Ole Miss Rebels football coach Lane Kiffin might have too much talent in his quarterback room, between redshirt sophomore Austin Simmons and Ferris State Bulldogs transfer Trinidad Chambliss. Too much talent to keep all happy, anyway.
That’s not typically a problem, but with how good Chambliss has been, it soon may become one in Oxford. Simmons is set to return soon from a lower-body injury suffered in Week 2 against the Kentucky Wildcats, but Chambliss (42/62 passing, four passing touchdowns, no INTs, 195 rushing yards, two rushing TDs) is making himself undeniable.
Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg warns that Kiffi could have a QB dilemma before the Rebels take on the LSU Tigers at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium.
“The Ferris State transfer is acclimating himself well to the top level of college football. Chambliss made his second straight start for the injured Austin Simmons and excelled again in the No. 13 Rebels’ 45-10 win over Tulane,” Bromberg wrote.
“Chambliss was 17-of-27 passing for 307 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 14 times for 112 yards. Chambliss has played so well against Arkansas and Tulane that coach Lane Kiffin could have a dilemma on his hands for the Rebels’ Week 5 game vs. LSU if Simmons is healthy. Simmons started Ole Miss’ first two games of the season but suffered a left ankle injury in a Week 2 win over Kentucky.”
Kiffin now has a small-scale version of the Tua Tagovailoa-Jalen Hurts controversy his old boss and inspiration, Nick Saban, had during the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 2017 and 2018 seasons. Ole Miss, like those Alabama teams, is a College Football Playoff contender.
Getting this decision right could be a season-defining choice for Kiffin. The margins between making the 12-team field are naturally more lenient than a four-team field, but two losses and three appear to be the line.
Kiffin is a QB whisperer who created NFLers out of Matt Corral and Jaxson Dart. He’s a lot more trustworthy than most who could be in his shoes.