Report: Promising Freshman Mizzou Running Back to Enter Transfer Portal

Another young Missouri Tiger is hitting the transfer portal, this time at the running back position.

Nov 16, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Kewan Lacy (11) runs the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Missouri freshman running back Kewan Lacy is entering the transfer portal, per On3 and Hayes Fawcett. Lacy rushed for 104 yards on 23 carries this season.

BREAKING: Missouri True Freshman RB Kewan Lacy plans to enter the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports

The 5’11 205 RB will have 3 years of eligibility remaining

Was ranked as a Top 90 Recruit (No. 7 RB) in the ‘24 Class per On3https://t.co/gFDaDfRs08 pic.twitter.com/TgxSV5aVvp

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 16, 2024

Lacy showed promise in limited carries this season for the Tigers, earning a few snaps later in the season and playing in blowouts earlier in the year. His most productive game came in Missouri's first matchup against Murray State, where he rushed for 42 yards on five carries, with his longest carry going for 13.

The departure of Lacy marks the fifth freshman to leave the Missouri program, including Williams Nwaneri, Jaylen Brown, Aiden Glover and Brayshawn Littlejohn. Lacy saw more snaps than each player on that list and arguably the most promise. The young losses in the transfer portal for the Tigers have really been the only ones, leaving some large depth and potential holes to fill.

If Lacy were to stay for the 2025 season, he would be a member of a young running back room comprised of Jamal Roberts, Tavorus Jones and others. If the Tigers were to stay away from the transfer portal, it's almost certain Lacy would have seen an increase in carries alongside Roberts. Now that he's gone, Roberts seems destined to get most of those.

Missouri recently reached out to Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh, who rushed for 1,111 and 10 touchdowns last season. Rivals reported that the sophomore running back entered the portal yesterday and that the Tigers would receive a visit from him, alongside SMU, Arizona State and North Carolina.

The odds of the Tigers reaching out to a running back before the departure of Lacy were low. It was announced that Missouri and its staff would get a visit from Udoh the day before Lacy announced his intent to transfer, which seemed puzzling at first but makes more sense now.