Eli Manning Praises Ole Miss’ Win Over LSU, Discusses Giants’ Dart
Eli Manning is extremely happy after Ole Miss’ latest win.
Manning attended Ole Miss and was the team’s star quarterback prior to being drafted No. 1 overall in 2004. The program is coming off one of its biggest regular-season wins of all time over the LSU Tigers, which was notable not only because LSU was ranked No. 7 but also because their former head coach, Lane Kiffin, is now leading the Tigers.
It made for a packed atmosphere at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, and catapulted the Ole Miss Rebels from No. 8 to No. 4 in the polls.
Manning reacts to Ole Miss’ win over LSU
“Just proud of the whole Ole Miss kind of nation, that was a great moment for Ole Miss,” said Manning in a one-on-one interview with Ratings while speaking on behalf of his partnership with King’s Hawaiian. “The crowd looked awesome. It looked electric there in Oxford, a lot kind of thrown at this situation and this environment and Lane Kiffin and everything going on there. But I thought the team got off to a great start. Trinidad (Chambliss) played amazing. He was on fire during the first half. They got slowed down a little bit. They made some adjustments, but when they needed a drive, he was able to make a couple huge plays to get the drive and the defense getting a big stop. So excited for Pete Golding (Ole Miss head coach), the whole kind of Ole Miss family. That was fun to watch and proud of those guys.”
Manning understands the magnitude of this win, especially considering the team is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance and is a national championship contender.
“This is huge for a regular season win,” said Manning. “(Beating) a good team and with everything going up and it’s a lot of drama and the circumstances are big. You want to go out there and perform and play well in those situations, just because that means you’re ready for that. As the course of the season goes on, you’re going to have other opportunities to play in big time games, and so you want to make sure you can answer the bell when it’s called. They did that last night, and so hopefully they can use that as momentum carrying on the rest of the season because you’re going to have some more important games coming up.”
Manning on Trinidad Chambliss’ NFL potential
When asked if Trinidad Chambliss has the makings of a first-round NFL draft pick, Manning gives him his flowers. Chambliss was a potential first-round draft pick this year, but decided to return to play college football.
“He looks like it,” said Manning of Chambliss. “The ball comes out on time. He’s got a quick release. He’s extremely accurate. Has the ability to scramble and make plays. Quarterback runs, final plays. Quarterback runs getting out to the side, but he wants to stay in the pocket. He wants to throw the ball. Seems to have great command of the offense. Knows exactly where to go. I think you see a quarterback that throws it extremely accurate, can run and seems like to be a great leader, great person. Has a chance to have a lot of success at the next level.”
Chambliss is coming off a big performance in the win over the Tigers, posting three total touchdowns against just one interception with 363 passing yards, which is his most passing yards since arriving in Oxford last year.
“Yeah, it’s hard,” said Manning of coming up with a player comparison for Chambliss. “It’s hard to kind of put exactly who that comparison is, just because he does throw it so accurate, and whether it’s little bubble screens, whether it’s you know in breakers and slants, that quick release. It’s tough to have an exact comparison to who he is, but also the ability to run and to scramble and extend those plays. I don’t know if it’s a Lamar Jackson type of ability to kind of do all these different things, but it’s fun to watch him play.”
Manning discusses Jaxson Dart’s injury and progress
Manning’s former NFL team, the Giants, are coming off the ultimate high and the ultimate low over the past week. The Giants pulled off an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, spearheaded by Jaxson Dart’s three-touchdown performance to go along with 54 rushing yards. However, the young franchise quarterback suffered a knee injury early in the team’s 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The injury is now considered more serious than initially believed, and Dart could be sidelined for the season.
Dart, who suffered an injury as he was dropped back and had two defenders hit him at the same time, had shown better awareness when it came to taking hits in Week 1, according to Manning.
“I’m tracking his slides for sure, Jaxson Dart,” said Manning. “We want to make sure he’s getting out of bounds. If he’s at the sideline, if he’s in the middle of the field, go down. Don’t take these hits. I think he’s proven his toughness to this team, to the ownership, to the fans. Now you gotta prove that you’re willing to do what’s best for the team, and that’s stay in the game, stay healthy, and so that was one week he didn’t go into the blue tent, so that’s progress. We’re on the right path and on the right track, and he is athletic, he has the ability to run. He’s a good runner, so you want to use that skill set, and if it’s one of those things where if he shows, ‘Hey, I’m willing to run and get down and not take hits and get out of bounds and slide and do those things,’ we can call more runs. But if all of a sudden he’s not doing that, and coaches say, ‘Well, we can’t put you in harm’s way. We can’t call as many of these plays.’ So hey, if you take care of me, I’ll take care of you. We can do this together.”
Manning’s relationship with Dart
Manning said that he and Dart do keep in touch and that he texted the young Giants quarterback after last week’s game against Dallas.
“I sent him a text after the game last week, and thought he played outstanding,” said Manning of Dart. “They threw a lot on his plate, and he was, you know, had it seemed like he had great control of the offense. And it’s a brand new offense; he’s in his second year. It’s not that easy, so I thought he did a great job. I feel like we have a good relationship, and you know, I think he knows I’m on his side and I want him to do well. I want the Giants to do well and right the ship.”
When asked if he and Dart frequently text, he said not so much, but he does offer words of encouragement and advice when they do talk.
“I’m not one of those that gives advice unless asked for advice, so it’s more just a text of encouragement, a text of congratulations,” said Manning. “Over the years or over the course of the season, I’ll see him a few times in person. He may ask a question, how to deal with this, what to do, whatever it might be. What to do in an off week or how to handle this type of coach or how to handle this type of situation or a player. So happy to give advice when asked.”
Giants facing extended absence without Dart
The injury to Dart is obviously devastating, and it remains to be seen exactly how long he’ll be out. Manning did mention during the interview that “being healthy” would be key for the Giants if they were to make a playoff run this year. They were banged up last year with season-ending injuries to running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers. They’re looking at the possibility that Dart is out for an “extended period” of time.
During the first week of the season, Manning saw massive improvements in Dart’s game compared to his rookie year. When asked if he could see Dart making a leap similar to how Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams did in his second year, Manning said he could.
“It’s just seeing that he was very comfortable in the offense,” said Manning.
“His eyes were in the right spot, kind of reading the defense. Got the ball out on time, and so that’s always kind of the progression of a quarterback is, ‘Hey, where are your eyes? Where are you looking? Are you seeing the defenses and going to the right spots, are you feeling the blitzes and getting the ball out on time?’ Not taking hits, not taking big sacks. Seemed like he had a great kind of game plan, a sense of where to go with the ball, and made some big time plays, and then the ability to run and do all that and create plays off script. You want to keep that and have that part of your game, but it doesn’t need to be the main focus of the game.”
Manning weighs in on Giants’ division chances
When asked if the Giants could win the division in John Harbaugh’s first year, Manning acknowledged it was a “possibility.” It will likely hinge on Dart’s availability moving forward.
“It’s a possibility,” said Manning. “You played one game in the division, but you gotta win those division games. You always say those division games count double. So you get off to a good start right there. The Cowboys, they looked pretty strong against Washington. The Eagles, they always kind of find ways to win games. They play close, every game is important. You gotta keep finding ways to make improvements in games each and every week, and you got to find ways to win these division games as they get into that as well.”