Mizzou QB Austin Simmons
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding knows this week’s quarterback opponent extremely well. He is former Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons, who was once considered the hands-down favorite to be the heir to Jaxson Dart under center for the Rebels.
Then Trinidad Chambliss happened.
The two meet in a Top 25 showdown Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in a sold-out Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.
Golding has spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to slow Simmons. So far this season, he has thrown for 1,434 yards, and14 touchdowns to just one interception.
“It’s scary to know how good he is,” Golding said Monday from his weekly press conference at the Manning Center. “And how talented he is. I love Austin. He did an unbelievable job while he was here. He’s got elite arm talent…He’s more athletic than you think.
“It’s fun watching him develop as the season goes. He had two games under his belt here and then got hurt…I know he’s super competitive and has got elite leadership ability and all that, and you can see that in his play.”
Simmons isn’t the only former Rebel Golding has to have an eye on Saturday. Wide receiver Cayden Lee followed Chambliss to Missouri. Lee has 42 receptions for 616 yards and five TDs this season.
“I think the offense and their offense goes through Cayden, We know what type of player he is, no doubt. He’s very elusive, and elite route runner and really understands what they’re trying to do conceptually.”