Ole Miss has a rich history at the quarterback position. Some legends have played quarterback for the Rebels over the years, making narrowing down the best of the best a tough task.
But that’s what we’re here to do. From the first family of SEC football to a guy who just ran out of eligibility after this past season, the best Ole Miss QBs span several decades.Today is Ole Miss Day during the SEC Network Takeover series leading up to SEC Media Days in Atlanta starting on July 14. So let’s celebrate the Rebels by remembering their best quarterbacks ever.
Here are the QB Mount Rushmore articles we’ve done so far:
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
LSU
Today is all about the Rebels, though, so let’s dive into the 4 standout players who make up Ole Miss’s Mount Rushmore of QBs:
Archie Manning (1968-70)
When you think of Ole Miss, you think of Archie Manning. He is synonymous with the Rebels’ program. Manning finished his Ole Miss career with 31 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns. His 14 rushing scores in 1969 led the SEC.
He had 2 top-5 Heisman Trophy finishes, garnering the 4th-most votes in 1969 and the 3rd-most votes in 1970.
During the 1969 season, Manning posted 540 yards of total offense (436 passing, 104 rushing) in a narrow 33-32 loss to Alabama. That set the SEC record for most total yards of offense in a game. That record took 43 years to finally fall. Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M set a new mark by posting 557 yards against Arkansas.
Manning was truly electric, and he provided Ole Miss with another quarterback who makes the Rebels’ Mount Rushmore:
Eli Manning (2000-03)
Despite several talented QBs coming after him, Archie’s youngest son still holds the Ole Miss record for career passing touchdowns, with 81. Some of his other records have been surpassed, but not that one.
Jake Gibbs (1958-60)
Gibbs gets a spot on this list for leading the way for the golden era of Ole Miss football. The Rebels claim a national championship in 1959, but the AP Poll recognize Syracuse as the champion. But there was no doubt in 1960, when Gibbs led the Rebels to a 10-0-1 overall record. The only non-win was a tie against LSU.
