Trinidad Chambliss: From Backup Plan to the Hottest Name in College Football's Offseason
Heading into the season, Trinidad Chambliss wasn’t on many radars. A former Division II quarterback who transferred in as a presumed backup, Chambliss was expected to sit behind Austin Simmons - who himself had shown flashes of promise behind Jaxson Dart.
But when Simmons went down early, Chambliss got his shot. And he didn’t just take it - he ran with it, all the way into the hearts of Ole Miss fans and into the center of the college football universe.
Now, walk through The Grove on a Saturday and you’ll see Trinidad & Tobago flags waving proudly - a nod to the quarterback who’s become more than just a breakout star. He’s the face of a program that’s reached heights it hasn’t seen since the 1960s. What started as a contingency plan has turned into a storybook rise, and now the biggest question in Oxford - and arguably in the entire college football landscape - is what comes next.
The Waiver That Could Reshape the Offseason
Chambliss has applied for a waiver to return for another season, and that decision from the NCAA looms large. If the waiver is denied, he’s NFL-bound. But if it's approved, then things get really interesting - for Ole Miss, for LSU, and for the entire quarterback carousel.
His return would give him the option to either stay in Oxford, where he’s already become a legend, or follow his former head coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. to Baton Rouge. Kiffin recently took the LSU job, and with Garrett Nussmeier off to the NFL, the Tigers are in need of a quarterback. Chambliss, with his familiarity in Kiffin’s system and the upside he’s shown, would be a natural fit.
That decision - stay and become an all-time Rebel, or reunite with the staff that helped launch his rise - could set off a chain reaction across the sport.
What Happens If He Leaves?
If Chambliss heads to LSU or enters the NFL Draft, Ole Miss suddenly has a major hole at quarterback. Would Pete Golding hand the reins back to Austin Simmons and hope for a full bounce-back season? Or would the Rebels dive into the Transfer Portal themselves, potentially going head-to-head with Kiffin for some of the top names available?
And if Chambliss doesn’t end up in Baton Rouge, LSU will still be in the market. That’s where the real dominoes start to fall. Names like Sam Leavitt, Brendan Sorsby, and DJ Lagway could all be in play, and once one of those quarterbacks picks a destination, the ripple effects will be felt across the country.
Chambliss Is the Offseason's Biggest Wild Card
Lane Kiffin already flipped the script once this offseason by leaving Oxford for LSU. Now, his former quarterback might be next in line to shake up the sport. Whether it’s through a return to college football or a jump to the NFL, Chambliss' next move could reshape multiple programs and redefine the quarterback landscape heading into 2026.
For now, all eyes are on the NCAA's decision. Because once that waiver ruling drops, the real drama begins.