Trinidad Chambliss played quarterback for Ferris State University, a Division II team, from 2021 to 2024 before transferring to join the Ole Miss Rebels.
By the end of Chambliss’ first season in Oxford, he was the starting QB and led the Rebels to wins over Tulane and Georgia in the College Football Playoff before losing to Miami (FL) in the semifinals.
Lane Kiffin then left Ole Miss for LSU, but Chambliss stayed despite a flurry of injunctions and court cases. Ahead of the 2026 season, not everyone is giving Kiffin credit for Chambliss’ success, and one SEC coach said Kiffin gets “too much credit.”
“He’s a dude,” an SEC coach said, via Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. “Lane probably gets too much credit for Trinidad.”
Another SEC defensive coordinator also said the talent was seen even at Ferris State.
“You could see his ability, his arm strength and arm talent coming out of [Division II] Ferris State,” the coordinator said. “And then watching the whole season, his ability to make plays with his feet when things break down was exceptional.”
Chambliss admitted he considered following Kiffin to LSU, but he decided to stick in Oxford and play another season for Ole Miss.
In Chambliss’ junior season at Ferris State, he threw for 2,925 yards with 26 touchdowns and another 1,019 yards and 25 scores on the ground en route to a Division II title.
Trinidad Chambliss then threw for a whopping 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions, while adding another 8 touchdowns in the rushing game in his first season at Ole Miss.
With Kiffin at LSU, it will be interesting to see if the coach’s assessment is right.
