Kirk Herbstreit has found his answer for the new face of college football, and it comes from Oxford.
On a recent appearance on the Andy & Ari Show with Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman, the longtime ESPN analyst put a massive label on Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, calling him the sport’s headliner for this season.
"Like Trinidad Chambliss, to me, he I think is going to be the face of college football this year," Herbstreit said. "I think I think he's as good as the sport has to offer at that position."
That kind of praise would stand out on its own, but Chambliss brings a story that makes the hype land even harder. He didn’t arrive at Ole Miss as a blue-chip recruit expected to take over an SEC program, and he wasn’t even the kind of mid-level prospect who quietly worked his way into the job. His path started at Ferris State, where he played at the Division II level and helped win a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss.
At that point, the expectation was simple: he would back up Austin Simmons, who had been the more highly rated quarterback. Then Simmons got hurt, and Chambliss stepped into the spotlight.
What followed was a season that pushed Ole Miss to 11-1 in the regular season, the program’s best mark in several decades. Chambliss finished in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy race and helped carry the Rebels to the brink of a national championship game appearance. Ole Miss beat Tulane in the first round of the College Football Playoff, then turned around and avenged its lone regular-season loss by knocking off Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
All of it came while the Rebels were without head coach Lane Kiffin after his departure for LSU.
Now Chambliss is back for one more season after a successful court case against the NCAA, and he returns with a core group around him that is trying to build on last year’s playoff run.
"That guy's a stud, and the way he does it too," Herbstreit said. "I mean, I love his story too."
In Other News...
Ole Miss Is Fighting LSU For A QB Decision That Could Matter Big
A key quarterback target is nearing his decision, and the ripple effect could be felt well beyond one recruiting board. Ole Miss has been battling LSU in the race for a highly regarded passer, with both programs trying to close on a player whose offer list also includes Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan and Florida. In a rivalry where recruiting wins can carry as much weight as Saturdays in the fall, this one has the feel of a meaningful early swing.
The timing adds to the anticipation, with a commitment expected in the middle of August and the attention likely to follow every hint leading up to it. For Ole Miss, landing the right quarterback in this cycle would do more than add talent at the position - it would give the Rebels a major boost in the 2028 class and another reminder that their recruiting battles with LSU are still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Now Faces The Real Test Of Trinidad Chambliss' Breakout
Trinidad Chambliss arrived at Ole Miss as one of those under-the-radar quarterback additions that suddenly looks much bigger in hindsight. After stepping in as the starter in 2025 because of an injury to the previous quarterback, he turned in a breakout season that included nearly 4,000 passing yards and 30 total touchdowns, a surge that put him firmly at the center of the Rebels offense and made his path to Oxford look like a sharp bit of evaluation from Charlie Weis Jr. and Joe Judge, who were the ones to bring his tape to Lane Kiffin.
Now the more revealing season is ahead. Chambliss will be working under new offensive coordinator John David Baker, and for Ole Miss the question is no longer whether he can produce, but how much of that production was tied to Kiffins system and influence. The Rebels do not need a reminder that quarterback development can be a delicate business, but they are about to get one anyway, with Chambliss next step offering a clearer read on just how much of last year belonged to the player and how much belonged to the coach. [Read more 🡒]