Mississippi QB Jaxson Dart

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart joins the pod to talk about his recent hot streak as a passer, his relationship with wide receiver Tre Harris, how he became such a hard-nosed player, his innate fashion sense, his love of hunting, his bond with USC QB Miller Moss, how close he came to bolting to the NFL last December and more!  Also, elite Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden stops by to talk about his surging Tigers squad and why he chose football over basketball way back when. Host Chris Huston closes the show with a discourse on September games and the Heisman, with a look ahead to the big Heisman impact games coming up. 

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Transcript

Chris Huston (00:00.62)

Okay, Jaxson Dart, the Rebels are 2-0 and ranked fifth in the country and you're off to a hot start, leading the nation in all kinds of passing categories, but now your first road trip is coming up, so what has the coaching staff been emphasizing to the team as you prepare for Wake Forest?

Jaxson Dart (00:18.437)

I think the biggest thing that Coach Kiff always preaches is pack your own game and pack your defense on the road. So this team, like you said, we haven't been on a road trip. So it's going to be really fun to kind of experience that with those guys and play a really good team that we're excited to play this week and excited to elevate our game and to play on a really high level.

Chris Huston (00:41.752)

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for the offense going against the Demon Deacons?Jaxson Dart (00:46.107)

Yeah, they're a very sound defense all across the board from the defensive line to the defensive backfield. They have lot of experienced guys, guys who have played a lot of football. So I think from just that standpoint, you're not really going to beat them at the fundamentals. So we have got to find ways to find advantages and hopefully just win as many one-on-one opportunities that we get. And then at the same time, like I said earlier, try to just establish the run game and control the line of scrimmage as much as we can. You know, they're gonna come out firing they’ve got a good offense so we have got to do all that we can to match that and you know, really just control the line of scrimmage

Chris Huston (01:22.552)

Now last Saturday you completed your first 24 passes to set a program record and you were two off of the NCAA record and you completed the final six passes of week one. So that's a streak of 30 straight completions. The SEC's longest completion streak ever over two games. What is it like to go on a streak like that? Did you ever do that in your life? Like even with your dad in the backyard as a kid?

Jaxson Dart (01:45.521)

I'm not sure if I have, honestly. It was a fun feeling to be in. People talk about just being in the zone and just finding a rhythm in the game. I feel like the game slowed down a lot for me. And I was able to just find a lot of consistency. And I think, honestly, it was a little contagious for our unit as an offense. And guys were able to make plays for me. think that I give all the credit to them and my coaches for putting us in the best situations to execute. And it was just a lot of fun to be out there with the guys and to play at that level.

Hopefully I can find ways to continue to that.

Chris Huston (02:18.572)

Yeah. You know, how do they treat you in the sidelines when you're coming off and when you're on that kind of role, is it like a pitcher during a no hitter? Like, are you aware of your streak and no one wants to talk to you about it?

Jaxson Dart (02:28.121)

Yeah, it's funny, you because after the game people started bringing it up to me. Nobody said anything to me during the game. Like you said, people definitely compared it to like a pitcher. But, you know, I saw it, you know, on the screen when the stats popped up a few times and it's kind of like, dang, you know, I'm in a good spot right now. But it was a lot of fun.

Chris Huston (02:46.808)

Tell me about this bond you have with wide receiver Trey Harris. Seems like you guys really feed off each other as competitors and as teammates.

Jaxson Dart (02:54.095)

Yeah, not only is he probably my best friend on the team, but I think he's the best receiver in the country. And I think that all goes to credit with how much time that we've spent with each other, doing extra work or just hanging out and finding that bond between one another. I feel like I always know where he's at on the field. And any time that he has an opportunity to have a one-on-one matchup or to go get a ball, I have all the confidence in the world that he's going to make that play. And he works his tail off all throughout the offseason and into camp. I thought that he was well prepared going into this year and was really excited for him to show the whole world kind of what level he was going to play at.

Chris Huston (03:29.324)

Yeah, one of the things I like about your game is your hard nose approach to doing your job. You're not afraid of contact. You're not afraid to hurdle defenders. Where did this attitude come from? Because not a lot of quarterbacks have it.

