Tag: John Emery Jr.

Brian Kelly ‘sick’ about John Emery Jr. injury, remains confident in running game

Despite losing its leading rusher in Week 1 for the season, Brian Kelly thinks the ground game will prove to be a “strength” for the Tigers.

Entering the 2024 season, running back looked to be a major question mark after last year’s two leading rushers — quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] — both moved on.

Now, the depth is going to be tested even more as [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], who led the team in carries and yards in Week 1 against USC, is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL in practice on Tuesday.

On Thursday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said he felt “sick” for Emery, who battled injuries and academic suspensions earlier in his career but earned his degree from LSU and was expected to play a major role after briefly entering the transfer portal in the offseason.

“We feel pretty good right now where we’re at in terms of the running back position,” Kelly said. “Obviously, we feel sick about John, sometimes you think about this and just wonder, how can this be fair in any way to this poor kid? He’s just overcome so many obstacles and he’s in a non-contact situation and he sticks his foot in the ground and he tears his knee up.

“It was so disappointing and we feel so bad for him and his family. But John has overcome so much, I’m so proud of what he’s accomplished and getting his degree from LSU. He’s going to be successful in life and we’ll see what the future holds for him.”

Kelly added that Emery underwent successful knee surgery on Thursday.

Despite the injury, Kelly remains optimistic about the run game, which will now rely even more on players like [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag]. He even went as far as to say he believes it will ultimately be a strength.

Kelly also added that true freshman cornerback [autotag]Ju’Juan Johnson[/autotag], who also played all over the field on offense in high school, will get some reps as the fourth running back, as well.

“I like what we do, I like our players up front,” Kelly said. “I’m very confident that as time goes on, the offense, and in particular the running game, is going to be the strength.”

The running game had some success in Week 1, totaling 113 yards on 25 carries. But the Tigers know they need more out of the rushing attack moving forward, and now, that room is even thinner than it was coming into the year.

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LSU running back suffers season-ending knee injury in practice

John Emery Jr. reportedly suffered a torn ACL in practice on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season.

Following a frustrating season-opening loss to USC on Sunday night, the news got even worse for LSU on Wednesday.

Veteran running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], now in his fifth season with the program, suffered a torn ACL in practice on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. The news was first reported by Wilson Alexander of The Advocate.

Emery was a standout in the rushing game in LSU’s opener, leading the team in carries (10) and yards (61). The veteran briefly entered the transfer portal ahead of the season but opted to return for what would have been his final year of college eligibility.

https://twitter.com/whalexander_/status/1831381539718127902

Emery’s 2023 season also ended prematurely with a torn ACL suffered late in the season.

It’s a brutal break for a player who has had a winding career in Baton Rouge but seemed poised for potentially his best campaign yet. Without him, LSU will lean even more on fellow veteran [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and sophomore [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag].

True freshman [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] could also see his touches increase as a result after he wasn’t a factor in the Week 1 gameplan.

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5 takeaways from LSU football’s season-opening loss to USC

LSU football dropped a fifth-straight season opener on Sunday night. This time it was a 27-20 loss to Lincoln Riley and USC.

Another kickoff, another letdown for LSU. For the fifth straight year, LSU dropped its season opener. All five losses came at the hands of power conference opponents, all in games where LSU was favored.

This time, it was USC’s turn to deliver the season-opening blow to LSU. Lincoln Riley’s offense marched down the field in the final minute to break a 20-20 tie with a Woody Marks touchdown. LSU got the ball back with eight seconds left, but a [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] interception sealed a 27-20 win for USC.

LSU had several chances to take control of this game in the second half, but USC stuck around and eventually made the plays in the fourth quarter. The Tigers lacked the signature explosive plays that made the 2023 offense the best unit in the country and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ legs were sorely missed.

Brian Kelly entered his third year at LSU with high hopes. With the playoff expanding to 12, postseason hopes aren’t completely dashed, but LSU’s margin for error is slim the rest of the way.

Nussmeier finished with 304 yards and two touchdowns while John Emery led LSU on the ground with 10 carries for 64 yards.

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s loss to USC.

Garrett Nussmeier meets expectations

It’s hard to put this loss on Nussmeier. The redshirt junior was impressive, completing 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards and two scores. Nussmeier looked like a veteran, checking calls at the line of scrimmage and taking what the USC defense gave him.

Nussmeier protected the football and did a fine job taking calculated risks. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] got the bulk of the targets, but Nussmeier spread it around and threw at 11 different Tigers.

