Tag: Noah Cain

Instant Analysis: LSU drops 72 points in dominating home-opening win over Grambling

The Tigers bounced back in a big way with Saturday night’s 72-10 win over Grambling.

LSU got the bounce-back it was looking for at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night as the team breezed to a declarative 72-10 win over Grambling in its Week 2 home opener, tying for the third-most points scored in a game in program history.

The offense led by [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] had a much more efficient and balanced game than it did in the loss to Florida State. Daniels finished with 269 yards and five touchdowns — a career high — through the air, all of which came in the first half.

Daniels also completed 18 of 24 passes.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] took over to start the second half, and while he wasn’t given the opportunity to do a whole lot, he completed 4 of 6 passes for 48 yards, 20 of which came on one play to [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], and finished a touchdown drive with his legs.

True freshman [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] also saw sporadic action late in the game, though he attempted and completed just a pair of passes for three yards.

Nabers ultimately led the team in receiving with 87 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while it was also another big night for [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], who led the team in catches with six for 78 yards while catching a pair of touchdown passes.

The Tigers got a much bigger contribution from their ground game on Saturday night as [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] had 115 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in his LSU debut after he missed last week’s game. Freshman [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] found the end zone twice while also totaling 62 yards on 11 carries.

[autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] (6 carries, 43 yards) and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] (7 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD) also had solid production on the ground.

Defensively, it was a bit of a sloppy start as the Tigers allowed 259 yards in the first half. They tightened up after that, though, allowing just 61 yards in the second half.

It was another fairly quiet game for [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], who saw more snaps off the edge but managed just one tackle. He did, however, breakup a pass and had a quarterback pressure that caused LSU only interception of the game, which was snagged by [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] on a tip drill.

LSU showed signs of improvement against an inferior opponent, but it will face a tougher test next Saturday when it hits the road to take on Mississippi State in its SEC opener.

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Brian Kelly updates injury report Thursday heading into Florida State game

Armoni Goodwin is officially out for this one, while Kimo Makane’ole was upgraded to probable.

Coach Brian Kelly is updating LSU’s injury reporting protocol to be more in line with that at the NFL level this season, and on Monday, we got our first injury report in the updated style.

Kelly provided additional information on the players currently dealing with injuries during his post-practice press conference on Thursday. We already know the Tigers will be without [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], who is suspended, and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], who is “unavailable” according to Kelly until Week 3.

Here’s the full injury report provided by Kelly on Thursday. Of note, backup offensive lineman [autotag]Kimo Makane’ole[/autotag] was upgraded from questionable to probable.

  • RB [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] (Out)
  • RB [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] (Probable)
  • OL [autotag]Kimo Makane’ole[/autotag] (Probable)

We knew that Goodwin likely wouldn’t be able to go in this one. He’s been limited in camp after recovering from a season-ending injury last fall, and he continues to deal with a hamstring injury.

Kelly seems optimistic that he will return soon, but in the meantime, LSU will turn to a hopefully healthy Williams and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] as well as transfer [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] and freshmen [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag].

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Brian Kelly says RB John Emery Jr. ‘unavailable’ for Week 1 against Florida State

Brian Kelly will be without one of his running backs for the season opener against Florida State on Sunday.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] will be without one of his running backs for the season opener against Florida State on Sunday. Kelly announced Wednesday morning that [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] will be unavailable to play this weekend.

Emery was not able to participate in any team activities this spring and summer due to academic issues. He returned to the team midway through fall camp after he apparently met the expectations the team set for him.

It is unclear if the academics continue to be an issue for him, but nevertheless, Emery will not play Sunday night against Florida State.

Emery, a fifth-year senior, was going to be vying for playing time against a loaded running back room. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag]. With Goodwin already ruled doubtful for Sunday’s game, the onus was placed on other running backs to produce.

This issue just puts Emery even further behind the eight ball if he wants to show that he is the guy. Now, he is giving one of the younger guys a chance to step up and make a great first impression on the coaches.

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Is Kaleb Jackson LSU’s next star running back?

LSU could have its next rushing star with freshman Kaleb Jackson

LSU’s running back room is flush with veteran options.

[autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag],[autotag] Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] have 17 combined years under their belt. [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag], who had a cup of tea with Oklahoma after beginning his career at LSU in 2020 is back with the team too.

LSU lacks a proven star there, but there’s plenty of depth and experience.

But in fall camp, it’s a true freshman stealing the show.

[autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], a blue-chip recruit who was top 10 overall in the state and top 10 nationally at his position, impressed in Saturday’s scrimmage.

He took a swing pass from [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], made a couple of guys miss and turned on the jets to take it to the house.

Jackson also notched an 18-yard touchdown run on the day and was tracked reaching speeds over 21 miles per hour.

For a guy who weighs in at 225, that’s elite speed.

From a physicality and athletic standpoint, Jackson looks to have everything you want in a running back. He’s shifty and can make defenders miss, but he also has the size to run through tackles.

That size paired with his pass-catching ability should make him a formidable option on passing downs too.

Expect LSU to stick with its veterans early in the year. Cain and Williams have the trust of the coaching staff right now, so it would make sense if they got the bulk of the snaps against Florida State.

But if Brian Kelly’s 2022 at LSU taught us anything, it’s that he’s going to get guys that can play in the game, even if it means making some schematic adjustments.

