Because we’re all transfer portal junkies, you know Pete Golding, the staff and the Grove collective were on edge all Sunday and Monday.
After a ton of commitments over the past 48 hours, things came to a head Monday night with the news that Kewan Lacy had agreed to an NIL deal with Ole Miss for the 2026 season.
In an effort to understate the significance of this as much as possible, Lacey’s return is significant in three ways. First and most importantly, Mississippi State returns an elite running back who rarely gets a negative run and produces a healthy amount of yards after contact. Not many defenders have his skill set.
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Second, Ole Miss doesn’t have to figure out how to replace his product now. Prior to the Fiesta Bowl, he had rushed nearly 300 times and converted it into 1,464 yards and 23 touchdowns while catching 28 passes for 173 yards, making him a good safety valve and avoiding negative impacts in the passing game.
He may not hit those numbers next season, but he is a known quantity and Mississippi State doesn’t have to hope that the unknown will give them meaningful production in 2026. Granted, it would be nice to find a free defender to reduce his workload and keep him healthy and fresh, but we’re not here to nitpick.
In the end, Ole Miss doesn’t have to face Lacy (assuming he goes to an SEC school next year as planned) and can enjoy the meltdown of a grown baby who tried and still wants to burn everything down in Oxford because he didn’t get his way.
Speaking of which, let us count the number of career playoff games won by this adult baby after coaching the team to an 11-1 record:
Is 0 bigger than 2? Who can say for sure? However, he can ask a good question to a boy or girl in a private message.
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But enough with the sadness and loneliness, it’s possible that Lacey could join Trinidad Chambliss, who is awaiting an NCAA waiver for his final year of eligibility in the backfield. For an old lady, this level of return to production would be ideal for weapons grade.
Speaking of resuming production, starting in 2025, nearly all of the major contributors who are still eligible in 2026 will return. There will certainly be some attrition on the depth chart, but not the loss of starters or potential starters as once feared.
Pete Golding emphasized that successful retention is the most important part of roster management in 2026, and in addition to successful retention, the University of Mississippi has added the following:
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Sharif Denson – DB, Florida State
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Jonathan Maldonado – EDGE, Nevada
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Keaton Thomas – LB, Baylor University
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Jay Crawford – CB, Auburn
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Chris Jones – LB, Southern Mississippi
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Jehiem Oatis – DT, Colorado
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Michai Boireau – DT, Florida
Obviously, these are defensive players, but with Chambliss (possibly) and Lacey returning, we can assume the offensive players will be added in the next week or so. The main areas of need are wide receiver and offensive tackle, but if Chambliss is denied off waivers, Mississippi State will need to sign at least two quarterbacks.
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While all of this is important to keep the machine running, let’s not forget that in two days we’ll be in Phoenix (a town away from Glendale), one win away from competing for a national championship.
LFG, friends.