Ole Miss fans aren’t new to quarterback roller coasters. The Rebels had the luxury of watching elite QBs over the last 6 years with Matt Corral and Jaxson Dart. But what’s coming down the track in 2025? That’s uncharted territory. Jaxson Dart is gone. 18 starters dipped. 8 got drafted. Lane Kiffin’s stuck at the table with four returning starters and a 19-year-old chess piece named Austin Simmons. The big question? Is this teenage phenom really ready to run the show? Or is Kiffin handing the keys to his high-octane offense to a former dual-sport athlete a little too early?

That question echoed hard on the June 17th episode of the ‘That SEC Football’ podcast. SEC Mike didn’t sugarcoat it. “Austin Simmons — it’s that, you know, is he ready? Because I think he’s ready, but is he ready for all that comes with being an SEC quarterback, being the face of a franchise? Everywhere he goes in Oxford, people are gonna notice him. Is he ready for that? Is he ready for media days? Will they even bring him to media days? All the hype, all the glitz, all the glamor — is Austin Simmons ready?” he asked, rattling off the pressures of media day appearances, fan expectations, and full-on celebrity status in Oxford.

SEC Mike wasn’t questioning the talent. He was questioning the bandwidth. “You’re the man — yeah, are you ready for it? That’s a big question I have.”

And let’s not act like that concern came out of nowhere. Ole Miss is rebuilding with duct tape and hope. With just four returning starters—and most of them on an O-line that struggled last year—the protection plan for Simmons is thin. The running back room is not ideal. Last season, they averaged sub-3.9 yards. The Georgia game in November gave us a sneak peek, though. Dart went down, Simmons stepped in, and boom—71-yard scoring drive like it was scripted. Then came the Gator Bowl, where he sealed the deal with a cold 34-yard TD toss in crunch time. Still, one big moment doesn’t mean he’s SEC-proof.

Cousin Shane was a bit more optimistic. He liked the idea of bringing Simmons to Media Days. “That’s a great question. And I do, I do wonder. I feel like it’s — I think it’s good to bring them to a place like media days, you know, just to own up like, this is our captain now. And if you don’t, it makes me feel like you’re hiding something. I thought about that with a couple of schools last year, and it turned out to be the case — you know, the kids weren’t ready. So I think bringing Simmons out like this would be very, very good for the program.” Facts. If Kiffin skips Simmons in Atlanta this July, it might say more than any press release ever could. Simmons needs that stage. Needs to embrace the pressure.

The SEC Media Days isn’t just for quotes and photoshoots. It’s where programs lay down the law. Last year, Kiffin brought Dart, Tre Harris, and Jared Ivey. This year, Ole Miss hits the podium on Day 1, July 14. If Simmons shows up, that’s the signal—he’s QB1, no debate. If not? Eyes will roll, whispers will grow.

End of the day, the pressure on the kid is totally unfair. Finished high school at 16, college credits done before getting the starter nod. But brains don’t block SEC pass rushers. Kiffin believes in him, but the world’s watching to see if belief turns into production, or pressure makes the pipes burst.

Quintuple move for Austin Simmons

Now, let’s talk about what Lane Kiffin did to make sure his new signal-caller doesn’t go out there with nerf guns. The man dropped a quintuple threat into the WR room like a care package from the transfer portal gods. Five wideouts. All of them ranked in 247Sports’ top 50.

De’Zhaun Stribling from Oklahoma State leads the group, a crisp route-runner with 882 yards and six scores last year. Then there’s Harrison Wallace III, the Penn State vet with hands like vice grips and 720 yards of work. Caleb Odom from Bama brings size and ceiling. Traylon Ray from West Virginia? Deep ball menace. And Wake Forest’s Deuce Alexander rounds out the list with straight-up explosiveness. That’s five new weapons. All SEC-ready. All ready to ride.

Kiffin didn’t stop there either. Cayden Lee, who low-key had 874 yards last season, is still in town. Add that to a Simmons-led offense, and you’re cooking with premium unleaded. CBS Sports even gave Ole Miss an honorable mention as one of the best WR rooms in the country—right up there with Oregon, Georgia, and Texas.

And here’s the crazy part—that offensive output from last year? That was with Dart. Ole Miss ranked second in the nation in passing yards per game (350.8) and tenth in touchdowns through the air. Kiffin’s system works. The blueprint is there. But without a leader who can cash the checks those wideouts write, it’s just fireworks with no fuse. So now we circle back—was Georgia a fluke, or was it the first act of a breakout saga? He’s got a war chest of receivers. If he’s ready, Ole Miss could be the surprise problem in the SEC. If not? Well… five top-50 wideouts might be running wind sprints for nothing.

All eyes on July 14. The SEC Media Day.