A familiar face is returning to Oxford to step out of a legendary shadow, complicating an already uncertain Ole Miss QB room. After spending one season at Louisiana, the former LSU quarterback entered the transfer portal for the fourth time and has now returned home, stepping out of his father’s shadow.

“Walker Howard is back in Oxford,” reported Matt DeGregorio on Wednesday.

Howard returns to join Joe Judge’s QB room after a winding college journey in a full-circle moment. Coming out of high school, he was a high-profile four-star prospect in the 2022 class and chose LSU. But his time with the Tigers was limited, as he attempted just four passes as a true freshman while redshirting his first season.

Still, the LSU connection always remained, and that tie runs deep. Howard’s father, Jamie Howard, was a former LSU quarterback from 1992 to 1995 and finished as one of the program’s all-time leading passers with 6,158 yards. Jamie Howard was also a standout baseball pitcher, selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the MLB Draft, and spent time in their minor league system.

Now Walker is choosing his own path, not following directly in his father’s footsteps, as he returns to a familiar place with the Rebels. He transferred to Ole Miss in 2023, spending two seasons behind Jaxson Dart. In 2024, he was the third-string quarterback behind Dart and Austin Simmons and appeared in four games for the Rebels before heading home to Louisiana to join the Ragin’ Cajuns ahead of the 2025 season.

But that stop didn’t go as planned.

Howard suffered an injury in Week 1 against Rice, sidelining him for half the year and limiting him to just 18 of 41 pass attempts the rest of the season. Howard’s 2025 stat line was modest: 155 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions—but context matters.

For Pete Golding, it’s a smart, low-risk pickup. The bigger question hangs over Trinidad Chambliss. His return depends on an eligibility case headed to Mississippi courts, with Ole Miss also appealing the NCAA’s denial of an extra season. If Chambliss is cleared, stability follows. If not, change is coming fast.

With Austin Simmons transferring to Missouri in 2025, Ole Miss is staring at a reset for 2026. They added Auburn transfer Deuce Knight, who flashed serious upside in limited freshman action. With four years of eligibility left, Knight represents the future, while Howard helps bridge the gap. More importantly, Howard steps into a crowded but intriguing QB room that includes AJ Maddox.

Ole Miss isn’t giving up on getting its star QB back

The NCAA may have slammed the door, but Trinidad Chambliss isn’t done knocking. The Ferris State transfer QB saw his waiver for an extra year denied, but the fight is far from over. Chambliss is pushing to have his 2022 season ruled a medical redshirt, a move that would unlock a rare sixth year and keep Ole Miss’ 2026 hopes alive.

Moments after the NCAA decision, Chambliss’s attorney made it clear this wasn’t ending quietly. Tom Mars, alongside Mississippi trial lawyer William Liston, plans to take the case to state court, seeking a preliminary injunction to restore Chambliss’ eligibility for the 2026 season.

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As ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported, the lawsuit is expected to be filed by the end of the week.

“A Mississippi court is a level playing field,” said Mars, signaling confidence in the legal route.

Moreover, Mars hasn’t minced words since, and he insists the lawsuit will be more detailed and better documented than similar cases filed over the past year.

“Considerable work needs to be done,” Mars told ESPN, “before we seek an injunction that would allow Trinidad to play next season.”

For Ole Miss, that’s enough to keep the light on. The path is narrow, but as long as the case lives, so does the possibility of Chambliss under center in 2026.