Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy has expressed his ambition for the Rebels to secure a national championship, grading their otherwise successful season as ultimately falling short of that ultimate goal. Despite the significant distraction of head coach Lane Kiffin's departure to LSU just before the playoffs, Lacy stated that the team managed to remain focused.
"We still came up short in the season. The main goal is to get to that national title. But we never really let the outside noise get to us. We just tried to focus on game by game," Lacy told Fox News Digital. He added that the business aspect of football is a reality, but the team's mindset was to compete regardless of coaching changes.
Lacy is also prioritizing player safety by utilizing the Q-Collar, an FDA-cleared device designed to protect the brain from the effects of repetitive head impacts. His mother discovered the Q-Collar and recommended it, noting its potential benefits for him and his brother. Lacy believes such equipment is a crucial step in improving athlete safety and longevity in the sport.
"I feel like there's so much more out there that we can do to better help us as athletes to protect our bodies. Equipment like the Q-Collar, it's the start of finding different ways we can be more safe and help play longer in the game," Lacy said.
With a roster that includes returning talent like Trinidad Chambliss and other key players, expectations are high for the Rebels in the upcoming season. Lacy expressed optimism about the new coaching staff and believes the team can build on past success.
"Going into this year with our new staff we got and all the new pieces we have, I feel like we just got to take it game by game, and this year I feel like we can go even farther," he said. "We can finish the deal. I just can't wait."