USC did a good job disguising its pressures, which caused trouble for LSU at times, but Nussmeier handled it and got the ball out. He made throws within the pocket and delivered some balls on the run too.

Despite the loss, LSU should feel good about its passing attack.

LSU struggles to establish the run

Without Daniels, there were questions about how LSU would generate explosive plays on the ground. The Tigers struggled to accomplish that on Sunday night.

There were flashes, but the rushing attack was inconsistent. [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], the two backs expected to lead LSU’s RB room, averaged 3.4 yards per carry. Nussmeier was a nonfactor on the ground.

[autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] injected life in the second half and finished with 10 carries for 61 yards, but that was about the only positive takeaway in this department.

It’s possible this was just a bad night, but LSU is supposed to have the best offensive line in the country. That should be reevaluated moving forward.

Secondary remains an issue

LSU was plagued by a young and injury-riddled secondary last year. Sunday night wasn’t quite as bad as 2023, but it wasn’t good.

[autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] and [autotag]PJ Woodland[/autotag] had a few highlight plays at cornerback, but USC continued to take advantage of one-on-one matchups on the outside.

The nail in the coffin came when Miller Moss found Kyron Hudson on the final drive. LSU corner Sage Ryan failed to redirect Hudson and Moss found a window.

Earlier in the half, Moss found Ja’Kobi Lane one-on-one with Stamps for a score.

LSU will face more talented receivers when it gets into conference play. Right now, that looks like trouble.

LSU struggles to find explosive plays

LSU was the most explosive offense in the country last year, but the big plays didn’t come at the same clip on Sunday night.

We knew LSU would regress some here after the gaudy numbers put up in 2023, but according to GameOnPaper, LSU had just one explosive play on the ground.

LSU created four big plays through the air, but it missed the 50-yard bomb we’d see from Daniels and [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] last year.

Without the big plays, pressure was put on LSU to sustain drives. That was tough without a consistent run game.

Another season-opening loss

LSU fans are probably getting tired of starting 0-1. The last time LSU won a season opener, [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] was throwing passes.

Again, LSU’s season isn’t over with the playoff expanding, but LSU will have to overperform against a tough SEC schedule if it has postseason hopes.

The schedule is favorable, relative to what other SEC teams face, but it’s by no means easy.

LSU has a lot to fix if Kelly hopes to avoid falling short of expectations again.

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Instant analysis from LSU’s heartbreaking season-opening loss to USC

The Tigers lost their fifth-straight season opener on Sunday night as they couldn’t stop a game-winning Trojans drive.

LSU will have to wait another year to earn its first season-opening win since 2019.

On Sunday night, the Tigers fell 27-20 to USC in Las Vegas to begin the 2024 season after the Trojans scored a go-ahead touchdown with eight seconds to play to clinch a win and hand LSU a heartbreaking defeat.

The Tigers had their chances in this one, driving down the field while trailing by three in the final minutes. But due to a few mistakes, the drive stalled out in the red zone and LSU had to settle for a game-tying field goal.

USC responded quickly on the other end, moving down the field despite holding just one timeout and a 13-yard run from Woody Marks capped off the drive.

LSU’s defense proved to be stronger in this game than in many contests last year, but it still wasn’t enough. The Trojans totaled 447 yards with quarterback Miller Moss accounting for 378 of those through the air.

It overshadowed what was an overall strong regular season starting debut for [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag]. He looked poised and played efficiently, finishing 29 of 38 for 304 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, which came on a desperation play with less than 10 seconds to play.

[autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] was LSU’s clear top option in the passing game, finishing with 94 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] also had seven catches with 62 yards, while [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] managed 64 with a touchdown.

The Tigers also ran the ball with some success, totaling 117 yards on 26 carries with [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] leading the way with 61 yards on 10 carries.

It looked like an improved product in some ways, particularly when it came to a defensive line that got pressure, headlined by a two-sack day from [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag]. Ultimately, the Tigers will start another season 0-1 and will now have to dig themselves out of an early hole, with Nicholls coming to town for next weekend’s home opener.

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What impact will LSU running back Caden Durham make as a freshman?

What impact can LSU freshman RB Caden Durham make in 2024?

The running back spot is an intriguing one for LSU in 2024. The Tigers have no clear No. 1 with several players battling for carries.

You have the veterans, [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] The sophomores hoping for a breakout, [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag]. Then you have [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], one of the top recruits in LSU’s 2024 class.

