Ole Miss is getting their star running back, Kewan Lacy, back on the field this week for their game against Vanderbilt, a move that’s going to shake up their entire offense. After a bye week that came at just the right time, Lacy is expected to return after missing the last game and a half due to an injury.
The Return of the Bell Cow
Lacy went down with an undisclosed injury in the first half of the Rebels’ win over LSU, which was a wild, emotional game. He then sat out the brutal loss to Florida, where the offense clearly missed his presence. Ole Miss needed that Week 5 bye, not just for a reset after that rollercoaster start to the season, but specifically to get Lacy healthy. Coach Pete Golding confirmed the good news from his Monday press conference: “Obviously [Lacy] rested all last week. Was good for a solid week, not practicing. Practiced last night, came back. Did individual, did some team sessions. A lot of that was non-contact last week. Fully anticipate having him this week.” That’s huge, man. You can feel the relief in that statement.
Why This Return Is Absolutely Massive
Without Lacy, the Ole Miss run game looked flat-out anemic. Backups JT Lindsey and Makhi Frazier barely scraped together 93 yards on 23 carries across the two games after Lacy’s injury. Against Florida, it was quarterback Trinidad Chambliss who had to step up and lead the team in rushing with 44 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. While Chambliss is a playmaker, that’s not the offensive balance you want.
Lacy’s return brings back a serious threat. This dude piled up 191 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries this season *before* the injury. And we all remember 2025, right? He was their absolute bell cow, running for 1,564 yards and an insane 24 touchdowns on over 306 carries. Yeah, the rushing attack hasn’t been as dynamic in 2026, leaning on Chambliss’ arm more, but Lacy changes everything for them on the ground. Golding did mention they’ll be careful with his workload, saying Lacy’s “not going to take the toll of 40 or 50 snaps,” which is smart. But even a partial Lacy is a game-changer.
The Rebels head to Nashville for their Week 6 game against Vanderbilt, and you know they’re looking for a more balanced attack. Lacy’s presence means Chambliss won’t have to carry the entire load, and that’s a win for the whole squad. Can they get that run game humming again and put Vandy on notice? We’ll find out Saturday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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