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Posted by Evelyn Van Pelt | Oct 5, 2026 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss expects to have a familiar face back in its backfield Saturday, with Pete Golding anticipating Kewan Lacy’s return when the Rebels travel to Vanderbilt.
Pete Golding on running back Kewan Lacy’s health: “Fully anticipate having him this week.”
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) October 5, 2026
The open week gave Lacy an opportunity to focus on recovery after missing the Florida game. The running back returned to practice Sunday, Oct. 4, participating in individual drills and some team work as Ole Miss began preparations for its next SEC road test.
“Obviously (Lacy) rested all last week,” Golding said in his Monday presser. “Did rehab. Was good for that 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.”
Ole Miss enters Saturday’s matchup at 3-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play. Vanderbilt is 3-2 and looking for its first conference win after an 0-2 start. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Lacy has been sidelined since suffering a left shoulder injury against LSU in Week 3. That is the same shoulder on which he underwent offseason surgery. He has also dealt with a thigh bruise sustained in the season opener.
Getting him back would restore a key piece of the Ole Miss offense, though Golding made clear the Rebels will continue sharing the workload.
“That’s going to be a constant rotation based on how (Lacy) is, and how healthy he is,” Golding said. “But even coming back, he’s not going to take the toll of 40 or 50 snaps, and all those things.”
That means JT Lindsey and Makhi Frazier will remain part of the picture as Lacy works his way back into action.
Lindsey, a transfer from LSU, has carried the ball 23 times for 83 yards, giving him the most rushing attempts among the Rebels’ running backs behind Lacy. Frazier, who arrived from Michigan State, has added 82 yards on 17 carries.
Lacy’s production last season established just how much he can mean to the Rebels’ offense. He rushed for 1,567 yards and set an Ole Miss single-season record with 24 rushing touchdowns in 2025, prompting the program to promote him and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss as Heisman Trophy candidates entering 2026.
Through three appearances this season, Lacy has recorded 191 rushing yards and four touchdowns, along with seven receptions for 16 yards.
For an Ole Miss team looking to respond after the loss at Florida, his anticipated return provides a welcome boost. The Rebels will still need contributions throughout the backfield, but Saturday could put one of their most productive playmakers back in the mix.
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
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Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
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