Tag: LSU Running backs

Former LSU RB Logan Diggs could be ready to make his Ole Miss debut

Former LSU running back Logan Diggs could make his Ole Miss debut later this year

A former LSU running back could be set to make his Ole Miss debut soon. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], who began his career with Notre Dame and spent one year with the Tigers, hit the transfer portal and transferred to Ole Miss after LSU’s bowl game.

Diggs tore his ACL in the bowl win, but [autotag]Lane Kiffin[/autotag] said Diggs has a chance to return following Ole Miss’ second bye week. That would be Nov. 23, after Ole Miss plays Arkansas and Georgia.

Diggs ran 119 times for 653 yards with the Tigers in 2023. He caught eight passes for 82 more yards. That put Diggs at a solid 5.8 yards per touch, something LSU could use now with its struggling run game.

Kiffin said it would be great for Ole Miss to get a “big, physical back” like Diggs in the backfield.

Week 13 may seem late for a return, but Ole Miss is still hoping to make a college football playoff run. Diggs could inject some life into a Rebel offense looking for consistency.

Ole Miss already has a strong rotation with Henry Parrish and Ulysses Bentley. Diggs would make it one of the deeper backfields in college football.

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Brian Kelly talks about his stable of running backs

It’s no secret that LSU has a stable full of uber-talented running backs this season.

It’s no secret that LSU has a stable full of uber-talented running backs this season. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Malachi Lane[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag] make up what could be one of the best running back corps in the country.

Having that many talented running backs is all fun and games until it comes time to divvy out the carries among each of them. The Tigers have not run into that as much yet due to injuries and whatever is going on with Emery. We got our first look at Diggs against Grambling last weekend and he looked like he could be the feature back. Here is what [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] had to say about his running backs.

“We’re gonna feature a guy that is feeling it and is, ‘hot’, if you will,” he said. “We have enough depth that we can spell a guy and I think that’s a good thing. I still think that we are in a position to find out who that featured player is but I still think we can play multiple backs and still have the kind of continuity at the position that is necessary.”

We will see how the running back room develops over the season.

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LSU has a strong claim as Running Back U, according to ESPN

The Tigers have had no shortage of talent in the backfield over the years.

Though arguably the most notable LSU grad playing in the NFL right now is a quarterback ([autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag]), passing the ball has not exactly been the Tigers’ identity over the years.

Instead, this school has tended to produce talented running backs, and quite a few of them, at that. In ESPN’s annual Position U rankings, which use data since 1998 to determine which school has been the most successful in producing running back talent, LSU ranked third behind Alabama and Wisconsin.

It’s easy to see why. Between recent players like [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag], [autotag]Clyde Edwards-Helaire[/autotag], [autotag]Derrius Guice[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremy Hill[/autotag] and older ones like [autotag]Kevin Faulk[/autotag], there’s been no shortage of running back talent in Baton Rouge.

This season is no different. Despite having a potential All-SEC QB coming back in [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], this team has a loaded backfield with guys like [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] — along with others.

The ground game looks like it will remain a key part of LSU’s offensive identity during the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era.

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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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LSU State of the Program: Evaluating running back outlook in 2023 and beyond

The Tigers have quite a bit of depth in the backfield entering 2023.

With spring practice set to begin next month, it’s time to start looking at how LSU shapes up at each position group entering 2023. Earlier this week, we took a look at the quarterback room. Now, we move on to the running backs.

Roster construction isn’t just about this year though; coaches also have to build for the future. In these position previews, we’ll be looking at the outlook for each position group for the next several years.

Running back looks good for LSU right now. It’s one of the most experienced rooms on the team and just signed a couple of standout recruits.

Let’s jump right in.

LSU running back Tre Bradford no longer on the team

Kelly said that Bradford is “separated from the university” and has been removed from the roster.

Running back is one of the deepest position groups on the roster for LSU, but it will be down one man from that group this fall.

Junior [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag] was removed from the Tigers’ roster, and after the first day of fall camp on Thursday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] confirmed that he is no longer with the team. The reason behind his departure remains unclear.

“Tre has been separated from the university,” Kelly said. “There are luckily laws that I can’t get into specifics there but he is no longer on the roster.”

The 6-foot, 210-pound native of Dallas was entering his third season in Baton Rouge. Following his true freshman season in 2020, he briefly transferred to Oklahoma but opted to return to LSU shortly before the 2021 season began.

He played in just one game last fall, taking two carries for 11 yards in the regular season finale against Texas A&M. In two seasons with the Tigers, he had 12 carries for 69 yards in six appearances.

While Bradford’s departure hurts the depth in the backfield, LSU still has a very talented group in [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag]. The running game should be able to take a step forward in Year 1 under Kelly.

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