Jaxson Dart (03:40.965)

Yeah, I think from early on, my dad played safety at the University of Utah. And he kind of raised me to kind of follow in his footsteps per se. So growing up, I always played both sides. And I love defense. And I love the physicality of the sport. It was something I was really drawn to. And I think any time that your teammates can see you playing at that level of just competitiveness and then putting yourself all on the line for them, I think it forms a little bit of an edge for your team.

So I think that that's kind of where it all started from and it's just really something I love about the sport.

Chris Huston (04:16.536)

Now I hear mom is on your case about sliding when you're in those situations though. 

Jaxson Dart (04:20.997)

Yeah, she makes sure to remind me every time on the Walk of Champions or on away games and pre-games to always slide.

Chris Huston (04:27.352)

You had a nice season last year, led Mississippi to its first ever 11 -win season. How close were you last December to making a jump to the NFL?

Jaxson Dart (04:35.845)

Yeah, quite honestly, it was close. I'm just really thankful for the close circle that I have and just the mentors that I had being able to help me make a decision like that. I think ultimately it just came down to the momentum of this program and where we're at. And then at the same time, just the conversations that I was having with my teammates who are kind of on the bubble as well. And we saw the opportunity that we have for this year with them coming back. We're just really excited about the opportunity. We want to do something that's never been done here before.

Chris Huston (05:03.448)

So you chose to come back for another year. I mean, there have been many changes in college football the last few seasons. What's it like being a college football player now compared to when you first came to college, when you were back at USC?

Jaxson Dart (05:16.529)

Yeah, there's definitely a little bit of a difference, but, you know, honestly, I see it as the same thing. I just have always prioritized football and ball is ball and just keeping the main thing the main thing. So, you know, from my perspective of going to work every single day or just my approach and mindset, nothing has changed from that standpoint. But I think it's just been great, you know, being able to play with new players from the transfer portal and being able to bring guys in from all across the country and ultimately just make the best team possible.

Chris Huston (05:46.838)

Well speaking of that, I hear you played a big part in getting lots of fresh talent to Ole Miss. Tell me about some of the things you did to help convince some guys to come.

Jaxson Dart (05:54.557)

I think the biggest thing was just trying to make genuine relationships with those guys and just being upfront and honest. I feel like, you know, in recruiting nowadays, there's a lot of things that are kind of shaded and there's not as much honesty involved. So I just wanted to be authentic and wanted to make sure that those guys saw what this program was about. You know, not behind closed doors, just straight up what it was. And that played a major role of being able to make those relationships and ultimately just gain trust and, I think at the same time, this program sells itself. There's a lot of energy around it. The coaching staff is elite. Ultimately, I think that was the biggest thing involved with those guys making decisions.

Chris Huston (06:37.804)

What do you like most about living in Oxford and what do you miss the most about from the West Coast?

Jaxson Dart (06:43.729)

The biggest thing that I miss from the West Coast is probably just my family. It's so far away. I miss the mountains and the lakes for sure. But I love Oxford. I love the people here. I love the support system and just the energy surrounding football in the South. You can't compare it. So I think from that standpoint, I've really enjoyed it. I love how I'm able to just really just lock in and hone in on my craft of football. And I don’t really have too many distractions around me. And I love that about it. And like I said, I love the people and the community as a whole.

Chris Huston (07:17.346)

Yeah. I hear you're quite the hunter and that you are into going after exotic animals.

Jaxson Dart (07:25.006)

I am, I am.

Chris Huston (07:26.846)

How did that start out? I mean, from childhood, you watch a lot of Tiger King. What's going on with that?

Jaxson Dart (07:33.957)

Yeah, my dad is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. So I've been surrounded by it my whole entire life. I mean, since I could remember my dad was making me hike up mountains with him and go on a hunt. So it was something that I was drawn to at an early age. And it's kind of just strengthened my love for it, coming to the South and being surrounded by it. I really love getting into ducks and stuff out here. So it's a lot of fun. I love being outdoors. I love being away from social media, away from distractions and really just finding myself in the moment and that peace.

Chris Huston (08:09.112)

What's some of the most interesting animals you've been able to hunt?

Jaxson Dart (08:13.265)

Geez, black bears are super fun. Mountain lions are cool. I love hunting just mule deer and elk. But honestly, feel like in the states wise, if you can name it, I've been on a hunt for it.

