Ole Miss Football Linked to Coveted Transfer Portal Quarterback After Official Visit
Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels are retooling the quarterback room in Oxford this offseason with multiple newcomers making their way to town.
With the departure of first-round NFL Draft selection Jaxson Dart, Kiffin and Co. are looking to rebuild the offense moving forward.
Redshirt-sophomore Austin Simmons is the new QB1 in Oxford with the talented left-handed signal-caller emerging as the starter in the “post-Dart” era.
The youngster is handling his business both on and off of the gridiron with his efforts earning the respect of his teammates and head coach.
“I think (Simmons) has done a really good job spending time with players,” Lane Kiffin said during spring camp. “He’s always out trying to throw extra with them. He’s got a hard act to follow.”
Kiffin has praised his young signal-caller, but Simmons’ teammates have also provided rave reviews.
“I’ve seen Austin really step up. Just being a leader he always wants to put in work, he always wants to throw with the receivers and always wanting to get meshes with me. He’s becoming a leader, he’s taking control of the team. That’s what we need from our quarterback,” senior running back Domonique Thomas told 247 Sports.
But Ole Miss is keeping options open to round out the quarterback room behind Simmons.
Kiffin and Co. have added a pair of quarterbacks via the NCAA Transfer Portal during the spring window: Trinidad Chambliss [Ferris State] and Maealiuaki Smith [Oklahoma State].
Chambliss, one of the top signal-callers at the Division II level, is fresh off of a monstrous campaign with his Ferris State program.
He was a second-team All-American in 2024 after tossing for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns, but his dual-threat ability stole the show.
Chambliss also rushed for 1,019 yards and 25 touchdowns after logging 50-plus total touchdowns on the season.
He’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining with Kiffin and Co. addressing the depth of the quarterback room.
Smith, who’s coming off of his freshman campaign with the Cowboys, provides an additional depth piece behind starting signal-caller Austin Simmons.
The young quarterback started two games last season for the Cowboys. Now, he’s signed with the Ole Miss Rebels.
Despite his limited action at Oklahoma State, Smith went 44-of-74 on passing attempts with 489 yards through the air, logging two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Smith also tallied a rushing touchdown during his lone season with the Cowboys.
But Ole Miss isn’t done just yet in the quarterback market with a new target on the program’s radar.
Meet the Target: Shawqi Itraish [Rice]
Ole Miss hosted Rice quarterback transfer Shawqi Itraish for an official visit to Oxford this week, he revealed via social media on Tuesday.
Itraish spent three years with the Rice Owls where he completed 24-of-45 passes with 216 yards during his time in the Lone Star State.
He tossed for zero touchdowns and six interceptions across three seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 211-pounder would provide the Rebels with a depth piece moving forward behind Simmons if he were to pull the trigger.
It’ll be Chambliss, Smith and AJ Maddox in the quarterback room behind Simmons as it stands, but with Itraish on the program’s radar, it’d add another body moving forward.
Simmons, Chambliss and Smith are healthy options as it stands with Maddox sidelined indefinitely following a hand injury suffered during Spring Camp.
Itraish remains a player the Rebels are linked to as his Transfer Portal process ramps up this offseason.
