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OXFORD -- Jaxson Dart, as one would expect, is excited about the season that begins Saturday.

After all, he’s the starting quarterback on a team ranked No. 6 nationally, one that is a consensus opinion to make the 12-team College Football Playoff this December. He’s getting some talk nationally about his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy and NFL scouts are watching him closely, evaluating just how high he might be drafted next April.

However, Dart is excited for when something goes wrong, not for when everything goes right.

“I'm really excited to face adversity,” Dart said Monday as Ole Miss officially began game-week preparations for Saturday’s 6 p.m. opener versus Furman at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. “I think that's something I'm actually really looking forward to and seeing how our team handles it. I felt like last year that's what made our team what it was is us being able to block out the noises, block out the storms and just weather it all. I think that was what really set us apart last year.

"So I'm excited to, you know, face adversity this year and see how our team responds. And, you know, I think that the ceiling for our team is so high. So I think that in those times, it's really going to tell what kind of team we are.”

Dart threw for 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, adding 389 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. A year later, the Rebels boast a rebuilt offensive line, a stacked wide receiver room, depth at tight end and a world of experience.

“I'm really excited about this season,” Dart said. “First of all, I'm really excited for the possibilities it can bring. I feel like I’ve worked, you know, as hard as I can this offseason, put myself in the best situation and I know what level that I need to play at first to reach those goals. And I think that's really just something I'm excited about.

“You know, I'm going to push to be the best that I can be and do whatever it takes for our team in the best situation. But honestly, I'm just really fortunate to have the receivers and the offensive line and just the gadgets that I have around me to just be the point guard and get those guys the ball because they're the ones that's going to make plays.”

Dart and the Rebels will be playing Saturday without two-time All-Southeastern Conference running back Quinshon Judkins, who transferred to Ohio State in January. The Rebels return Ulysses Bentley IV, who rushed for 540 yards a season ago, and added a trio of transfers to the mix. Dart said he’s been pleased with the results during preseason camp.

“I've been stoked about it,” Dart said. “When you bring in a new running back room entirely, pretty much it's fun to kind of see what those guys can do. And with what we lost, it brought in a lot of opportunities for guys to step up, and I think they've done an amazing job and it's actually been some production that I'm very thrilled to have. And I think that when you're just a quarterback and you can have a strong run game, it just makes everything so much easier. So just watching those guys compete each and every day has been a lot of fun. And then they're all tremendously talented so they can do a lot of things with the ball in their hand. I'm excited for that room, and I think it's probably the most underrated part of our team this year.”

Dart is also excited about the Rebels’ defense, one that was bolstered by the nation’s top-ranked transfer portal haul. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has indicated that the defense has gotten the best of the offense in scrimmages this month, and Dart said he’s excited to see another set of foes on the other side of the ball Saturday.

“We feel like we're playing against the best each and every day,” Dart said. “Our defensive line is extremely deep and they're very talented, so we're able to go against that every single day in practice. It just really makes the whole team a lot better because you're playing against the best every day. They definitely stole the show for the first two scrimmages.

“They just have so many talented guys on that side of the ball and they mesh really well together. A lot of guys can play in a lot of different spots, makes it really hard to stop, and they bring so many different looks.

So honestly, I'm happy to go play against another defense because it's been tough going against them.”

Pegues humbled by Mullins honor: Ole Miss senior defensive tackle JJ Pegues was named the winner of the 2024 Chucky Mullins Courage Award late last week.

The Oxford native became the 34th recipient in the 35-year history of the award. For the 2024 season, Pegues plans to wear Mullins' No. 38 jersey for home games while donning his original No. 89 jersey with a 38 patch on the road.

“I mean, it means everything,” Pegues said Monday. “Me just growing up here and just hearing about the award at so young of an age, I mean, it just means the world to be able to honor him, his legacy, and to be able to keep it going. …My dad played college football (at Arkansas State) and he was (number) 89 and always in high school. I always wanted to be 89 just to represent him and the things he did for me.

“So I just felt like just to honor him as well on the road. And obviously, I wanted to wear the 38. So give the community what they want and what I want and just wear it at home.”

Pegues said he remembered being inspired by another previous winner, former Ole Miss and NFL star Marquis Haynes.

“I remember just watching him and the way he played and he just played relentless and just never gave up that mentality,” Pegues said. “And that's what I want to bring here, just never give up and no matter the circumstance, just keep going.”

Pegues, who began his career at Auburn, said he feels no extra pressure going into this highly anticipated season.

“I mean, we’re just the same guys,” Pegues said. “You know, we put our pants on like everyone else doing. We just know that at the end of the day, this team got what we got, and we all we need. And at the end of the day, that’s. I mean, like I said, y'all, that's all we need. So I wouldn't say it's just extra pressure on us, but we know the goal and we know what we want.”