LSU running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] has withdrawn from the transfer portal and will return to the Tigers for his sixth and final season of eligibility, according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Emery entered the transfer portal following his fifth-year senior season in 2023, in which he appeared in seven games with no starts, but he’ll apparently be returning to the Tigers to help a running back room that lacked both depth and experience without him.
It’s been quite a winding college journey for Emery, a former five-star recruit from St. Rose. After seeing 39 carries in 10 games during a promising true freshman season in 2019, he made three starts as a sophomore in 2022 and finished second on the team in rushing with 388 yards and three touchdowns.
Running back John Emery, who left LSU and entered the transfer portal in April, is expected to return to the Tigers, sources tell @247sports.
The former five-star recruit has 1,062 career rushing yards and 16 career touchdowns.https://t.co/HGEcA3abry pic.twitter.com/a1FQ8BfmfV
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) June 7, 2024
Expectations were high for Emery entering 2021, but he missed the entire season due to academic suspension. He returned after missing the first two games in 2022, ultimately starting two games with 11 appearances. It was his best season statistically, as he finished with 375 yards but doubled his 2020 touchdown total to six.
He also caught 13 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Emery saw fewer carries in 2023, appearing in just seven games and totaling 121 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. However, with leading rusher Jayden Daniels gone, the Tigers are likely to rely much more heavily on their group of running backs.
[autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] seems to be the bell cow as the graduate student and former walk-on has seen the most carries of anyone in the group outside of Emery. [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] showed promise as a true freshman last fall, while 2024 signee [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] also joined the fray.
Emery has had promising moments at points in his career, and this could be the year it finally comes together.
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