Ole Miss isn’t waiting until September to begin campaigning for its biggest stars.
The Rebels officially launched Heisman Trophy campaigns for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy this week, unveiling promotional yard signs, buttons and other campaign-themed materials that immediately caught the attention of the fan base. The response was so overwhelming that university officials are already exploring ways to make the merchandise available online after fans flooded social media asking where it could be purchased.
For Talk of Champions hosts Ben Garrett and Brad Logan, however, the campaign represents something much bigger than collectible merchandise: it represents how far Ole Miss football has come.
A program promoting its players
Garrett and Logan both noted the contrast between the current coaching staff and previous years, praising head coach Pete Golding for placing the spotlight squarely on his players.
Rather than centering the program around a coach’s personality, Ole Miss is using one of college football’s biggest preseason storylines to elevate two of the nation’s premier playmakers.
“It’s refreshing,” Logan said, pointing to the increased emphasis on recognizing the players who ultimately drive the program’s success.
The H6I5MEN campaign starts in your front yard.
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) July 16, 2026
Yard signs, bumper stickers, and buttons will be available to the first 500 fans.
🗓️ Tuesday, 7/21
🕙 10:00 AM–12:30 PM
📍 Outside Gate 10 (Northeast corner of VHS)#H6I5MEN pic.twitter.com/r4LUW9GQXK
That shift is evident in the coordinated rollout of the Heisman campaigns, which comes just days before SEC Media Days and ensures Chambliss and Lacy will enter the national spotlight before the season even begins.
Two legitimate Heisman contenders
Ole Miss isn’t creating hype out of thin air.
Chambliss finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting last season after leading one of the most productive offenses in school history. He accounted for more than 4,000 total yards while helping the Rebels become the first team in program history to eclipse 7,000 yards of total offense.
Every Trinidad Chambliss touchdown from last season 🇹🇹@OleMissFB | #SECNTakeover pic.twitter.com/g9FxKVroBK
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 10, 2026
Lacy was just as dominant. The star running back finished second in the SEC in rushing during his first season in Oxford, tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 24, and returns after reportedly turning down lucrative NIL opportunities elsewhere to remain with the Rebels. He also enters the season within striking distance of becoming Ole Miss’ all-time leading rusher.
Kewan Lacy’s 1,567 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns would give him the ALL TIME record for both categories at Notre Dame.
— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) July 18, 2026
Lacy would be the GREATEST running back the Irish ever had. pic.twitter.com/7hzBq1TLza
Garrett argued that few schools nationally can legitimately claim to have two players with realistic Heisman aspirations.
From “Deuce for Heisman” to national expectations
Ole Miss fans have seen grassroots Heisman campaigns before.
There was “Heis Manning” for Eli Manning and “Deuce for Heisman” during Deuce McAllister’s career. Garrett believes this year’s campaign carries a different level of credibility. Instead of trying to generate attention for a long-shot candidate, Ole Miss is promoting two players who are already firmly in the national conversation.
NEW: Nike has signed 8 college football players to its NIL roster:
— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) July 16, 2026
• Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss
• Texas WR Cam Coleman
• Vanderbilt QB Jared Curtis
• LSU TE Trey'Dez Green
• Ohio State WR Chris Henry Jr.
• Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy
• Oregon QB Dante Moore
• Texas EDGE… pic.twitter.com/khA679CLAo
The Rebels now feature Nike-sponsored athletes, national advertising campaigns and College Football 27 cover recognition. Launching a Heisman campaign is no longer viewed as wishful thinking. It has become a natural extension of the program’s growing national profile.
The Lane Kiffin effect still matters
The discussion eventually turned toward former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and the role he played in elevating the Rebels nationally.
Both Garrett and Logan credited Kiffin with rebuilding the program after a difficult stretch following NCAA sanctions, arguing that his national profile helped restore excitement around Ole Miss football.
At the same time, they believe the program has reached a point where its identity is no longer tied to a single coach. Instead, the foundation now rests with the administration, the roster, the Grove Collective and a culture that remained intact even after Kiffin departed.
SEC Media Days provide the perfect stage
The timing of the campaign rollout appears intentional.
With SEC Media Days beginning next week, Chambliss and Lacy will almost certainly face questions about their Heisman candidacies, extending the conversation well beyond Oxford and into the national media landscape.
For Ole Miss, that’s exactly the point. Every interview, highlight and social media post reinforces the Rebels’ position as one of the country’s premier programs entering the 2026 season.
