There’s a difference between having a backup running back and having another running back you can trust to carry the offense.
For Ole Miss, Makhi Frazier is starting to make that difference clear.
Kewan Lacy is still the Rebels’ No. 1 running back. Nobody is questioning that. But considering the injury problems that have followed Lacy throughout the season, having another dependable option in the backfield is becoming increasingly important.
And over the last two games, Frazier has shown he can be that guy.
The Michigan State transfer rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries against Vanderbilt before following it with 101 yards on 15 attempts against Missouri. That’s 174 rushing yards over two games, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
For the season, Frazier has 254 yards on 45 attempts, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Nearly 70 percent of those yards have come in the last two games.
“Yeah, it felt pretty good to get my first 100 yards in the SEC,” Frazier said Tuesday. “It’s really a blessing, and I just want to be able to do it week in and week out and just keep working.”
His emergence comes at an important time for the Rebels.
Lacy missed the entire Florida game with an injury, sat out the second half against Vanderbilt and missed the second quarter against Missouri after getting banged up again.
He’s continued playing through the injuries, something that deserves plenty of credit, but the reality is Ole Miss can’t always count on having him available for four quarters.
That’s where Frazier comes in.
Against Missouri, both running backs eclipsed 100 yards, with Lacy finishing with 122. It was the first time Ole Miss had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since 2022.
“Oh yeah, Makhi, he went for 100 yards today, first of the season,” Lacy said afterward. “So I feel like we’re just heating up, getting the chemistry right.”
That developing chemistry is encouraging, especially considering Frazier’s season didn’t necessarily begin the way he wanted.
Golding acknowledged that Frazier struggled to find his place early in the year after arriving in Oxford following a productive season at Michigan State.
“He had a really good year last year and came in, and I think early it didn’t go the way he envisioned,” Golding said. “Then he got his opportunity, and I think his mentality changed. I think his focus has been a lot better.”
Frazier credits his improvement to putting in the work during practice and correcting mistakes from previous games.
He’s also been learning from Lacy, particularly when it comes to pass protection, an important responsibility for any running back in Ole Miss’ offense.
“Just being able to take some pointers from him because he does it at a really high level,” Frazier said.
Perhaps the biggest benefit, though, is what Frazier’s emergence means for the offense when Lacy needs a break.
Golding said he’s been on teams where losing a star player noticeably affected everyone’s confidence. That hasn’t been the case with this Ole Miss backfield.
“I think there’s been no lost confidence based on who’s at running back,” Golding said. “Obviously, do we love when five’s out there? Absolutely.”
With Texas awaiting Ole Miss on Saturday, that depth could be important.
Lacy’s injuries aren’t going away overnight. Golding said managing his workload in practice will continue to be a weekly process.
But having Frazier producing at this level gives Ole Miss options it didn’t appear to have earlier in the season.
“I think it’s huge for the team to be able to run the ball and know that no matter who’s in there, they’re going to get the job done,” Frazier said.
That’s really the point.
Ole Miss is better when Lacy is healthy and running the football.
But with Frazier emerging alongside him, the Rebels are becoming less dependent on their star running back having to do everything himself.
