Ole Miss has a rich history at the quarterback position. Some legends have played quarterback for the Rebels over the years, making narrowing down the best of the best a tough task.
But that’s what we’re here to do. From the first family of SEC football to a guy who just ran out of eligibility after this past season, the best Ole Miss QBs span several decades.
Today is Ole Miss Day during the SEC Network Takeover series leading up to SEC Media Days in Atlanta starting on July 14. So let’s celebrate the Rebels by remembering their best quarterbacks ever.
Here are the QB Mount Rushmore articles we’ve done so far:
Alabama Arkansas Auburn Florida Georgia Kentucky LSUToday is all about the Rebels, though, so let’s dive into the 4 standout players who make up Ole Miss’s Mount Rushmore of QBs:
Archie Manning (1968-70)
When you think of Ole Miss, you think of Archie Manning. He is synonymous with the Rebels’ program. Manning finished his Ole Miss career with 31 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns. His 14 rushing scores in 1969 led the SEC.
He had 2 top-5 Heisman Trophy finishes, garnering the 4th-most votes in 1969 and the 3rd-most votes in 1970.
During the 1969 season, Manning posted 540 yards of total offense (436 passing, 104 rushing) in a narrow 33-32 loss to Alabama. That set the SEC record for most total yards of offense in a game. That record took 43 years to finally fall. Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M set a new mark by posting 557 yards against Arkansas.
Manning was truly electric, and he provided Ole Miss with another quarterback who makes the Rebels’ Mount Rushmore:
Eli Manning (2000-03)
Despite several talented QBs coming after him, Archie’s youngest son still holds the Ole Miss record for career passing touchdowns, with 81. Some of his other records have been surpassed, but not that one.
He’s also the only No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick in Ole Miss football history. From 1972-2002, Ole Miss didn’t have a 10-win season. Manning changed that his senior year, leading the Rebels to the Cotton Bowl, where they beat Oklahoma State in his final collegiate game.
Manning rewrote the Ole Miss record book during his time in Oxford, literally setting dozens of records. He won the Maxwell Award for his strong 2003 season in which he threw for an SEC-best 3,600 yards and 29 touchdowns. He finished third in the Heisman voting that season behind winner Jason White of Oklahoma and runner-up Larry Fitzgerald of Pitt.
He and Archie are still icons in Oxford. Though Peyton made a name for himself at Tennessee and Arch is getting ready for his first full year as a starter at Texas, the Manning name is still the stuff of legend at Ole Miss.
Jake Gibbs (1958-60)
Gibbs gets a spot on this list for leading the way for the golden era of Ole Miss football. The Rebels claim a national championship in 1959, but the AP Poll recognize Syracuse as the champion. But there was no doubt in 1960, when Gibbs led the Rebels to a 10-0-1 overall record. The only non-win was a tie against LSU.
Gibbs was the MVP of the 1960 Sugar Bowl and earned All-SEC honors in 1959. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1960 and was an All-American that season. He was an incredible athlete who also played baseball. Interestingly, he opted for a pro baseball career over football, playing from 1962 to 1971 with the New York Yankees.
The only Ole Miss national championship won by a quarterback other than Gibbs came in 1962, so his spot on Ole Miss’s QB Mount Rushmore is secure.
Jaxson Dart (2022-24)
In only 3 years at Ole Miss, Dart broke Eli Manning’s school record for career passing yards and Bo Wallace’s school record for total offensive yards in a career.
He also led the Rebels to 11 wins in 2023 — the most wins in a season by Ole Miss ever. Back-to-back 10-win seasons represent the strong program Lane Kiffin has built in Oxford.
Dart became a first-round NFL Draft pick because of what he was able to accomplish during his Ole Miss career. His name is atop the school record books for a reason. He and Kiffin have taken the Rebels to a level of success that Ole Miss hasn’t had during its lengthy history. Now it’s up to Kiffin and Austin Simmons to keep the good times going.
Honorable Mentions: Chad Kelly, Bo Wallace, Matt Corral, Jordan Ta’amu
Ole Miss’s Mount Rushmore of QBs Saturday Down South.
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