Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

David Pollack names SEC QB who made Georgia look like a ‘scout team’

Originally posted on NIL on SI | By JC Shelton | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 6:13 PM ET

College football analyst David Pollack is bullish on one overlooked SEC quarterback after a surprising showing against powerhouse Georgia last season.

Few teams have had their way with head coach Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs in recent years, following their back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, coupled with an unblemished regular-season record across three seasons leading into the 2024 campaign.

That impressive regular-season run came to an end last season in road losses to both Alabama and Ole Miss.

Against the Rebels in Week 11, Georgia was put on its heels when Ole Miss star quarterback Jaxson Dart went down with an injury. Historically, the Bulldogs were expected to have an advantage at that moment – facing an inexperienced backup like Austin Simmons – but the former four-star answered in a big way.

Simmons, with eventual No. 25 overall pick Dart looking on from the sidelines, took the reigns and led a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown march in just over three minutes of action.

Simmons completed all six of his passes on that drive, converted on a fourth down, and helped Ole Miss go on to log one of the biggest wins program history, 28-10.

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"The Ole Miss coaching staff in that Georgia game – when Austin Simmons came in and Jaxson Dart got banged up, first-round pick Jaxson Dart – they were over there on the headset and they were like, 'Jaxson, good? Sure. Are you sure? Take some time,'" Pollack said on "See Ball Get Ball."

"They were looking at each other like, 'Did this dude just come in fresh off the pine and just run through Georgia's defense, convert a fourth down and made it look like it was scout team?'" Pollack said.

That showing by Simmons, albeit brief, is the silver lining for Ole Miss after the NFL departure of Dart.

Simmons, a redshirt sophomore holding an On3 NIL valuation of $631,000, is expected to hold the keys for the 2025 season as head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels aim for their third consecutive season of at least 10 wins.

This article first appeared on NIL on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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