Lane Kiffin is living up to his reputation of being a quarterback whisperer because Trinidad Chambliss is stunning crowds in every game. The QB is taking charge of the Rebels’ offense with a lot of gusto, making fans eager to see more of him. Turns out the HC is actually trying to make that happen.

Lane Kiffin is reportedly trying to fight for an extra year of eligibility for his star QB, per The Huge Show. Ever since Diego Pavia made his case, it has sparked hope in other players to try to sneak in some more playing time. Chambliss is in his last year of eligibility, having spent the rest of his career at Ferris State. But the QB is a big reason why the Ole Miss offense is that good.

Against Oklahoma, Chambliss went 24-of-44 on passes, threw for 315 yards, and scored one. Plus, the 23-year-old’s 86.4 QBR so far is enough to push Kiffin to keep him around. But the plan won’t be so straightforward.

Pavia’s injunction, allowing him to play one more season, is a landmark decision in college football. The NCAA then issued a waiver for all athletes competing in the league, after coming from “non-NCAA schools for one or more years.” These players would otherwise have become ineligible after the 2024-25 season. Chambliss doesn’t exactly fall in this category, since Ferris State is an NCAA school. He’s already in his last year of eligibility, playing as a redshirt senior for Ole Miss in 2025.

But he stands on almost the same ground as Diego Pavia. The Vanderbilt QB had also argued that the NCAA violated antitrust law. More importantly, he would have been deprived of opportunities to make NIL money at the D1 level, just because he spent a greater time in JUCO. That’s where Chambliss stands to gain.

“Reality is if granted another year of eligibility he could make millions in NIL money,” the post read. The QB has become one of the best in the country. He stirred up some chatter after transferring to Ole Miss, having led Ferris State to a National Championship. Ever since Austin Simmons exited the Kentucky game with an injury, Chambliss has become the star of the Ole Miss offense. This newfound attention calls for more financial opportunities.

As per On3 NIL valuations, Trinidad Chambliss is part of the top 100 list for college football athletes. If we only consider QBs’ list, then the Ole Miss star is #38. Entering the transfer portal, the 23-year-old was caught off guard by the number of offers coming in. Ohio State was looking at him for a backup role as well. Temple was offering him a $300,000 NIL deal, too. Though Chambliss came from the D2 level, he was clearly a wanted man in D1.

Chambliss has the third-highest QBR in the SEC. Now, he may very well lead the Rebels to a playoff spot by the end of the regular season. He has value here – and Lane Kiffin is now looking to maximize it.

The road ahead for Trinidad Chambliss is not so easy

Trinidad Chambliss will bow out on an extremely strong note, that’s for sure. However, the aftermath becomes a bit hazy regarding the QB. He’ll look to enter the draft, but with the names that are already fighting to go big, it won’t be easy for him to stand out. Sports Illustrated and ESPN predict the 23-year-old to go as a Day 3 pick. He will bank on his D2 history and Ole Miss heroics majorly. Sure, he’s done enough to get the country talking about him, but NFL scouts will focus on his D1 experience primarily.

Trinidad Chambliss also doesn’t have a significant edge over his contemporaries. The QB is lucky he is under the guidance of Lane Kiffin, whose offensive genius blurs out his mistakes. Chambliss tends to struggle with inaccuracy, having an average completion rate of 61%. He has logged in 3 games where it dropped below 60, including in the recent win against Oklahoma.

Previously, Georgia also really tested him in the 4th quarter with pressure. Chambliss has to put on a spellbinding performance now to bump up his stock. Even then, there’s a high chance he will mostly be seen as a backup QB. Some more time at the college level will help Chambliss polish his skills and put himself in the conversation of being an even bigger pick. The question is, will he get that time?