By: George Ahearn

Since the creation of the transfer portal, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been labeled a kingpin of the transfer portal. If it wasn’t for Lincoln Riley’s hit-and-run – bringing Caleb Williams with him to USC – Kiffin would stand out as the main beneficiary of the portal.

Today, Lane Kiffin struck gold again, and a quarterback room that was already one of the best in the nation, got stronger. As they say, the rich get richer. 

This morning, Oklahoma State grad transfer Spencer Sanders announced he would be joining the Rebels for his presumed final season. This news comes on the heels of LSU quarterback Walker Howard transferring to the Rebels following his freshman year at LSU, where the former five-star redshirted and only made one in-game appearance. Certainly, the news that LSU starting quarterback Jayden Daniels would return for his senior season after bringing the Tigers to the SEC championship played a role in Howard’s departure. 

Yet, what is so interesting about Howard and Sanders’ decision to transfer to Ole Miss is the fact that they already have an established quarterback. Sophomore Jaxson Dart started his first full season of college football this previous season with the Rebels after transferring from USC following his freshman year. Dart put up solid numbers while leading the Rebels to an 8-5 record.

While an 8-5 record is not the standard in Oxford, it was assumed that Dart played well enough and showed certain flashes as a young quarterback that would solidify him as the starter next season.

Maybe it was the end of season collapse when Ole Miss dropped four straight – or maybe it’s Lane Kiffin’s addiction to the transfer portal – but now we have a wide open quarterback competition heading into spring ball. 

The news of Howard’s transfer was not necessarily newsworthy, as we often see top recruits now transfer if they find themselves buried on a depth chart. Ole Miss as the destination is a little surprising given the apparent quarterback battle he would find himself in, but it isn’t rare to see top quarterbacks bet on themselves, and it’s  honestly refreshing to see someone go seek competition in the portal.

However, the Sanders news seems bleak for Howard.

Spencer Sanders had an illustrious career at Oklahoma State. He is the only four-year starter under legendary head coach Mike Gundy and is second all-time in program passing yards while finishing one win shy of tying Mason Rudolph for the most wins in ‘Pokes history. 

Sanders’ best year came in 2021, where he won Big 12 MVP and led the Cowboys to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame. In this season, Oklahoma State was predominantly lethal due to their stout defense. Sanders thrives on a team where he can be patient, use his legs, and make the right decision to win games – which is partly why the Ole Miss decision is so puzzling.

On top of the fact that the quarterback room is so crowded, Ole Miss is not a team that fits Sanders’ strengths, which begs the question: why did Sanders choose Ole Miss?

There are two main reasons I believe Sanders landed on Ole Miss. One, Kiffin has an appeal to transfers that is second to none, and the work he has done since the start of the transfer portal demonstrates this unique ability.

Secondly, if Sanders wants to develop into an NFL quarterback, Ole Miss may give him the best chance to do that.

The decision from Sanders is respectable, and I don’t think anyone can question that. The idea he’s going to waltz into Oxford and take the job, however, is a fantasy. That quarterback competition will be fierce and one of the highlights of the offseason, but once again these transfer decisions prove that Kiffin’s magnetic pull in the portal is second to none. Throw in a returning 1,000 yard tailback in now-sophomore Quinshon Judkins, and you’ve got an offense with sky-high potential.

Now, all three of his highly-touted quarterbacks were added through the portal, and puts the power in Lane Kiffin’s hand to take this team in any direction he wants – hopefully restoring SEC championship and national championship dreams to Oxford, Mississippi.