Expectations and hopes are as high as they’ve ever been around Ole Miss football and the time to live up to all of that is quickly approaching.
Ole Miss opens its fall practices in eight days. The roster is set. The preseason hype is overflowing. But we’ll soon find out how much these Rebels will live up to that hype.
As we get ready for the sounds of pads colliding and the distinct smell of wet, summer grass fills our nostrils, let’s take a look at the different position groups.
Some positions are obvious enough that any fan could fill out the depth chart. Others, not so much. But today, let’s start with the easiest position group of all, the quarterbacks.
Ole Miss Quarterbacks
Trinidad Chambliss, Sr.
- H/W: 6-foot-0, 205 lbs.
- 2025 Stats (Ole Miss): 15 GMs, 294-445 (66.1%), 3,937 yards, 22 TD, 3 INT; 133 runs, 527 yards, 8 TD
- How arrived in Oxford: Most college football fans know this story. Chambliss won a national championship in Div. II at Ferris State and transferred to Ole Miss after the 2024 season. He entered last season as the backup to Austin Simmons and got his first start against Arkansas after Simmons was injured. Chambliss never gave up the starting job and led the Rebels to within one play of a spot in the national championship game.
- 2026 Outlook: Nobody knew who Chambliss was 365 days ago. Now, everyone knows who he is. Chambliss is garnering all the hype a top-ranked college quarterback on a national championship-contending team normally receives. First-team All-SEC, preseason favorite to win the Heisman, etc. Ole Miss fans hope he lives up to the preseason hype.
Walker Howard, Sr.
- H/W: 6-foot-0, 195 lbs.
- 2025 Stats (Louisiana): 6 GMs, 18-41 (43.9%), 155 yards, 3 INT; 15 runs, 82 yards, 1 TD
- How arrived in Oxford: Howard is back at Ole Miss after a one-year stint with the Ragin’ Cajuns. He began his collegiate career in 2022 with LSU and played in two games. He then transferred to Ole Miss where he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as Jaxson Dart’s backup. It became clear ahead of last season that Austin Simmons would be the next starting quarterback and Howard went someplace where he’d actually play.
- 2026 Outlook: Between him, Knight and Maddox, Ole Miss has a solid group of contenders to be Chambliss’ backup. How they perform in fall practices will determine the exact order but Howard has the most experience and that’s a trait all on its own.
Deuce Knight, Fr.
- H/W: 6-foot-5, 225 lbs.
- 2025 Stats (Auburn): 2 GMs, 17-25 (68%), 259 yards, 2 TD; 13 runs, 178 yards, 4 TD
- How arrived in Oxford: Played and started in two games during the 2025 season at Auburn after being one of Mississippi’s highest-rated recruits in high school. After Auburn fired Hugh Freeze and hired Alex Golesh, the Tigers also brought in Byrum Brown, Golesh’s starting quarterback at South Florida, Knight entered the transfer portal and committed to Ole Miss.
- 2026 Outlook: The starting job isn’t up for grabs barring an injury, but Knight could be the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. He’ll have to battle another transfer, Walker Howard, for that job. Expect to see Knight in garbage time of games, especially against lesser competition like Charlotte and Wofford.
AJ Maddox, So.
- H/W: 6-foot-1, 195 lbs.
- 2025 Stats (Ole Miss): 2 GM, 1-1, 19 yards; 1 run, 8 yards
- How arrived in Oxford: Maddox came to Ole Miss as part of the 2024 signing class after earning a four-star rating at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg. He did not appear in any games in the 2024 season, earning a redshirt, and appeared in two games in 2025 with one pass completion and one run.
- 2026 Outlook: Maddox is likely the No. 4 quarterback on the Ole Miss depth chart, behind Chambliss, Howard and Knight. Although, he could impress coaches enough in practice to vie for the No. 2 spot. He could possibly some playing time in games against Charlotte or Wofford, or another large blowout win for the Rebels.
Jack Patterson, So.
- H/W: 6-foot-3, 205 lbs.
- 2025 Stats (Central Arkansas): DNP – Redshirt
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss after redshirting as a freshman at Central Arkansas.
- 2026 Outlook: To be blunt, if Patterson is taking meaningful snaps this season, something has gone horribly wrong for the Rebels. Whether it’s the worst injury luck a team has ever had at quarterback or poor play from others, if Patterson is in the game, the Rebels are having a rough season. That’s nothing against Patterson, but the reality of the situation and depth chart.
Rees Wise, Fr.
- H/W: 6-foot-1, 210 lbs.
- High School career (Westlake High School, Austin, Texas): 6,443 yards and 58 TD passing, 1,197 yards; 35 TD rushing in varsity career
- How arrived in Oxford: A three-star recruit from the same school Drew Brees played, Wise was the No. 33 quarterback in the nation and picked Ole Miss over Arizona, SMU and Houston.
- 2026 Outlook: True freshmen rarely get much playing time at quarterback in the SEC and Wise isn’t generational talent. He could become one, but will most likely spend this season working out of the spotlight to become that.
