Ole Miss' Luke Altmyer on QB battle with Jaxson Dart: 'He's a super cool dude'
Luke Atlmyer and Jaxson Dart are two quarterbacks vying for Ole Miss’ starting quarterback job this fall.
Altmyer is the sophomore returning quarterback for the Rebels and Dart is an incoming transfer from USC.
While the competition is expected to be intense, Altmyer said he will have fun working alongside Dart, who passed for 1,353 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions for USC.
“He’s a very nice guy. He’s a great player and competitor,” Altmyer said while working as a camp counselor at the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls in Thibodaux, Louisiana, on Friday. “Our relationship is very healthy. He’s a super cool dude and very selfless and a great teammate.
“There is obviously a lot of competition and that builds some anxiety that comes with it, but I wouldn’t want anything but the best for him.”
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The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Altmyer competed in five games for Ole Miss last season, mostly behind starter Matt Corral, who has left for the NFL.
Altmyer completed 20 of 37 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in 2021. He played when Corral injured his knee during the Sugar Bowl against Baylor in New Orleans on Jan. 2. He threw for 178 yards and a touchdown and completed 15 of 28 pass attempts in a 21-7 loss.
Despite the bowl loss, Altmyer said the game was valuable.
“I’ve learned so much from that experience,” Altmyer said. “It’s great having those reps and facing the adversity that comes with it. I still have things to learn, but I’m just going to keep on trying to do my best.”
Altmyer said he has studied film from the game to prepare him for the 2022 season.
“I’ve learned something from every single clip, even being on the sideline; you take from that too,” Altmyer said. “I just wanted more reps, what to watch for and feeling more comfortable in what you are doing. It was good to get your feet wet. The more you do it, the more comfortable you get.”
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Altmyer also learned from playing behind Corral, who is preparing for his first season with the Carolina Panthers.
“I learned so much from him,” Altmyer said. “The way he operates in the film room, on the practice field, in the locker room and during games. Everywhere he went, he was a good leader. I’ve taken a lot from his mentality and the way he competed. It was always the same, and he was very consistent with how he did things.”
Altmyer said he also valued playing for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who has developed NFL quarterbacks in his coaching career.
“We’ve seen him do it at Alabama and other places,” Altmyer said. “Ole Miss is lucky to have him. He built this program as a team that should be competing for a national title every year. He’s very cool and we know that. We believe we can get there. He’s instilled that mindset into us.”
Altmyer said Ole Miss will have high expectations for the 2022 season. The Rebels went 10-3 last season and are hoping to take it a step further by winning an SEC championship.
“I’m very confident in what we’ve got and the talent that we have,” Altmyer said. “It’s all about putting it together. We were so good last year; the bond and relationships that everybody had with each other.
“It’s obviously a challenge in the SEC West. It’s a blessing to be able to play football in so many great environments. I think our team stacks up well with anybody. We have a lot of great talent. If we put it together, I think our team can go far.”
Reach Chris Singleton at 985-857-2213 or chris.singleton@houmatoday.com and on Twitter @courierchris.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Manning Passing Academy: Luke Altmyer talks about Ole Miss QB battle
