How Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss reacted to Lane Kiffin departure, Pete Golding hire

In the wake of coach Lane Kiffin's departure for LSU, Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is adding the coaching change to the list of challenges the Rebels (11-1) have handled this season.

"I'm just proud of how our team overcame a lot," Chambliss said on Dec. 2 after winning the C Spire Conerly Trophy awarded to the best college football player in Mississippi.

"Obviously, our teammate Corey (Adams) passed away before the season. And now, obviously, our coach (has) left, and now that's a little bit of adversity, but our team's just been locked in and focused."

With Kiffin gone and a College Football Playoff berth likely for Ole Miss, Chambliss said the team is confident in its new coach Pete Golding and where he can lead them in the postseason.

"We have all of our trust in Coach Golding," Chambliss said. "He's a motivator. He's committed, and he's ready to go. And we're trusting him, and we're rolling right now."

Chambliss won the award after finishing fourth in the SEC with 3,016 passing yards on a 65.5% completion rate. He also threw 18 passing touchdowns with three interceptions and rushed for 470 yards and six touchdowns.

Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, was Austin Simmons' backup to start the season but replaced him in the third game vs Arkansas after Simmons got injured.

Chambliss has filed a waiver to play in 2026 even though he is out of eligibility. Division II rules for redshirts were not the same as in Division I when Chambliss was a freshman. That was 2022 for Chambliss, when he played in just two games. The waiver depends on making a successful case he should get a retroactive redshirt for that season.

"It would mean the world to me to have an extra year to come back and play college football," Chambliss said. "And I should hear something soon, hopefully within a week or two, and just got to see.

"This is technically my last year. I'm obviously trying to get another waiver, another year of eligibility. But, yeah I do got to start thinking about maybe possibly training for the NFL and having pre-draft stuff and just got to be ready for whatever happens."

Chambliss is the second straight Conerly Trophy winner from Ole Miss after Jaxson Dart won it last season. He is the 12th Rebel to win the award, and this is the 13th time it's gone to an Ole Miss player, the most of any other program in the state.

"Very blessed to receive an (award) like the Conerly Trophy," Chambliss said. "... I was a little nervous. I didn't know if I was going to win. I'm glad that I did win, and I'm just truly grateful to be up for such an award and to be in the company of that award now as well."

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss reacts to Lane Kiffin exit before CFP