James Franklin breaks down ‘challenge’ of Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss offense

Death, taxes, and elite defense from Penn State football. The Nittany Lions have performed on such a high caliber on the defensive side of the ball in recent years that it’s seemingly become an absolute of life around State College in the fall. But Saturday’s Peach Bowl poses a unique challenge for Penn State. It’s not just because the Nittany Lions travel to Atlanta without their defensive coordinator or potentially some of their biggest playmakers. But Ole Miss will also present a high-powered offensive threat unlike anything Penn State experienced this fall. On Tuesday, James Franklin discussed the Rebels offense and the difficulty of facing top-level QB Jaxson Dart.

James Franklin: Dart, Ole Miss offense will be “challenge” for Penn State football

Penn State football will face a new test when it takes the field for the Peach Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Used to the defensively-oriented Big Ten in 2023, statistically, Ole Miss will be the best offense the Nittany Lions have faced all season. The Rebels come into this game ranked in the top 20 nationally in total and scoring offense, and are top 40 in both passing and rushing this year.

Compared to the grind-it-out games Penn State has played this fall, Ole Miss comes to Atlanta with the 11th-best explosive play rate in the country. The Rebels are led by QB Jaxson Dart, a top-20 passer who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns with only 5 interceptions in 2023.

This week, James Franklin broke down the unique challenge presented by Dart and the Ole Miss offense in this game.

“He put up really good numbers in the passing game in terms of yards per attempt, in terms of completion percentage, touchdown to interception ratio,” Franklin said of Jaxson Dart on Tuesday. “He’s also a guy that can beat you with his mind and decision-making, with his arm and accuracy, but then also with his feet.

“They’re a challenging offense. You take his athleticism. You take their tempo. They’re one of the better offenses that we’ve seen this year. So it’s going to be a challenge. Lane’s [Kiffin] always done a really good job, specifically on that side of the ball, so it will be a challenge,” he said.

Rebels aren’t taking Penn State’s departures for granted

On the flip side, the Penn State defense finds itself in a period of transition. The Nittany Lions hired Tom Allen on December 19, less than two weeks after defensive coordinator Manny Diaz left to become the Duke head coach. Interim defensive coordinators Anthony Poindexter and Robb Smith will call plays for Saturday’s Peach Bowl.

The Nittany Lions also face the potential of opt-outs from several of their biggest defensive stars. Leading EDGE rusher Chop Robinson has already announced he won’t play in the bowl game. While no official announcement has been made, reporting suggests CB Johnny Dixon won’t suit up for Penn State either. James Franklin only indicated Tuesday that star CB Kalen King is expected to play one final game on Saturday.

But Ole Miss isn’t taking the Nittany Lions’ defense lightly, regardless of who is on the field for Penn State. “I think their defense as a whole is elite, even without them,” Jaxson Dart said of Penn State’s opt-outs earlier in bowl season. “So, there’s a lot of talent over there. And they play really well together. They’re super disciplined. And I think that they just have a great culture. You can see it on their film.”

On Tuesday, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin expressed that losing Manny Diaz actually presents a challenge for his offensive preparations.

“Well, the first thought, people would think, well, that’s in our favor with Manny leaving, but that presents challenges too,” he said. “We don’t have any idea what they’re going to do. It’s like opening the season with no preseason games or being someone’s second game. That’s actually a really big challenge.”

Undoubtedly, Saturday’s Peach Bowl will feature a strength-on-strength matchup when the Ole Miss offense and Penn State defense are on the field. Whoever can find an edge in that matchup will likely ring out 2023 with one final win.

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