Ole Miss left Nashville with a bigger concern than the scoreboard: Kewan Lacy’s health.
The Rebels’ running back suffered a thigh injury in Sunday night’s season opener against Louisville and spent much of the second half on the sideline with an ice pack, according to the Ole Miss radio network. Lacy had already dealt with an apparent injury earlier in the game, though ESPN reported at the time that he had simply had the wind knocked out of him.
That first scare came after Lacy was taken down by multiple Louisville defenders and stayed on the turf for a moment before getting up and walking off under his own power. He came back soon after and delivered Ole Miss’ first touchdown of the season.
Before leaving with the thigh injury, Lacy had piled up 17 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, plus four receptions for 19 yards. He logged 21 offensive touches before the fourth quarter, a clear sign of how central he is to the Rebels’ attack and why many view him as a potential Heisman Trophy finalist.
What comes next is the real question. Ole Miss has not yet revealed what Lacy’s status will be as the season gets rolling, and his availability moving forward could loom large for the Rebels.
The workload behind him in his absence has been spread around. With the game tied at 38 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, JT Lindsey, an LSU transfer, had seven carries for 25 yards and one catch for four yards, while Michigan State transfer Makhi Frazier added six carries for 23 yards. Ole Miss also leaned on Trinidad Chambliss and his dual-threat ability.
If Lacy’s injury lingers into a short week, the Rebels will at least have a breather after that before hosting Charlotte, a team coming off a FCS loss to The Citadel. All eyes, though, will be on Lacy’s status when Ole Miss hosts LSU in Week 3.
Lacy’s production last season helps explain the concern. He finished with 306 carries for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns, along with 29 catches for 177 yards.
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