OXFORD, Miss. — Kewan Lacy has been the steady force Ole Miss needed in a season built on consistency, toughness, and a growing playoff push.
Now he holds a place in program history.
Lacy has become the first Rebel ever named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, which honors the nation’s top running back.
His production earned him the recognition. Lacy enters the final week of the regular season with 1,136 rushing yards and a school-record 19 rushing touchdowns.
No Rebels player outside the kicking game has ever scored more points in a single season. He sits at 114.
The rise has been gradual and steady. Ole Miss is 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC, and Lacy has been central to that climb. Across college football, he sits near the top of the national rankings in several major categories.
He is third in all-purpose scores, sixth in total rushing yards, and eighth in rushing yards per game.
From a physical standpoint, the numbers tell another story. Pro Football Focus has credited him with 84 missed tackles forced — the most in the SEC and second-most in the country.
Lacy also ranks fourth nationally in yards after contact, a sign of how much of his production comes with defenders in his path.
Even within the Rebel record book, his pace stands out. Lacy already ranks fourth in school history in single-season carries and sixth in single-season rushing yards. The workload has not slowed him.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin admits he expected improvement, but even he did not see this level of production coming. What he points to most is Lacy’s approach.
“He’s been awesome. He works extremely hard. No ego. Loves playing the game,” Kiffin said. “He just seems to get stronger” as the season goes on.
How Lacy built season that changed Rebels history
Lacy reached this point through the kind of steady routine coaches value. He credited his success to the trust his coaches placed in him and the work he has put into film study, walkthroughs, and preparation.
“It comes with having a support system, like my coaches, just trusting and believing in me,” he said.
The connection to his offensive line and receivers matters too. Lacy said those groups helped give him the chance to show what he can do each week.
That combination has made him a player Ole Miss leans on in every situation. Kiffin said the staff gave Lacy the ball 31 times in a recent game and that the junior held up under the load.
Few running backs with his speed and open-field ability can handle that many snaps and short-yardage carries, but that is part of what separates him.
The Rebels have never had a Doak Walker finalist, which says as much about the program’s history as it does about Lacy’s season.
Production at the position has varied through the years, but Lacy has given Ole Miss the kind of every-down runner that can steady an offense in November.
As the Rebels enter the final week with a chance to reach the College Football Playoff, Lacy’s consistency has become a major part of the team’s identity.
In games where the offense needed someone to reset momentum or finish drives, Lacy has carried the ball with power and patience.
The timing of his breakout also matters. Ole Miss is in the middle of one of the strongest seasons in school history, and national recognition helps shape how teams are viewed by the playoff committee.
Lacy is not padding numbers on a struggling roster. He is producing for a team still in the conversation for the sport’s biggest stage.
The Doak Walker Award will be announced December 12 on ESPN, and the formal presentation will take place Jan. 30 in Dallas. Lacy’s position as a finalist puts him among college football’s best, and it also signals a larger step for the program.
What Lacy’s rise means for Rebels going forward
The Rebels have built their offense around versatility, but Lacy’s performance has added a reliable core that shows up every week.
His ability to break tackles, extend plays, and handle high workloads has kept the offense balanced even when opposing defenses focus on him.
That stability has shown up in late-game situations, red-zone carries, and stretches where the Rebels needed someone to take pressure off the passing game.
Lacy has met each challenge by falling forward, fighting through contact, and finishing runs.
The numbers reinforce why he is a finalist, but what the staff sees each week strengthens that case further. Kiffin noted that many fast running backs struggle to stay durable in short-yardage situations. Lacy has not only handled those plays but thrived in them.
As the season winds down, Lacy remains central to Ole Miss’ hopes.
His performance has helped shape one of the best years in program history, and the recognition he earned reflects his place within it.
Making the finalist list is significant on its own, but doing so in a year when Ole Miss sits at 10-1 gives the moment added weight.
Lacy’s season has been built on toughness, trust in the system, and steady improvement.
That formula has put him in the national conversation and given Ole Miss something it has never had — a running back in contention for college football’s top individual award at the position.
Key takeaways
- Kewan Lacy is the first Doak Walker finalist in Ole Miss history, earning the honor with 1,136 rushing yards and a school-record 19 touchdowns.
- Lacy leads the SEC in missed tackles forced and ranks near the top nationally in total yards, scoring, and yards after contact.
- Lane Kiffin praised Lacy’s durability and work ethic, noting his ability to handle heavy workloads and improve late in the season.
