Ole Miss Has More Riding on Kewan Lacy Than Just His Return

The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels will travel to Nashville this Saturday, Oct. 10, to play the Vanderbilt Commodores.

In a game that could be impacted by weather, both teams will likely have to rely more on their running backs than on the passing game.

For the Rebels, that means running back Kewan Lacy will need to be a centerpiece of their offense alongside quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, but what should fans expect from Lacy in his first game back from injury?

Lacy's Injuries and Performance So Far This Season

LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks tackles Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy. — LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks tackles Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kewan Lacy left the game in the third quarter with a left shoulder injury against No. 10 LSU on Sept. 19. As a result, he didn't play in the 52-28 loss to No. 16 Florida on Sept. 26.

Lacy had run for 191 yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries prior to missing the game against Florida, though his numbers were affected by leaving the Rebels' Week 1 game against the Louisville Cardinals early with injury.

Despite still being listed as questionable on the injury report, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding says he "fully anticipates" having Lacy back against Vanderbilt.

Expectations for Lacy Against Vanderbilt

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss reacts with running back Kewan Lacy against the Charlotte 49ers. — Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss reacts with running back Kewan Lacy during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte 49ers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the possibility of weather affecting the game this Saturday, Lacy could be returning to a bigger role in the offense than he had before his injury.

Even ignoring his injury trouble, his stats haven't been as good as expected prior to the season. He entered the season with Heisman aspirations following a 2025 season in which he ran for more than 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Lacy should have his best game of the season against Vanderbilt, which isn't saying a ton when considering that the most rushing yards he's gotten in a single game so far this season is 87 against Charlotte. He also ran for two of his four touchdowns in that game.

One thing Lacy has going for him is that he's scored a touchdown in every game he's played in so far this season. It wouldn't be surprising to see him score another one this Saturday.

An improved running game would raise the ceiling even higher for an Ole Miss offense that has been one of the most productive in the country. The Rebels are averaging more than 35 points per game, mainly due to Trinidad Chambliss having more than 1,300 combined yards and 12 touchdowns.

Especially in Lacy's absence, Chambliss has been forced to try to do everything himself, even in the run game. When removing Lacy and Chambliss from Ole Miss' rushing stats, the team has just 171 rushing yards and a single touchdown on 50 carries. The touchdown was scored by backup QB Deuce Knight in garbage time against Charlotte.

There's a Kewan Lacy-sized hole in the Ole Miss offense, and the Rebels will need him to stay healthy to fill it if they want to avoid more losses like the one against Florida.

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