‘Doesn’t Care About His Players,’ ‘Stop Obsessing Over That Man’ — CFB Fans Divided As Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy Reveals ‘No Relationship’ With Lane Kiffin

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Ole Miss is set to host LSU in Week 3, marking Lane Kiffin’s first return to Oxford since leaving the Rebels for the Tigers ahead of the 2025 College Football Playoff.

With anticipation already building around the game, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy was asked about his relationship with his former coach and offered a blunt response.

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It’s the first time since 1962 that both LSU and Ole Miss have been ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll, making the stakes even higher. While the meeting between two highly ranked SEC teams is significant on its own, much of the attention has centered on Kiffin facing his former program after leaving Ole Miss for LSU.

Kiffin’s departure remains a major talking point in the rivalry, as eight assistant coaches, four support staff members, and four players also switched from Ole Miss to LSU. Among the players were defensive starters Princewill Umanmielen and TJ Dottery.

LSU pursued Lacy after Kiffin left Ole Miss, but the running back ultimately chose to stay with the Rebels, believing he and his teammates could continue building something special in Oxford.

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On Tuesday, Lacy was asked about his current relationship with his former head coach, and he responded directly.

“Really don’t have a relationship with him,” Lacy said. “Just focused on the season.”

The comment quickly drew reactions from college football fans on X. “Lane doesn’t care about his players,” a fan said.

“Lane wanted him to come to Baton Rouge, but he didn’t go. Have fun in the Carquest Bowl,” one wrote.

Lacy originally transferred to Ole Miss from Missouri and enjoyed a standout 2025 season. He posted an 89.7 PFN RB Impact Metric, which ranked seventh nationally.

Lacy has continued to contribute as Ole Miss opened the season undefeated. Through two games of the 2026 season, he has carried the ball 30 times for 148 yards and three rushing touchdowns over two games for the Rebels in the 2026 season.

Meanwhile, Kiffin has also made a strong start at LSU, leading the Tigers to wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech to enter the Week 3 matchup at 2-0.

With both Lacy and Kiffin now preparing to face each other as opponents, some fans questioned why Lacy was still being asked about his relationship with his former coach.

“I really hope y’all stop obsessing over that man after he blows y’all out Saturday,” one said.

“If even said hello to him, Ole Miss would say he was orchestrating their demise,” a netizen said.

“What’s he supposed to say? You people need to get over this & realize that major CFB is a BUSINESS. From the coaches to the players, it’s a BUSINESS. None of these guys give a [expletive] about the school they play for. They are ALL MERCENARIES. STOP TAKING THIS KIFFIN THING SO PERSONAL,” one added.

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“Terrible question. Let the players from both teams focus on the game,” a fan wrote.

Meanwhile, Lacy said he has remained in contact with several former Ole Miss assistant coaches and teammates who followed Kiffin to LSU. However, he added that he plans to avoid speaking with them until after the season.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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