Ole Miss just pulled off one of the biggest retention wins when running back Kewan Lacy signed a deal to return for another year in Oxford. Lacy made his decision official just days before Ole Miss faces Miami in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal. What makes this even more significant is that Lacy’s position coach, Kevin Smith, is jumping ship to Baton Rouge with Kiffin. Now, with Lacy coming back, the Heisman Trophy conversation for 2026 suddenly has a new name to watch.​

On3 Sports’ Brad Logan assessed Lacy’s potential for next season. He declared on social media that “Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy should be the leading Heisman front-runner heading into next season.” Logan added that Lacy not being in the conversation this year “simply was because of the uncertainty off the field, which is horribly unfortunate,” referring to the coaching chaos that engulfed Oxford after Kiffin’s departure to LSU. 

The statistical case is already there. Lacy’s 23 rushing touchdowns in 2025 tied him for the third-most in SEC history. He joined an elite company that includes Derrick Henry’s 28 TDs in his 2015 Heisman-winning campaign, Najee Harris’ 26 scores in 2020, and Auburn’s Tre Mason with 23 in 2013. Lacy ranks ninth nationally in rushing yards and is a first-team All-SEC honoree as just a sophomore. 

Lacy surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage in six games, including a career-high 224 yards against Florida that showcased his explosive versatility. He also torched Georgia State for 108 yards and three touchdowns. He then followed that up with 138 yards against Kentucky and 143 against Mississippi State during the heart of SEC play. Even in the Sugar Bowl upset over Georgia, Lacy rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns. That performance alone might’ve sealed his decision to return. 

Lacy’s importance to Ole Miss can’t be overstated. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has also committed to return pending NCAA approval of a medical waiver. The duo gives the Rebels one of the best offensive backfields in the SEC. Had Lacy entered the transfer portal, LSU would’ve pounced immediately. He would have reunited with Smith and Lane Kiffin. Instead, Ole Miss gets to build their 2026 offense around a proven game-breaker and one of the SEC’s most dangerous weapons. 

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Early Heisman buzz might seem premature with an entire offseason and spring ball still ahead. But the dark horse label that hung over him during the 2025 season won’t stick in 2026 if he builds on this foundation. Ole Miss now operates under the expanded 105-scholarship roster limit. It gives them plenty of room to add portal pieces around Lacy and Chambliss without worrying about number crunches that might’ve forced difficult decisions in the past. 

Why Kewan Lacy chose to stay in Oxford

Kewan Lacy could’ve easily followed the money or his position coach to Baton Rouge. But at Fiesta Bowl media day, he made it clear that Pete Golding’s vision sold him on sticking around Oxford for another year.

“Really just everything we’ve built here this past year,” Lacy explained when asked about his decision. “What Pete Golding has planned for us, I feel like it’s moving in the right direction.”

That’s a pretty powerful endorsement for a first-year head coach. The sophomore running back transferred in from Missouri before the 2025 season and immediately set a single-season school record with 23 rushing touchdowns. So, he knows what a functional offense looks like. Breaking away from running backs coach Kevin Smith, who’s following Kiffin to LSU, wasn’t easy for Lacy. The two built a tight relationship during their time together in Oxford.

“It was definitely tough,” Lacy admitted at media day. “Me and him have a strong relationship. It was hard to see him go, but I wish him the best, and I wish LSU the best.” But Lacy’s already started building a new connection with Frank Wilson, saying, “It’s been good. We’ve just been trying to get to know each other and build that bond.”

 The fact that Lacy’s staying despite Smith’s departure shows just how much confidence he has in Golding’s plan and Ole Miss’s trajectory moving forward.