Lane Kiffin the Yoda of Ole Miss? Star Wars fan Jaxson Dart thinks so

Dallas — Jaxson Dart is well known to be a Star Wars fan with his Anakin Skywalker-inspired face black he wears on game days. The Ole Miss quarterback also knows which character from the popular space opera franchise Lane Kiffin would be.

The duo of Kiffin and Dart is heading towards year three of being together at Ole Miss and the friendship has grown “lightyears” from where it started in 2022.

This bond that is turning into a mentorship got Dart thinking when asked on Monday during the Rebels Southeastern Conference Media Days appearance a specific question.

If Dart is Anakin Skywalker then what Star Wars character would Kiffin be?

“Yoda, easily,” Dart said. “His wisdom, knowledge. Coach Kiffin has been through a lot throughout his coaching career. Youngest head coach to ever coach in the NFL during his time there. I feel he’s coached at the high level at every level and he’s been somebody that I’ve learned a lot from and has shed a lot of his wisdom off to me.”

The idea of picturing Kiffin as a small green creature with a cane and large ears is quite the visual but the fictional character speaks to Dart’s answer.

While Kiffin might seem more like the charismatic and aloof intergalactic smuggler Han Solo (stick with me non Star Wars fans) the comparison alludes to the growth the fifth-year Ole Miss head coach has shown.

Since coming to Ole Miss Kiffin has undergone a makeover of sorts physically, mentally and spiritually. The wealth of life experience and coaching experience is allowing Kiffing to reach a point where he is now taking on the role of elder statesman of college football and ready to spread that wisdom to the next generation.

Removing the fun comparisons, Ole Miss is in a better place heading into this season due to that dynamic of Kiffin and Dart

Dart is entering his third season as the Rebels quarterback, the first where he is the de-facto starter before the season starts.

Throughout spring practice and the Summer offseason Dart’s growth off the field as a locker room leader has been discussed. As Kiffin has grown as a coach so has his quarterback as a teammate.

“I think growth just kind of naturally happens when you’re in a system for consecutive seasons, but at the same time I feel like I’ve grown a ton in just like my leadership qualities and being able to make those relationships with my teammates so that they can trust me in high intense moments, you could say,” Dart said.

“But I think the biggest thing for me through my growth has been leadership and being able to kind of bring along the guys, set a standard and expectation.”

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