Ole Miss struggled to find traction on the ground without Kewan Lacy in their 52-28 loss to Florida, a game that exposed the Rebels’ ongoing issues in the rushing department. Lacy, sidelined by a shoulder injury sustained in the third quarter against LSU, missed his second consecutive game. His absence left Ole Miss with just 117.5 rushing yards per game this season, placing them 118th nationally, a significant drop from the 176.3 yards they averaged in 2025.
The junior running back, who led the FBS last season with 306 carries, 1,567 rushing yards, and 24 touchdowns, has been held to 39 carries, 191 yards, and four touchdowns through the first four games of 2026. Before leaving the LSU game, Lacy managed 43 of Ole Miss’s 63 rushing yards, but the offense sputtered once he was off the field. Against Florida, the Rebels managed only 128 rushing yards total and six points in the first half.
Head coach Pete Golding responded to criticism by emphasizing team depth. “This is the greatest team sport ever invented. We came with 74 dudes. … That’s plenty of guys. So, this isn’t an excuse of who played, who didn’t play. We’re a team,” Golding said. “We’ve got talented guys at every position that can come in and be able to play winning football. So, I’m not putting this game on Kewan at all.”
Without Lacy, Ole Miss has leaned heavily on quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who has completed 32 of 43 passes for 360 yards, with one touchdown and one interception across the last five quarters. Chambliss has also taken on a more active rushing role, carrying the ball eight times for 58 yards and scoring three rushing touchdowns during that stretch.
The running back duties have been shared among JT Lindsey, Makhi Frazier, and Josh Dye. Lindsey, a sophomore, led the backfield in the LSU game with four carries for 20 yards and converted a crucial two-point attempt. Against Florida, Lindsey and Frazier split the workload with 11 and eight carries respectively, gaining 31 and 42 yards.
Despite the efforts of the backups, Ole Miss’s rushing attack has lacked the explosiveness Lacy brought. Pro Football Focus noted that 35 rushing yards against Florida came from runs off the left side of the center and another 35 yards between the right guard and tackle. Last season, Lacy’s most productive runs came off the right side of the center with 351 yards, and off the left tight end side with 233 yards. In those same areas against Florida, the Rebels managed just 25 yards.
Chambliss acknowledged the gap Lacy’s absence creates but praised the depth available. “Missing Kewan definitely hurts. He’s a dynamic player. He puts a lot of pressure on defensive coordinators, and you kind of have to scheme for him and me and our whole offense to begin with,” Chambliss said. “The drop-off in our running back room, I don’t think there’s a big drop-off, honestly. I love how JT plays, I love how Makhi plays and I love how Josh Dye plays, too. They’re all tough-nosed running backs, and when we need them, they show up. And I feel like they played really good today, so I’m proud of them.”
Ole Miss now faces the challenge of adjusting their ground game while Lacy remains sidelined. The offense has shown glimpses of efficiency through the air and in quarterback runs, but sustaining production on the ground without their leading rusher will be critical as they seek to rebound from their first SEC loss.
According to Yahoo Sports.