OXFORD ― Ole Miss football preseason practice opens on Wednesday, and there won't be a quarterback competition to dominate the headlines.

That job definitively belongs to Jaxson Dart ‒ unencumbered by preseason competition for the first time in his career with the Rebels.

But there are plenty of other jobs up for grabs.

Here's a look at four key position battles to watch for coach Lane Kiffin's team.

Running back: Ulysses Bentley, Rashad Amos and Henry Parrish all with roles to play

Barring a major surprise, the Rebels are going to operate with some kind of committee at tailback. They've finished in the top 11 nationally in rushing attempts per game every year since Kiffin's arrival. Unless you've got a transcendent talent like Quinshon Judkins, it's probably best to split those carries to some degree.

Still, one would imagine there will still be some kind of hierarchy within the running back room, and that seems unclear heading into the preseason. Ole Miss brought back Ulysses Bentley IV, who performed effectively as Judkins' backup. It also added a pair of late transfers in Rashad Amos and Henry Parrish Jr. LSU transfer Logan Diggs could factor in later in the season as he recovers from an injury.

Cornerback: Ole Miss football added Isaiah Hamilton, Trey Amos, Brandon Turnage

The picture at corner is simple – the Rebels have three experienced options and two open spots. Isaiah Hamilton was a turnover machine at Houston last year, coming down with four interceptions and forcing a fumble. Trey Amos, a coveted portal prize two offseasons ago, spent 2023 as Alabama's third corner and received strong reviews this spring. Lafayette High School product Brandon Turnage is back home, too, after stints at Alabama and Tennessee.

Turnage and Amos appeared to take most of the first-team reps this spring before Hamilton's arrival. It's also worth keeping an eye on a pair of younger options in Chris Graves Jr. and AJ Brown. Graves began to challenge for playing time last season as a freshman, even earning a start.

Slot corner and safety: Key Lawrence among top additions

Ole Miss returns a pair of starters in the back end of its secondary in Trey Washington and John Saunders Jr., who split time between safety and slot corner last season.

Coordinator Pete Golding augmented that pair with a trio of transfer additions: Yam Banks, Key Lawrence and Louis Moore. Banks was primarily a slot corner during a standout career at South Alabama, while Lawrence and Moore both played most of their snaps as more traditional safeties at Oklahoma and Indiana, respectively.

The Rebels didn't rotate much in the secondary last season. Perhaps the increased depth will change that. If not, the importance of the forthcoming competition is certainly amplified.

STORYLINES: Lane Kiffn's most pressing Ole Miss football issues as preseason practice begins

Offensive line: Where do Diego Pounds, Nate Kalepo fit?

The theme in the trenches is the same. Ole Miss returns three out of its five starters from a season ago, but brought in four options out of the transfer portal. Now, position coach John Garrison has to figure out his best five.

The competition for the two guard spots looks likely to be the most intense. Three of the four additions ‒ Julius Buelow, Nate Kalepo and Gerquan Scott ‒ primarily played at guard last season. So did the returning Jeremy James, though he has shown the versatility to play tackle earlier in his career.

Caleb Warren gives Ole Miss some returning stability at center, while Micah Pettus and North Carolina transfer Diego Pounds have spent the majority of their careers at tackle.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Position battles to watch for at Ole Miss football preseason practice