Trinidad Chambliss is poised to make his third consecutive start as quarterback for Ole Miss in their upcoming game against No. 4 LSU. This decision comes as Austin Simmons remains on the mend from an ankle injury. Chambliss has made a significant impact in his previous two starts, leading the team to victories and amassing a total of five touchdowns.
Austin Simmons, who began the season as Ole Miss’s starting quarterback, has struggled to regain his form due to his lingering injury. Although he briefly appeared in the game against Arkansas, his time on the field was cut short as he continued to be affected by the injury. Meanwhile, Chambliss, who transferred from Ferris State after winning a Division II national championship, has capitalized on this opportunity. He delivered an impressive performance against Tulane, completing 17 of 27 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 112 yards on 14 carries.
Chambliss’s outstanding performances have even sparked some discussions about his potential candidacy for the Heisman Trophy, especially with Simmons currently sidelined. According to On3, sources suggest that Simmons has shown some improvement in his condition, but he is not yet back to full strength.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin recently commented on the situation, stating, “We’ll have to evaluate Simmons’ health and then make a decision. Today was just a walkthrough, so not enough to evaluate. But at 100% he was our starting quarterback. But we don’t know what percentage he’ll be.” These remarks indicate that while Simmons remains a vital part of the team, his current health status will dictate the quarterback selection for upcoming games.
In his season thus far, Chambliss has accumulated 719 passing yards and four touchdowns, while also contributing 195 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Remarkably, he has maintained a clean record with no turnovers and a completion rate of nearly 68%. Chambliss ranks first in the SEC for yards per pass attempt at 11.6 and is second in passer rating.
Ole Miss is scheduled for a bye next week, followed by a challenging schedule that includes games against Washington State, and then consecutive road trips in the SEC to face Georgia and Oklahoma. This schedule provides Simmons with valuable time to recover and regain full health before the demanding phase of SEC competition.
The match against LSU is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, promising to be a thrilling encounter as the Rebels continue to navigate their season with Chambliss at the helm, at least for the time being.