Chris Huston (08:28.872)

Do you make venison or beef jerky or anything like that out of your kills? 

Jaxson Dart

Yeah. 

Chris Huston (08:30)

You recently got interviewed by GQ about your dedication to being a stylish gent. I hear you plan your outfits well in advance. What goes into that planning and do you abide by typical fashion rules?

Jaxson Dart (08:34.999)

Everything, everything. Yes, I kind of just abide by, whatever I'm feeling at that moment. I like to kind of be disruptive and really just, you know, show who I am, you know, deep down in my fashion. I think my mom does a great job of helping me and she definitely plays a huge role in helping me to prepare for those fits throughout the season.

Chris Huston (09:08.248)

Are you big into accessories?

Jaxson Dart (09:10.231)

I am, I am, I am.

Chris Huston (09:13.336)

Outside of Ole Miss swag, what's your go-to fit when you're going out in Oxford?

Jaxson Dart (09:18.821)

Well, geez, I feel like I dress differently than everybody else in Oxford. You see the khaki pants and the button-ups and whatnot, and then you see me with cargos and whatnot. I like to dress the way that I dress, even though it's a little different than others, but I have a lot of fun with it.

Chris Huston (09:38.392)

Yeah, when you recruited out of high school, you signed with USC in the same class as its current quarterback Miller Moss. Right now between the two of you, you've got 1400 passing yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions. That's a pretty darn good quarterback recruiting class. Do you and Miller and some of your old teammates all keep up with each other?

Jaxson Dart (09:55.097)

Yeah, absolutely. I would say some of my best friends are still at USC. And I loved my time there. I loved being in the same quarterback room with Miller. He's a stud. And me and him have a great relationship. So it's fun to follow him. And we always have stayed in touch. And we also have the same quarterback trainer. So during the offseason, we're always together. And at the same time, we're always competing, regardless of if we're in the same room or across the country. So I'm always rooting for him. And I think the same goes for him.

Chris Huston (10:26.454)

Who's the quarterback trainer you guys train with?

Jaxson Dart (10:28.881)

3d QB so Adam Dedeaux, Taylor Kelly and John Beck

Chris Huston (10:34.872)

Is that Adam Dedeaux of the USC Dedeauxs? Wow, how about that? 

Mississippi has had five players in its history finish in the top four of the Heisman race. Most recently Eli Manning who did so in 2003 when he finished third. You got to work with him at the Manning Passing Academy this summer. What was that like? And did you receive any words of wisdom from him?

Jaxson Dart (10:37.753)

Yes, sir. Yeah, Eli and Archie have been great mentors for me. I thought it's been super unique about how involved they've been in my time here. And I thought that their camp was incredible. It was my first year going to it and just experiencing it. Had a ton of fun and was able to learn a lot. But like I said, he's been a huge mentor for me and somebody that I've always really looked up to on the football field. So it's been a neat experience getting to know him and then at the same time, him giving me advice going into the season.

Chris Huston (11:23.49)

Do you hear from him more like when you have a rough game or when you have a great game?

Jaxson Dart (11:28.229)

Probably a great game.

Chris Huston (11:29.248)

Yeah. And finally, who are some Heisman winners that you've enjoyed watching over the years and what would it mean for you to take your place with them or at least get to New York City and be a Heisman finalist?

Jaxson Dart (11:40.625)

Jeez, there's been a lot. I mean, I think that starting out like Marcus Mariota was one that I loved growing up watching. Johnny Manziel was super fun. Also guys like Reggie Bush, just growing up watching him as well. I had a unique experience of really knowing Jayden Daniels closely, and he's a dear friend to me and somebody that I've always looked up to. We also trained with the same quarterback guys, so. You know, there's countless guys that I've been able to meet and have encounters with and I have a ton of respect for them. And like I said, they've been people who I've really looked up to. So it would definitely mean the world. Yeah, I know that it comes with winning. So right now I'm just focused on winning each and every week and putting my team in the best situation.

Chris Huston (12:25.784)

Well, Jaxson Dart of the No. 5 Mississippi Rebels, thanks for coming on the official Heisman Trophy Podcast. Good luck against Wake Forest and we look forward to seeing you play this year.

Jaxson Dart (12:34.533)

Yes sir, I appreciate that. Thanks for having me.