Tag: John Emery Jr.

Josh Williams explains why he decided to walk on at LSU

Josh Williams got the opportunity to show his talent last season, and he made the most of it.

[autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] is coming off his best season as a Tiger.

Last year, Williams played in 11 games (six starts) and likely would have played more if not for injuries. Williams carried the ball 97 times for 532 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers are good enough for the second-highest rushing total on the team.

His career at LSU did not start out quite as promising. Williams was ranked as a two-star running back in the 2019 recruiting class.

LSU signed two running backs in that class: [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], who was the No. 1 running back in the country and LSU’s highest-rated running back signee since [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag] in 2014, and [autotag]Tyrion Davis-Price[/autotag], the No. 6-rated running back in the country.

Williams did not have an offer to play at LSU. He had offers from multiple smaller schools but he decided to take a bet on himself and walk on at LSU. So, why would he decide to go to LSU?

“I had a couple of lower-level offers,” Williams said, per On3. “I know I had Drake, Dayton. I had a bunch of D-II. I had Houston. But ultimately, my decision to go to LSU was because I wanted to better myself. My whole life, I never really went to a football camp. I played competitive basketball, AAU, so I never really got the chance to get stars or be ranked.

“I never considered myself as a walk-on or looked at myself as not good because I just knew I never had the opportunity to show my talent. Coming into LSU as a walk-on, I just wanted to show that I can prove to myself and everyone that I can play at this level.”

Williams got the opportunity to show his talent last season and he made the most of it. He will enter fall camp as one of the favorites to win the starting running back job.

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Brian Kelly provides another update on John Emery Jr.’s status

Brian Kelly is optimistic that John Emery Jr.’s return is “imminent.”

[autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag]’s career at LSU has not exactly gone according to plan.

Coming out of high school, Emery was one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2019 recruiting class and he was the highest-rated running back signee for LSU since Leonard Fournette in 2014.

The expectations for him could not have been any higher. As a freshman, he had 39 carries for 188 yards and four touchdowns. He finally got his first start as a Tiger during his sophomore season, but he only carried the ball 75 times and rushed for 378 yards and three touchdowns.

Emery sat out the 2021 season and came back last year for what could have been his final season at LSU. He played in 11 games (two starts) and had 76 carries for 375 yards and six touchdowns.

There have been a lot of questions this offseason on whether Emery will return for another year. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] addressed the latest on Emery at SEC media days.

“He is in the process of being cleared,” Kelly said. “I think we’ve got another thing we have to get through, but I feel really good that it’s imminent and he’s going to be with us when camp starts.”

It seems as though Emery will come back for a fifth year. Hopefully, this will be his best year yet.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 4 John Emery Jr.

John Emery Jr.’s status entering the fall is unclear after he has been away from the team focusing on academics.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re looking at the biggest question mark in LSU’s running back room this season, [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] A former five-star recruit, Emery is a talented player that has shown flashes at times but hasn’t lived up to the expectations.

Academic issues have limited his ability to get on the field over the past couple of seasons, and it’s unclear if he’ll be with the team for his fifth season this fall.

John Emery Jr. Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: St. Rose, Louisiana

Ht: 5-10

Wt: 220

247Sports Composite Ranking

Five Stars | No. 2 in Louisiana | No. 2 Running Back

Class in 2022: Senior

Career Stats

Year G Att Yards YPA Rec Yards Total TDs
2019 10 38 188 4.8 6 60 4
2020 9 75 378 5.0 14 73 3
2021 (Suspended) – – – – – – –
2022 11 76 375 4.9 13 129 8


Depth Chart Overview

A former top-15 recruit nationally coming out of high school, Emery largely saw a rotational role in the running back room in his first two seasons, though he started three games as a sophomore in the COVID season in 2020.

Emery entered 2021 with high expectations but ultimately sat out the entire season due to academic suspension. He returned to the field in 2022, though he missed the first two games due to an extension of the suspension.

It ended up being his most productive season. He didn’t see a lot of carries on the ground but had a career-high in receiving with 13 catches for 129 yards. His eight total touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving) also marked a career-best.

Emery’s future with the team is unclear. He has been away from the program during the offseason as he focuses on academics, Kelly has said. The Tigers have been reticent to give updates on his status, and it’s unclear if he will be on the active roster this season.