Three of the four major recruiting services ranked Durham as a top 10 back in the class. Rivals was the highest, slating Durham No. 4 at his position.

Running back is a position where players can make an impact as a true freshman. There’s a chance for Durham to do that in 2024.

For now, the bulk of the carries are set to go to sixth-year senior Williams and sophomore Jackson. LSU’s offense will rely on the backs much more in 2024 than it did in 2023. Without [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ explosive rushing ability at QB, the Tigers have look elsewhere for their ground production.

LSU will need more than just Williams or Jackson to get through the year. Williams is a solid player, but he’s not a feature back. Jackson has the talent to be a centerpiece, but might still be a year away from reaching his ceiling. Expect a good amount of rotation here.

That means a guy like Durham will get his chance. LSU hasn’t had a true speedster at RB with Durham’s talent in a minute. He has the wheels to take it to the house on any play.

That’s what Daniels had last year and what LSU needs to find again. Last year, 6.7% of LSU’s runs went for 20 or more yards. That led the Power Five. Without Daniels, that will be hard to repeat. But a breakout from Durham can get the Tigers close.

Durham doesn’t need to be a down-to-down back yet. LSU has veterans that know the scheme and know the system. Those guys will carry most of the load.

Durham can function as a true change-of-pace player. LSU can simplify the game and just let him run.

Don’t expect Durham to make a ton of noise early in the season, but he can certainly be a contributor down the stretch.

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LSU’s 2025 running back class is the best in the nation

LSU’s 2025 recruiting class at running back is the nation’s best.

LSU’s 2025 class is strong. It ranks No. 3 in the country overall and its 19 blue-chip recruits are tie Ohio State for most in the nation.

The strength is especially evident at running back, where LSU has the best class in the country.

[autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag], a class headliner, is the No. 1 RB in country according to On3, ESPN, and Rivals. The lone site that has him off the top spot is 247Sports, but he still sits at No. 2 there.

Berry isn’t the only blue-chip running back in the class. LSU also has a commitment from Louisiana four-star [autotag]JT Lindsey[/autotag]. According to 247Sports, Lindsey is the fifth-best back in the class while the On3 Industry Rankings slate him No. 13 overall.

Running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] was one of Brian Kelly’s biggest hires when Kelly arrived in Baton Rouge. LSU’s depth was tested at RB after the head coaching transition, but Wilson has rebuilt the room into one of the SEC’s most talented.

Berry will be LSU’s top running back commit since [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] signed in 2019.

With young backs like [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag] and [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] already on the roster, the room is well-positioned for years to come.

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Brian Kelly elaborates on decision to bring John Emery Jr. back in 2024

After flirting with the transfer portal, John Emery Jr. is back for a sixth season in Baton Rouge.

LSU’s run game is the offense’s biggest question entering the 2024 season.

The Tigers lose their top running back in [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] and their leading overall rusher in Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]. His replacement, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], is not nearly as much of a factor in the run game.

LSU is expected to rely much more heavily on its backs, which initially just featured [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] as the top returning players at the position.

However, the Tigers got a nice boost in the return of [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], who initially entered the transfer portal and briefly flirted with UCLA before opting to return to Baton Rouge.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] explained why Emery earned the opportunity to return to the Tigers.

“Well, there was a bit of uncertainty with Trey Holly’s situation, which opened up the opportunity at that position. I think that was one thing, I think the other was that he graduated, and we kind of put a mandate on that he had to do the work academically. And I think the third thing was that he really did an incredible job rehabbing from the injury, like compliance-wise. He was very committed to playing again.

“And so when we added all that up… we’ve got a kid here that a lot of things didn’t go his way, some of it was self-inflicted, but he’s really shown that he wants to do this one more time. So we sat down, we thought about it and we offered him the opportunity. He had other offers out there, and he felt like this was the best opportunity, and we’re glad he’s back.”

Kelly also explained that Emery earned a sixth year due to his medical history, though he couldn’t go in further detail and explained that it was separate from the knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign.

In four seasons with the Tigers, Emery has 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns on 213 carries. He hasn’t emerged as the feature back to this point in his career, but he has the chance to do so this season.

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What impact will LSU RB John Emery Jr. make in 2024?

What can LSU expect from RB John Emery Jr. in 2024?

After exploring the transfer portal, running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] decided to return to LSU for a sixth season of college football.

Emery, a former five-star recruit, has had a roller coaster of a career at LSU. He joined the team in 2019 and was a member of the national title squad. He looked prime for a breakout in 2020, but COVID struck and he began to deal with a lingering ankle issue.

