After a pair of seasons serving as the understudy to the program’s all-time leading passer, Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons is ready to take the reins.The redshirt sophomore takes over for Jaxson Dart — now a member of the New York Giants — ahead of No. 21 Ole Miss’ season opener against Georgia State on Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi.Simmons, 19, isn’t thinking about catching up to Dart’s 10,617 passing yards and record 28 program wins. So far, he’s just focusing on the new duties.”The biggest thing I’ve learned is just accepting everything that comes with the role,” Simmons said. “Definitely a lot of adversity, a lot of media talking about me — just a lot of outside noise that comes with being in this type of position. Really just learning how to handle it over time. Not being the backup, but molding into being the guy.”In limited action a year ago, Simmons completed 19 of 32 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns.Sixth-year Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin has his team ranked in the Preseason AP Top 25 for the fifth straight season. With a new face under center, Kiffin feels the program is in good hands.”I think Austin’s doing a really good job,” Kiffin said. “We continue to emphasize one of the reasons we’ve had a really good record, performed really well – it’s not just the offensive stats, those passing yards and all that. It’s been taking care of the football at that position and doing a really good job of that. Especially with a first-time starter, making sure that that’s the No. 1 emphasis for him. He studies really hard. He spends a lot of time up here. He had a really good mentor, an example in Jaxson. We’re excited.”Ole Miss enters the season coming off consecutive bowl wins for the first time since 2012-13. The Rebels were predicted to finish seventh in the SEC Preseason poll.