John Emery Jr.’s Photo Gallery

LOOK: Injured LSU RB Josh Williams looking good in offseason workout

Williams’ rehab seems to be going well after he suffered a knee injury late last fall.

Of all the players who stepped up on offense for LSU last season, perhaps none is being more underrated entering 2023 than [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag].

The veteran former walk-on earned a scholarship earlier in his career, and he proved his worth in 2022 when asked to shoulder a bigger load due to Armoni Goodwin’s injury.

Williams ultimately led LSU running backs in both carries (97) and yards (532). He also had six touchdowns, and the only player on the team with more rushing yards was quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag].

Williams suffered a knee injury late in the season and was fairly limited this spring as a result. However, in a recent video posted from a private workout, Williams appears to be returning to form.

Williams will be rejoining a very crowded backfield when he’s healthy. It returns Goodwin and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] while adding transfer [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] from Notre Dame and a pair of blue-chip true freshmen.

[autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], who is currently away from the team and focusing on academics, also could return to the fold this fall.

In spite of all that, it’s hard to count Williams, who will be a graduate student this season, out considering how reliable he was for this team when healthy.

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Transfer Breakdown: What LSU is getting with former Notre Dame RB Logan Diggs

Here’s what LSU fans can expect to see from the new addition to the running back room this fall.

LSU added another piece to its already stellar transfer class.

[autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], former Notre Dame running back, committed to reuniting with [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] in Baton Rouge on Tuesday.

Diggs is a former Louisiana product, so this is a homecoming of sorts for the running back. With Diggs, LSU stabilizes a running back room filled with both talent and uncertainty.

[autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] battled injuries last fall and this spring, [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] is still away from the team as he tries to get his academics in order, and you don’t know what to expect from a true freshman like [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag].

Diggs is a guy who has produced at the Power Five level. Let’s take a closer look at what LSU is getting.

Brian Kelly addresses LSU RB John Emery Jr.’s status after spring game

Emery has been away from the team this spring, and though Kelly reiterated he has a path to rejoining the team, not much has changed with his availability.

LSU’s running back group looks to have plenty of options heading into 2023, but there’s a lot of uncertainty regarding a potential key piece in that room.

[autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] has been away from the team during spring camp. Earlier this offseason, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said that Emery was focusing on academics over football. Asked for an update on the fifth-year running back’s status after LSU’s spring game on Saturday, Kelly didn’t provide much new information aside from reiterating that Emery still has a path to rejoining the team.

“We have not ruled out John Emery for returning,” Kelly said. “I think I’ve made it pretty clear that John has a path back but it’s one that is really dictated by what he does academically. We have not made any misleading statements, we love him. But we’re putting academics first and foremost and he’s got to take care of that first.”

Emery has had eligibility issues stemming from academics in the past. He was academically suspended for the entire 2021 season, and though Kelly said last offseason that those problems largely occurred under the previous coaching staff, he was also suspended for the first two games last fall.

He ultimately played in 11 games, making two starts. On 76 carries, he totaled 375 yards and six touchdowns. He also added two scores through the air.

With Emery unavailable this spring and [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] battling injuries, it opened up a lot of opportunities for [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag], who led Tigers running backs in rushing yards in the spring game.

Carries will come at a premium for any LSU running back this fall, and it remains unclear exactly how Emery fits in to the group, assuming he’s able to return.

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Report: John Emery Jr. to return to LSU football in 2023

The Tigers are set to return every scholarship running back in 2023.

The Tigers are seemingly set to get a major offensive piece back as running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] did not enter his name into the 2023 NFL draft pool by Monday’s deadline. Emery, a senior from St. Rose, Louisiana, is now set to return for a fifth season of college football.

Emery’s return would mean every scholarship running back is set to return to the team in 2023. The news of Emery’s decision to return was first reported by On3’s Shea Dixon.

A former five-star recruit in the 2019 class, Emery saw sporadic action his first two seasons. He started three games in 2020, finishing second on the team in rushing with 378 yards. However, he would later miss the entire 2021 season — and the first two games in 2022 — with an academic suspension.

He appeared in 11 games this fall after returning to the field, making two starts, including in the SEC Championship against Georgia. He finished the season with 380 yards and six touchdowns, and he also caught two touchdown passes out of the backfield. He was the only LSU running back with a receiving touchdown in 2022.

