Thursday’s slate of School Soccer Playoff video games featured two quarterbacks assumed to be on the prime of boards for the 2026 NFL Draft, with an opportunity for a 3rd to solidify his standing as QB3. Fernando Mendoza took care of enterprise as Indiana throttled Alabama, and Dante Moore led Oregon by Texas Tech and their stingy protection.
However did we certainly see QB3 emerge, however in an sudden vogue?
For weeks Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has been mentioned because the potential third quarterback off the board, with consensus mock drafts linking him to the Pittsburgh Steelers later within the first spherical. However Simpson struggled in opposition to Indiana, and left the sport after taking a tough hit within the first half in opposition to the Hoosiers
Then got here the Sugar Bowl.
After falling down 21-12, Ole Miss stormed again to stun Georgia by a last rating of 39-34, successful the rematch between SEC groups. And in that comeback Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss turned a family title. The previous Division 2 QB took over because the starter early this season, and Thursday night time he related on 30-of-46 passes for 362 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Greater than the manufacturing, nevertheless, was the stage. And the way Chambliss led the Rebels again.
Take this throw to Harrison Wallace from early within the fourth quarter:
Flushed from the pocket by Georgia’s relentless move rush, Chambliss extends to the proper and uncorks a rocket, connecting with Wallace deep in Georgia territory. Whereas on the transfer, Chambliss lets this throw go from the Ole Miss 25-yard line, hitting Wallace in stride and over a defender on the Bulldogs’ 30-yard line.
45 yards, on a rope, within the Sugar Bowl with the season hanging within the stability.
Nonetheless, that play was solely potential due to what Chambliss had completed on the earlier snap. With Ole Miss going through a third and seven, Chambliss was flushed from the pocket by a trio of Georgia defenders. In some way he discovered Kewan Lacy with a little bit of improvisational magic, and after taking an enormous hit Lacy managed to choose up the primary down:
Lacy plunged into the top zone from 5 yards out to present Ole Miss the lead, which they prolonged with a profitable two-point dialog. That play, a connection between Chambliss and Wallace, highlighted a little bit of anticipation from the Ole Miss quarterback:
With a free runner in his face, Chambliss lets this move go earlier than Wallace clears the defender, placing the throw in an ideal spot for the conversion.
Ole Miss compelled a fumble on Georgia’s subsequent possession, and a landing move from Chambliss to Wallace gave the Rebels a 34-24 lead. That rating got here on this perfectly-placed back-shoulder throw:
However the Bulldogs erased that with ten unanswered factors of their very own, setting the stage for Chambliss to steer a scoring drive within the closing minutes.
Which he did, thanks largely to his largest throw of the night time:
Because the rising octaves from Sean McDonough point out, this was a game-changing completion. The move from Chambliss to De’Zhaun Stribling — approaching third and 5 with simply over 30 seconds remaining — was sufficient to place Ole Miss into subject purpose vary for Lucas Carneiro. However an incompletion on this spot, or worse, and Georgia may need had an opportunity at an exciting win of their very own.
As an alternative, the Rebels are transferring on.
And now the NFL Draft world is beginning to surprise about Chambliss’ future.
Take a spin by way of social media this morning, and also you’ll see a number of the large names within the NFL Draft world discussing one subject: Chambliss.
Whether or not Chambliss even enters the draft is a query. Whereas that is his last season of eligibility, he has already utilized for a medical waiver in search of another yr, citing respiratory points again in 2022 whereas he was at Ferris State. Chambliss didn’t play any video games that season, after redshirting the prior yr, as he handled persistent respiratory points. The quarterback finally underwent surgical procedure to take away his tonsils.
Whether or not the NCAA grants that request is unsure, because the NCAA Committee on Pupil-Athlete Reinstatement despatched suggestions on that request in early December, in search of extra info. In keeping with Pete Thamel at ESPN, “[t]he preliminary suggestions from the NCAA’s case supervisor, delivered to Ole Miss on Dec. 8, indicated that the panel was not inclined to concern the waiver.”
In keeping with Tom Mars, an legal professional retained by Chambliss to navigate the waiver course of, the waiver ought to have been granted primarily based on the “irrefutable” proof.
“I’m baffled why this waiver wasn’t granted again in November simply primarily based on the irrefutable, goal proof,” Mars advised ESPN.
“The NCAA is trying to impose a better burden of proof on a younger man who’s with none fault, has happy all the necessities of the NCAA guidelines, and who’s been an impressive consultant of school soccer — each on and off the sphere.”
Within the reply despatched to the NCAA Committee on Pupil-Athlete Reinstatement, Mars supplied “a press release from the ear, nostril and throat specialist who handled Chambliss — Dr. Anthony Howard — together with 91 pages of medical information that had been submitted to the NCAA. They present an appointment from December 2022, when Chambliss handled ‘enlarged tonsils, continual tonsillitis and adenoiditis and historical past of infectious mononucleosis.’ There was additionally a health care provider appointment that August, previous to the season, to handle these points.”
As famous within the submission to the NCAA Howard believed that “given the chronicity and documented impression of his signs, it’s medically cheap to conclude that continual tonsillitis and its associated issues restricted his skill to take part persistently in high-intensity collegiate athletics in the course of the 2022 season. These well being points affected his availability and efficiency throughout conditioning, follow, and recreation preparation. … His continual tonsillitis represents a medically legitimate foundation for hardship consideration as his situation rendered him incapacitated and unable to take part within the 2022 season.”
It’s extensively anticipated that if the waiver is granted, Chambliss will observe Lane Kiffin to LSU, together with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. (who can also be leaving Ole Miss to affix the Tigers teaching employees for subsequent season).
But when the waiver is just not granted, Chambliss will flip his consideration to the NFL.
And the league may be able to welcome him with open arms.