A year-long academic suspension followed that in 2021. He was part of the rotation in 2022 and 2023, but his 2023 came to an abrupt end after he tore his ACL vs. Florida.

Now, Emery’s return provides depth and experience to a running back room that needs it. With fall camp underway, we’ve got our first glimpses of Emery back on the field. Thus far, the reports are positive.

Fellow sixth-year RB [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] offered some praise, saying “John looks like he hasn’t even lost a step and I attribute that to his work ethic. Right after the surgery, he was back in the training room getting to work.”

Williams’ words were backed up by Emery on the field. He looked healthy and moved well.

We know LSU’s rushing attack will look different this fall. LSU’s top two rushers from 2023, [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], are gone. That production has to go somewhere.

[autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] will get a fair share of the carries, but there’s an opportunity for Emery to increase his workload.

In flashes, Emery has shown an ability to make plays. He’s yet to find consistency, but LSU doesn’t need him to be a workhorse.

LSU needs Emery to be a reliable change of pace back. He has the skillset to be a receiving threat out of the backfield and the experience to be trusted on third down.

In 2022, Emery made a couple of big plays that helped LSU secure wins against Auburn and Alabama. Again, he wasn’t a consistent force but he had a knack of making a play when LSU needed it.

If LSU gets that again from Emery in 2024, this running back room will be in better shape.

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Brian Kelly details Zy Alexander, John Emery Jr.’s progress after knee injuries

Two potential key contributors have been cleared after missing spring ball due to injury.

As LSU begins fall camp this week ahead of the 2024 season, it’s getting its first look at a pair of potential contributors in quite some time.

Both cornerback [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] saw their 2023 seasons end prematurely due to knee injuries, and they missed spring ball as they went through the rehab process.

As the Tigers kicked off camp on Thursday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said that both have been totally cleared for participation, though the team is being cautious in how it brings them back into the fold.

He’s been cleared for everything,” Kelly said of Alexander. “But when you have a knee, you need to experience some things like getting tripped up in the hole and cutting off of it and feeling the scar tissue and going ‘Oh my goodness, that’s what that feels like.’

“So he’s full-go, but he’s in that process of getting back into football activities and that sometimes takes some time before you feel real comfortable.”

The same is true for Emery, who Kelly said the staff wanted to put in some “high-leverage situations” to get him comfortable following his recovery.

“Talking to (running backs coach) Frank (Wilson), we wanted to do two things,” Kelly said. “We wanted to put John in a position where the reps mattered and mattered in the sense of he had to cut, he had to be stressed.

“He’s cleared, so we wanted every rep that he got to be, maybe this is a bad analogy, but a high-leverage rep, if you will. We didn’t want him out there, you know, just blocking or taking a rep that didn’t force him to put his foot in the ground and accelerate. We want to really stress him in the sense of making sure he feels great with that knee, because if he feels great, he’s fearless.”

Alexander was a bright spot in LSU’s secondary before his injury last fall, and Emery is expected to play a key role in the running back rotation after flirting with the transfer portal this offseason.

Both may be limited during fall camp, but there’s optimism they’ll be ready to go for the start of the season.

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LSU wide receiver target receives offer from Tigers track and field

A four-star LSU football target recently received a track offer, too.

Four-star Louisiana receiver [autotag]Phillip Wright[/autotag] committed to Michigan earlier this month, but that hasn’t stopped LSU from trying to flip the blue-chip prospect.

Now, Wright will have the opportunity to run track at LSU along with playing football.

Wright, who’s earned the nickname “Flash,” runs a 10.46 100m, making him one of the fastest receivers in his class. We’ve seen LSU put a premium on speed at the receiver position in recent years, making Wright a perfect fit in the [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag] offense.

Wright hails from Destrehan High, a place that LSU is familiar with. LSU already has one Destrehan commit in 2025 with safety [autotag]Jhase Thomas[/autotag] locked it. It’s the school that produced former LSU star [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] and current LSU running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag]

Top prospects from Louisiana rarely leave to head up north. It’s even rarer at Destrehan. Wright was at LSU this weekend for the Bayou Splash but remained firm with his Michigan pledge for now.

LSU knows it continues to have a chance with top instate products until that dotted line is signed. Last year, the state’s top prospect [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] committed to Texas A&M, but LSU stuck with it and eventually signed the five-star defensive tackle.

The Tigers will hope for a similar outcome with Wright this year.

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