Will Lane Kiffin finally break through the ceiling in 2025? He is turning things around for Ole Miss and is now coming off a season where they just missed out on a playoff spot. This year will be the sixth season of Kiffin with the Rebels. And, he’s got a lot of things looking good for him. Once again, the Rebels look like a team capable of having a good 2025, where Austin Simmons will be the coach’s primary weapon as he hopes to succeed in his plans.

Simmons, Kiffins’s dual-sport star, will see his big break as QB1 this season. He’s a fairly inexperienced guy, and was backing up Jaxson Dart in 2024. So far, Simmons has 282 yards and 2 TDs. He’s also a lot younger than expected and is an academic whiz too. In fact, he already has a degree in hand. Simmons chose to focus on football, bidding baseball adieu this year. He’s still new on the turf, having played just 9 games so far. But the elite recruit is set to wow audiences at Oxford in his debut.

After all, Kiffin refused to pick a QB from the transfer portal in the event of Dart’s absence. They are confident that the young phenom can cast away their problems. “I just believe that Lane Kiffin knows what he’s doing with quarterbacks. A redshirt sophomore, Lane Kiffin has now won double-digit games in three of the last four years… I don’t think they’re going to miss much with Austin Simmons coming in,” The Next Round’s Lance Taylor said. Simmons will be filling in for a QB who was at Oxford for 3 years. Dart also famously broke Eli Manning’s record for the most passing yards all-time. That’s the ceiling for the new QB1.

But he has proved in his limited appearances that he’s got it in him to shine in his new role. “He seemed the part when he came in against Georgia,  and that was a huge moment in that game,” Ryan Browne chimed in. Jaxson Dart was taken off because of a minor injury in the first quarter, and Simmons was sent to do the job. He came in at a time when it was not looking good for the Rebels. “At least the way I felt, for a minute you thought Dart might be done for the game,” Browne said. “I was all over Ole Miss. And I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is dying,’” Taylor exclaimed.

Simmons handled the game until Dart came back to the field. Moreover, he set the stage for the 28-10 victory over the Bulldogs, going 5-6, throwing for 64 yards, and also going to the endzone. That put him on course for the humongous task ahead of him: taking over for Jaxson Dart. Lane Kiffin is optimistic about his new starter, based on his spring practices. “I think (Simmons) has done a really good job spending time with players. He’s always out trying to throw extra with them. He’s got a hard act to follow,” the HC told the press.

Lane Kiffin is known for his out-of-the-box mindset when it comes to coaching. That was evident in his thought process behind picking Simmons as his starter too.

Austin Simmons is nearly set to be Lane Kiffin’s QB1

Usually, when someone as experienced as Jaxson Dart leaves for the NFL, the head coaches look at a number of options. Alabama, for example, still hasn’t named its starting QB. And, Kalen DeBoer has 3 options to choose from. Kiffin, however, had a no-brainer attitude when it came to replacing Dart. He knew Simmons was the guy for the role. The heroics of that one Georgia game have Kiffin and experts satisfied with taking over for the veteran. This is despite Kiffin adding transfer QBs to the room.

Tyler Komis said in a June 14 appearance for CBS Sports HQ, “Yeah, this job is his,” he said. “There’s usually a quarterback competition every year under Lane Kiffin—except, you know, Jaxson Dart going into his third year. But no competition, despite Ole Miss adding some transfer guys. And he understands that. Really poised kid that we saw it in the Georgia game when he led a 10-play 75-yard touchdown drive. Just always a guy that stays ready.” This time, there’s a different air in the QB room. When Jaxson Dart arrived at Ole Miss, he was part of a competition. Simmons not being part of one is a tell-tale sign of how invested Kiffin is in him.

Moreover, his competitors have almost nothing in their defense. Maealiuaki Smith does not have a good record in his short playing career so far. AJ Maddox has a hand injury. Trinidad Chambliss has more than 3,000 yards, but that’s all Division II experience. Shawqi Itraish is yet to break in thoroughly as a good quarterback. Simmons has all the room to himself. But the void he has to fill is huge. Kiffin, however, is keen on his QB1 hopeful to carry both his and his predecessor’s essence into the season. “He doesn’t need to be Jaxson, everybody’s different. But that was a really good one for him to learn from — to see how Jaxson took the whole team in. I see him trying to do that, but at the same time, he’s going to be his own person, too.” Now the question remains: Will Austin Simmons be able to deliver?