Can Ole Miss Star Kewan Lacy Replicate His Breakout 2025 Campaign in 2026?

The Ole Miss Rebels are entering a new era on the gridiron, one spearheaded by head coach Pete Golding, who took over the program following Lane Kiffin's departure at the end of the 2025 regular season.

Although the Rebels are under new leadership, there are some familiar faces who will be seen at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in 2026, especially in the offensive backfield. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss grabbed tons of headlines this offseason as he fought (and won against) the NCAA in court seeking another year of eligibility, but just as vital to the Rebels' offensive success will be running back Kewan Lacy.

Lacy is entering his second season in Oxford after transferring in from the Missouri Tigers prior to the 2025 campaign, and during his time at Ole Miss, he has indisputably been the bell-cow back for the Rebel offense.

Kewan Lacy Had a Massive Impact For Ole Miss in 2025. How Can He Replicate That Success This Fall?

Kewan Lacy wasn't just a "productive" back in 2025. He was among the best in the FBS at his craft.

Lacy led all of the FBS in carries with 306, and he led the Southeastern Conference in rushing touchdowns with 24, all while racking up 1,567 yards on the ground at a clip of 5.1 yards per carry. That was special, and the Rebels had to ensure that Lacy didn't follow Lane Kiffin, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., and running backs coach Kevin Smith to LSU this offseason.

Ole Miss was successful in retaining Lacy's services, but now, he will be paired with a new-look coaching staff, one piloted on his side of the ball by offensive coordinator John David Baker and running backs coach Frank Wilson who, ironically, came to Ole Miss after being LSU's interim head coach last season following the firing of Brian Kelly.

Fortunately for Lacy and Ole Miss, both of these names should be able to help the running game stay on track in 2026.

John David Baker is not "new" to Ole Miss, exactly. He previously served as the Rebels' co-offensive coordinator in 2022-23 and as the team's tight ends coach from 2021-23. In the 2022 season, Baker helped Rebel running backs set a new school record for rushing yards in a season with 3,336. As offensive coordinator at East Carolina last season, Baker helped the Pirates amass 2,550 yards on the ground, and while ECU didn't have a 1,000-yard rusher last year, that's a luxury that Baker now has at his disposal in Lacy.

Then there's Frank Wilson, who is not only one of the most respected recruiters in the game, but he is also a very talented running backs coach. Wilson also has a previous stint at Ole Miss, coming all the way back in the mid-2000s under then-head coach Ed Orgeron. In short, Lacy should have plenty of talented minds around him entering the 2026 season, including offensive line coach and running game coordinator John Garrison.

Speaking of Garrison, a lot of a running back's success comes from what happens up front along the offensive line. Ole Miss returns names like Brycen Sanders, Patrick Kutas, and Delano Townsend, but the situation at tackle is a little more fluid. That will be a major key to both the Rebels' passing and rushing success in Pete Golding's first full year at the helm.

But, ultimately, what is the MOST important factor to sustaining Lacy's success in 2026? Simple: his health. Ole Miss lost Lacy for the second half of the CFP Semifinals (Fiesta Bowl) in January to a right hamstring injury. Other than that moment, Lacy was rather healthy in 2025, but he put a lot of miles on his tires with those FBS-leading 306 carries. Sure, he didn't see that level of action in his freshman year at Missouri (just 23 carries), but keeping that pace in 2026 will require that Lacy stays healthy.

So, if you want to boil this down to just three keys, here they are. First, John David Baker's offense will need to pick up where Charlie Weis Jr.'s left off in 2025. The signs are there indicating that it could, but that won't be known until the 2026 season gets underway. Second, Frank Wilson and John Garrison will need to recreate in the aggregate what Kevin Smith was able to create with the Ole Miss running game last season. And, finally, Lacy simply needs to stay healthy.

If all those boxes are checked, Ole Miss could have one of the best backfields in the country once again in 2026 as Chambliss and Lacy look to be one of the most dynamic duos in college football. If this production stays on the current trajectory, the Rebels should be dangerous both through the air and on the ground as they hope to reach the College Football Playoff once again.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google