Getty Image
Audio By Carbonatix
Ole Miss’ quarterback room took a hit on Sunday when it was announced that former five-star signal caller Walker Howard would be transferring. Howard landed in Oxford after beginning his career at LSU, meaning this will be the second time he’s on the move as an NCAA player.
Across two seasons with the Rebels, Howard connected on three of his six attempts for a total of 56 yards. With Jaxson Dart graduating, it seemed like a perfect time for the passer to compete for the starting job.
That apparently won’t be the case. Reports surfaced of his intentions to transfer over the weekend with some speculating about a return back to his home state of Louisiana.
Ole Miss QB Walker Howard is entering the transfer portal, per multiple reports.
Howard was a 5-star recruit and the second-ranked QB by @Rivals in the 2022 class. pic.twitter.com/YmE13j1R6d
— NCAA Transfer Portal (@RivalsPortal) December 9, 2024
Walker Howard’s transfer decision is an interesting one. We’ve noted his former five-star status and the potential opening under center at Ole Miss. It seems an odd time to leave if he truly believed he could compete for that starting role.
Secondly, he reportedly dated head coach Lane Kiffin’s daughter. Landry Kiffin played a large part in keeping her dad at Ole Miss when other head coaching opportunities opened up. It’s paid dividends for the Rebs, who nearly made the College Football Playoff this past season.
— NCAA Noobita (@NcaaNoobita) July 2, 2024
Social media history links the duo back a few months at least, with the couple recently spending Howard’s 21st birthday together. He’s often been spotted in her comments section on Instagram, though it’s not clear if they’re still together.
Walker Howard is casually breaking the # 1 rule of football. Don’t date the coaches daughter 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/CCzmdJSVJ0
— joeyfreshwater (@proudzynner) March 7, 2024
With that being said, it looks like Walker Howard is now on the move out of Mississippi. We don’t know if the relationship with Lane Kiffin’s daughter played a role. He’ll likely be looking for an opportunity to start at his next stop, again, with the possibility of returning home on the table. It appears he’s taken his last snap in Oxford!