It’s early and Jackson will have to keep it up to chip away at the workload slated for the older guys, but expect to see Jackson contribute for LSU at some point this year.

He has the tools to be a star.

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Noah Cain and Josh Williams named to Doak Walker Award watch list

A pair of LSU running backs were named to the Doak Walker Award watch list.

LSU running backs [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] were named to the Doak Walker Award watchlist, the award annually given to the best running back in the country.

LSU’s running back room is crowded, but Cain and Williams have emerged as veteran leaders.

Cain, a Louisiana native who began his career at Penn State, transferred to LSU prior to 2022. Still working back from an injury, he saw his workload increase over the course of the year. He was LSU’s No. 1 back in spring practice as other running backs missed time.

Williams was a former walk-on who emerged as LSU’s most trusted rusher last year. He came up in big moments, picking up key first downs against Alabama and leading LSU’s offense at Arkansas.

With [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] transferring in and [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] rejoining the team, it’s anyone’s guess how the carries will shake out this fall. LSU will likely take a running back-by-committee approach.

But Cain and Williams both have the trust of the team and coaching staff. Expect to see a decent bit of both guys, especially early in the year.

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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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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 22 Armoni Goodwin

Armoni Goodwin is back from injury and looking to reclaim a spot in a deep running back rotation.

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 continue our look at a loaded running back room with a player who looked to be on the verge of a breakout early in the 2022 season before injuries halted his progress. After missing the spring, [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] is expected to be back at full strength for the start of the 2023 season and should be a key part of the rotation.

Armoni Goodwin Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Ht: 5-8

Wt: 200

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 6 in Alabama | No. 7 Running Back

Class in 2022: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year G Att Yards YPA Rec Yards Total TDs
2021 6 16 65 4.1 2 5 0
2022 7 45 267 5.9 4 19 5

Depth Chart Overview

Goodwin is a former top-100 recruit in the 2021 class and a Birmingham, Alabama, native. LSU struggled to find success on the ground in 2021, and Goodwin only attempted 16 carries for 65 yards as a true freshman.

He saw a much bigger role entering his sophomore year and appeared in seven games with three starts against Southern, Mississippi State and New Mexico. His progress was then put on pause as an injury caused him to miss the next three games.

Goodwin returned to the field against Ole Miss but was limited to just three total carries in the next two games. In the latter contest against Arkansas, he suffered a season-ending injury.

After missing the spring, LSU will hope Goodwin can return to where he was last fall. Reps on this unit will be hard to come by, though. [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] is back, as is [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], who saw starting reps in the spring. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] is an experienced transfer addition while [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] is a potential X-factor if he’s able to return.

Add in two talented true freshmen in [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag] — who was on campus for spring camp — and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag], and Goodwin will have to impress in the fall to solidify a spot in the rotation.

Armoni Goodwin’s Photo Gallery

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 21 Noah Cain

We are headed back to the loaded running back room to check out one of the veterans of the group, Noah Cain.

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 are headed back to the loaded running back room to check out one of the veterans of the group, Noah Cain. Cain transferred to LSU last year after spending three years at Penn State. He played in all 14 games last season making only three starts. He will be fighting for playing time again this fall.

Noah Cain Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ht: 5-11

Wt: 220

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four stars, No. 6 running back in the class of 2019, No. 13 running back in Florida (IMG Academy)

Class in 2022: Junior

Career Stats

Year G Att Yards Average Touchdowns
2019 (Penn State) 10 84 443 44.3 8
2020 (Penn State) 1 3 13 13.0 0
2021 (Penn State) 13 106 350 26.9 4
2022 14 76 409 29.2 10

Depth Chart Overview

As previously mentioned, LSU’s running back room is loaded with talent. It’s as if there are five or six different cooks all trying to cook in one kitchen. Cain is going to compete for carries with [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] and [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag]. I’m glad that I am not the one that has to divvy up the number of carries.

Noah Cain’s Photo Gallery

2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 3 Logan Diggs

Logan Diggs joins a crowded running back room after starting eight games at Notre Dame last year.

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 a late offseason transfer addition for LSU but one that should make a major impact on the field in 2023. The Tigers added former Notre Dame running back [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] following the spring, and he’s hoping he can break through in a deep room following his reunion with Kelly in Baton Rouge.

Logan Diggs Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Boutte, Louisiana

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 216

247Sports Composite Ranking

Three Stars | No. 16 in Louisiana | No. 35 Running Back

Class in 2022: Sophomore

Career Stats

Year G Att Yards YPA Rec Yards Total TDs
2021 (Notre Dame) 8 52 230 4.4 6 56 4
2022 (Notre Dame) 12 165 822 5.0 10 211 6


Depth Chart Overview

A three-star recruit coming out of high school, the Louisiana native and Archbishop Rummel player ultimately signed with Kelly at Notre Dame. He appeared in eight games as a true freshman, making a moderate impact as a rotational running back.

Under new coach Marcus Freeman, his role expanded in 2022. He appeared in 12 games with eight starts, leading Fighting Irish running backs in carries and finishing second in yards.

Now he’s reuniting with Kelly, but he joins a crowded backfield that returns [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] while adding a couple of freshmen, as well. Still, Diggs should see a good amount of carries as one of the most game-tested of the bunch.

Logan Diggs’ 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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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

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