If there’s one thing Ole Miss has learned over the years, it’s that hope is cheaper than production — until it isn’t.
When you finally stumble into the kind of quarterback-running back pairing that scares defensive coordinators and sells tickets, you don’t wave politely as they consider their futures.
You open the wallet and start counting commas.
That’s where the Rebels find themselves with Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, two players who turned a good Ole Miss season into one worth remembering.
And now worth protecting.
The Rebs aren’t whispering about retention anymore. They’re spelling it out in dollar signs.
The running back who made everyone nervous
Lacy didn’t just run the football this season, he ran straight into the middle of every offseason conversation in Oxford.
First team All-American. Doak Walker finalist. The kind of production that gets SEC neighbors suddenly “checking in.”
Ole Miss responded the way modern college football demands, reportedly with an NIL offer in the neighborhood of $1.8 million, according to LouisianaSports.net.
That number didn’t leak by accident. Numbers like that never do.
That’s the sound of a program saying, “We know what we have, and we know what it costs.”
And yes, it’s also the sound of other programs listening closely.
Kevin Smith’s shadow still lingers
The complication, of course, is that Lacy’s former position coach, Kevin Smith, followed Lane Kiffin to LSU.
In the South, relationships matter — sometimes more than playbooks, facilities, or depth charts.
Ole Miss understands that. The Rebels aren’t pretending loyalty alone will win this one. They’re making it clear Lacy is not just wanted, but valued — financially and otherwise.
Whether that’s enough is a question only Lacy can answer. But it’s hard to miss the message when seven figures are involved.
Chambliss and the waiting game
While Lacy’s situation comes down to dollars and comfort, Chambliss is dealing with paperwork, patience, and the NCAA clock.
The Ole Miss quarterback is seeking a sixth year of eligibility, a request tied to a medical hardship from earlier in his career.
The school filed the waiver in mid-November, and as usual, the NCAA has taken its time.
Because of course it has.
The Rebels brought in attorney Tom Mars to help shepherd the process, arguing that denying Chambliss would cause “irreparable harm.”
That’s lawyer language for “this matters more than most.”
A quarterback worth fighting for
Chambliss didn’t just step in this season — he took over.
His efficiency, production, and command of the offense turned Ole Miss into one of the SEC’s most difficult outs.
The Rebs know that quarterbacks like this don’t grow on trees.
They also know that if the waiver is granted, Chambliss won’t be short on options.
That reality has shaped every move behind the scenes. Ole Miss isn’t assuming anything. It’s preparing for everything.
Modern college football, Southern style
There was a time when keeping your stars meant promising a good line coach and a better bowl game. Those days are gone, replaced by contracts that aren’t contracts and offers everyone pretends aren’t bidding wars.
Ole Miss isn’t complaining. It’s adapting.
Between a reported $1.8 million offer for Lacy and a full legal push for Chambliss, the Rebels are doing what contenders do now by paying attention before paying the price of losing talent.
Decisions that shape 2026
If both return, Ole Miss enters 2026 with stability most SEC programs envy. If one leaves, the offseason suddenly feels longer and louder.
Either way, the Rebs have made their position clear.
They’re not sitting back and hoping loyalty wins the day. They’re meeting the moment head-on — checkbook open, paperwork filed, and message sent.
In the South, that’s called minding your business. In today’s college football, it’s the cost of keeping it.
Key takeaways
- Ole Miss has reportedly offered Kewan Lacy around $1.8 million in NIL to stay in Oxford.
- Trinidad Chambliss’ future hinges on an NCAA sixth-year eligibility waiver.
- The Rebels are taking aggressive steps to keep both offensive cornerstones for 2026.
