Jaxson Dart is a dedicated soccer player, but also likes to have fun in other areas.

Take his interest in Star Wars, for example. Dart’s signature black eye design on game days is modeled after Anakin Skywalker’s facial scar from the film series, and he has previously compared his head coach Lane Kiffin to Jedi Master Yoda in terms of his football knowledge.

He made that comparison again in a SportsCenter interview this week, but Dart was also asked to share his “best” Lane Kiffin story, as the coach is one win away from reaching the 100-win mark as a head coach.

Although both men devote themselves to football this time of year, Dart’s favorite story on Kiffin has to do with a completely different sport.

“I would probably have to resort to a pickleball game we had,” Dart said. “It was a big matchup, he calls it a festival game, which we played in prime time at 7:30. It was me and my tight end Caden Prieskorn versus Sawyer (Jordan), one of the coaches here. They ended up beating us, and Coach Kiffin said it was a bigger win than our LSU win last year, which I thought was crazy.”

Kiffin has been known to promote many facets of his life on social media, and his enjoyment of pickleball tournaments is a prime example of this. Both Kiffin and Dart put the football field first, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have other hobbies that they enjoy.

It seems to fit Kiffin’s scheme perfectly that his quarterback didn’t pick one play call or sideline celebration as his best story. Instead, he opted for an off-field activity that seems to reflect the general mood around the Manning Center these days.

There’s a championship mentality at Ole Miss in 2024, but the Rebels want to have some fun along the way, including on the pickleball court.