Who Trinidad Chambliss said he's heard from since leading Ole Miss to CFP Fiesta Bowl
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OXFORD − The sports world took notice of Trinidad Chambliss' stellar performance that lifted the Rebels to the CFP semifinals, and the Ole Miss football quarterback still hasn't caught up.
Ole Miss beat Georgia 39-34 on Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl. The Rebels (13-1) move on to face Miami (12-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) in Glendale, Arizona.
Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the game against the Bulldogs and led a game-winning field goal drive in the final minute. His performance led to receiving a lot of congratulations. Chambliss said he still owed multiple people replies.
"My phone was buzzing," Chambliss said Jan. 4. "It was crazy. I think I'm still responding to people. I try to get back to everyone that reaches out. My phone was blowing up after the game."
Chambliss entered the season as a relatively unknown backup from Division II Ferris State. When starting quarterback Austin Simmons injured his ankle in Week 2 against Kentucky, it opened the door for Chambliss to start in Week 3 against Arkansas. He passed for 353 yards and one touchdown in his SEC debut and has not looked back.
Chambliss finished No. 8 in Heisman Trophy voting. Balling out in the CFP against Tulane and Georgia served to enhance his profile further. He has thrown for a total of 3,660 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He has also rushed for 520 yards and eight scores.
"A couple famous people followed me," Chambliss said. "I saw RGIII (Robert Griffin III). I talked to Tim Tebow after the game. That's a college football legend, so that was really cool to hear his words and what he thought about the game. He gave me his props, and the team props as well."
Chambliss said he still has not heard from the NCAA about whether he will get another year of eligibility in 2026. Chambliss is seeking another year for what he said should have been a medical redshirt season while he was at Ferris State.
Charlie Weis Jr., Kevin Smith at Ole Miss practice
Two of the Ole Miss football assistants who are following former coach Lane Kiffin to LSU were in Oxford on Jan. 4.
Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and running backs coach Kevin Smith were at the short segment of practice open to reporters.
Smith wore a navy Ole Miss sweatshirt and hung out near the middle of the practice field where players stretched. Weis hung out on the perimeter of the indoor field at the Manning Center.
They have been two of the coaches splitting duties between Ole Miss and LSU. It's been a successful, if awkward, arrangement.
Coaching Pete Golding was asked Jan. 3 whether the four coaches splitting time between Ole Miss and LSU would continue to be with the Rebels through the end of the playoffs like they were vs Tulane and Georgia.
Golding said he wasn't sure.
Wide receiver Harrison Wallace said Patrick Carter has taken over for George McDonald, the Ole Miss wide receivers coach who has departed for LSU.
Carter is in a senior analyst role with Ole Miss. He was a wide receiver in the NFL from 2008-12 with a handful of teams, including the Baltimore Ravens. He played in college at Georgia Tech and Louisville.
"This building is filled with guys that have been elite coaches everywhere they have been," Golding said.
Tight ends coach Joe Cox has also been with Ole Miss and LSU simultaneously.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss' phone hasn't stopped buzzing
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