Tag: Noah Cain

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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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.

Former Notre Dame RB Logan Diggs commits to LSU

Diggs led all Fighting Irish backs in carries in 2022, and the Boutte, Louisiana, native will reunite with Brian Kelly in Baton Rouge.

LSU coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] continues to make effective use of the transfer portal.

The Tigers saw no players depart following spring practice, and now they’ve added a veteran to the running back room in former Notre Dame tailback [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag]. A native of Boutte, Louisiana, Diggs reunites with Kelly, who recruited him to South Bend and coached him for one season.

Diggs is a nice addition to a running back group that already boasts some talent. He led Fighting Irish backs in carries last fall with 165, and he finished second on the team with 821 rushing yards. He also had four touchdowns on the ground.

Kelly has made it a point to recruit transfers with ties to the state of Louisiana, and he adds a player in Diggs who has two remaining seasons of eligibility plus a redshirt year.

He’ll join a talented group of backs that returns [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag]. The former two were injured during spring ball allowing the latter to see a lot of the reps. True freshman [autotag]Trey Holly[/autotag] also made an impact, and another true freshman in [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] is set to enroll this summer.

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11 LSU players to study abroad in Senegal next week

The selected players will head to Dakar, Senegal, for an eight-day trip.

Eleven LSU players will have the opportunity to study abroad next week.

The players will be heading to Dakar, Senegal, for an eight-day trip that begins on Saturday. The players will return on May 21. It’s the first time that Tigers football players have participated in the study abroad program.

The 11 football players selected to make the trip are running back [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], receiver [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag], offensive tackle [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag], receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag], running back [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], defensive tackle [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Bo Bordelon[/autotag], receiver [autotag]Javen Nicholas[/autotag], defensive lineman [autotag]Fitzgerald West[/autotag] and long snapper [autotag]Slade Roy[/autotag].

“One of the things that I have tried to do since coming to LSU is to not only set the standards and the process of building a program that graduates champions, but to help our players establish an identity outside of football,” coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said in a release. “To get the opportunity to study abroad is an experience that student-athletes really don’t get the chance to do so for our players to be able to participate in this unique educational program is something that I think will have a lifelong impact on them.

“I want our players to have the opportunity to see things from a different perspective and to really take ownership in their studies and to understand that there’s much more out there than just being a football player. The opportunities of being an LSU football player go far beyond the field so I want to use the study abroad program to help them understand that. This is one of those pieces that we can continue to build on as we work with their identity outside of football and they are excited about it.”

LSU offered a description of the program:

The robust itinerary for this study abroad experience will purposely explore the course themes of race, sports, and civic engagement in a Senegalese context. Student-athletes will have the opportunity to learn Senegal’s Wolof language, engage in a service-learning opportunity with an international NGO, and meet local Senegalese families, among other highly immersive events. The program holistically introduces LSU student-athletes to Senegal’s rich culture and its strong ties to Louisiana.

It’s a neat opportunity for these LSU players, and with spring practice in the books, they will take advantage of some of their precious little down time to have what should be the experience of a lifetime.

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