Emery’s return gives LSU a crowded running back room entering the spring as it also returns [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] while adding 2023 signees [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag].

There will almost certainly be some attrition here after spring, but for now, the Tigers’ backfield is looking like a strength entering next fall.

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Instant Analysis: LSU dominates Purdue to win Citrus Bowl, earn 10th win

The Tigers ended the year on a high note by blowing out Purdue 63-7.

The Tigers cruised against a shorthanded Purdue team in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Monday afternoon, taking down the Boilermakers 63-7 in a game that was never in doubt from the opening kick.

With the victory, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] earned his 10th win in his debut season as LSU snapped a two-game losing streak and ended the year on a high note.

It was a dominant offensive game from the Tigers, who led 35-0 at halftime and finished with 594 total yards. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] got the start at quarterback, and he certainly didn’t look hobbled despite nursing an ankle injury suffered in the SEC Championship.

Daniels was pulled early in the second half, but he was efficient as ever, completing 12 of 17 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown while adding 67 yards on the ground. We also saw a healthy dose of [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], who played intermittently in the first half and was handed the reigns in the third quarter before true freshman [autotag]Walker Howard[/autotag] took over in the fourth.

Nussmeier looked the part again, completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, though he threw an interception in the end zone. [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] also completed two passes for 50 yards on a pair of trick plays, one of which went to Daniels for a touchdown on a Philly Special.

In addition to his contributions in the passing game, Nabers led the Tigers in receiving with 163 yards on nine catches, including a 75-yard touchdown on a jet sweep. [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] had five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] also found the end zone.

While the Tigers were great through the air, they also totaled more than 200 yards on the ground. [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] got the start and took eight carries for 58 yards and two touchdowns, while [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] had 52 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

Purdue struggled to do much of anything offensively in this one without quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who opted out. It played four signal callers, who went a combined 19 of 42 for 163 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.

[autotag]Sai’vion Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] took advantage of their opportunities at the edge with each totaling a sack, while [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] also brought the quarterback down once. [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Jarrick Bernard-Converse[/autotag] and [autotag]Quad Wilson[/autotag] all had interceptions, with Wilson taking one 99 yards to the house in the final minute.

LSU’s Year 1 under Kelly was filled with some very high highs and fairly low lows. But the Tigers took care of business on Monday as they put a bow on the 2022 season and will enter 2023 with a ton of momentum.

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Josh Williams is confident he will return for SEC Championship

The Tigers may get one of their best offensive players back for the Georgia game.

It’s no secret that LSU has been playing without one of its best players the past few weeks as the Tigers have missed [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] after he suffered an injury in LSU’s win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Since then, [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] have had to pick up the slack. They have done a great job so far, but [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] would love nothing more than to get Williams back.

The Tigers are headed to Atlanta to play the Georgia Bulldogs for the SEC Championship game this weekend and it would be a massive boost if Williams were to play this week.

Williams told the media this week that he expects to make his return to the field in the SEC title game.

“I talked to the training staff. They basically said it’s based on how I feel, how I want to go forward with it,” Williams said. “I’m feeling better than I did last week, I’ve been progressing every day. I started running last week. I’ve been doing well starting today even, I’m excited to see how well I progress. I’m pretty confident that I’m going to make an appearance in the game. I just want to put it in God’s hands and see how it goes.”

Getting Williams back would be huge for the Tigers’ confidence this weekend.

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Brian Kelly discusses why he went for two against Texas A&M

Kelly said the decision ultimately came down to analytics.

With about six and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter Saturday night, [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] scored on a three-yard touchdown run to cut the Aggies’ lead to 38-23. With a PAT, the Tigers could have cut the lead to 14 points, a two-score game.

Brian Kelly decided to try something different, though. Instead of kicking, he chose to go for two to try to cut the lead to 13. Needless to say, it didn’t work, and 38-23 ended up being the final score.

So what made Kelly decide to go for two instead of kicking the field goal? Was it because LSU was trying to gain more momentum? Turns out, the answer simply boils down to math.

“The analytics say go for two, so if you don’t get it there you have another chance to go for two and have the opportunity to tie the game up.”

Analytics made him do it. Hopefully, it will work better next time.

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