and a clean path to snaps. While Knight made spirits bright in his hometown by organizing an inaugural toy drive, more suitors are lining up for him. 

Early favorites emerge for Deuce Knight

With Golesh being named the program’s next head coach, Knight saw this as an opportunity to start things afresh somewhere else. Moreover, the programs have already tapped into his energy. 

“Two early schools to monitor for the former five-star recruit are Ole Miss and Boston College,” Nakos reported. “The Rebels played a key role in Deuce Knight’s high school recruitment, and he has some ties to the current BC staff.”

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Then there is another program that might create an urgency for Ole Miss in their Mission Deuce Knight. Four years still on the clock and a projected $776K NIL tag attached, Knight is officially portal gold.

So, how do Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers not take a swing?

Kiffin has been a dual-threat whisperer. From Matt Corral to first-rounder Jaxson Dart, and now Trinidad Chambliss, quarterbacks have thrived under his watch. For Knight, LSU offers a fast track to the starting quarterback position at a powerhouse.

Along with Ole Miss, LSU, Indiana Hoosiers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the Oregon Ducks, other teams are also running in the race. While programs are chasing Knight, his departure left Alex Golesh heartbroken, which might trigger a flip in the SEC script.

“They are going to be better coached,” said analyst Chris Marler. “They’re going to be hungrier.”

Now, all eyes are on Deuce Knight to see where he lands next.