Ole Miss is expected to have Kewan Lacy back on the field Saturday, but don’t expect the Rebels to run him into the ground against Charlotte.
Pete Golding said Lacy, who is dealing with a thigh issue, is expected to suit up for the matchup, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Ole Miss linebacker Keaton Thomas, who is working through an ankle injury, is also expected to play.
Lacy’s status matters because of how he looked in the opener against No. 24 Louisville. He took a thigh bruise in that game and wound up missing nearly the entire second half, but still finished with 17 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, plus four receptions for 19 yards.
Even without him for most of the final two quarters, Ole Miss pulled out a 41-38 win over the Cardinals. The Rebels leaned on transfer backs Makhi Frazier and JT Lindsey, who combined for 14 carries and 52 yards, while quarterback Trinidad Chambliss added nine rushes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
That depth could come into play again if Ole Miss builds a comfortable lead against Charlotte, especially with Thamel noting that Lacy “could see limited snaps” in the game. Charlotte is coming off a loss to FCS opponent The Citadel, so the Rebels are widely expected to control this one.
There’s also a clear temptation for Ole Miss to keep its star back on a short leash and protect him for LSU on Sept. 19. But it is still early, and any work Lacy gets now helps him keep building toward the kind of season many around the program are hoping for.
Fans probably shouldn’t circle this one as the day Lacy piles up 20-plus touches. If the Rebels separate early, his second-half workload could be very light, or nonexistent.
That would also give Frazier and Lindsey more chances to show why Ole Miss brought them in from the portal in the first place: to ease the burden on Lacy. Saturday looks like the right spot to test that plan.
Lacy’s 2023 production set the bar high. Last season, he logged 306 carries for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns.
If the first half against Louisville was any hint, Ole Miss may already have a back capable of pushing for the Doak Walker Award and more.
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Ole Miss Faces One Big Test Before LSU In Home Opener
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The bigger point, though, is about sharpening the edges. Ole Miss is still trying to find more consistency across the board, and this is the kind of tuneup where the staff can push for cleaner play without having to empty the playbook. With LSU waiting next week, the Rebels would like a home opener that looks complete in all phases before the real pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]