Noah Cain explains how he makes the most of his opportunities in crowded backfield

LSU‘s rushing attack had been effective so far this season for the Tigers, as they rank fourth in the SEC in yards per game and per attempt on the ground. A key component in their ground game is the use of dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels and a trio of running backs that includes Noah Cain. Cain spoke on it what it’s like playing in a crowded running back room and making the most of his carries on a weekly basis.

“You gotta be ready to go, you can’t really worry about when you get in the game,” Cain said. “You gotta be ready to go at any point because you never know when your number’s gonna be called, you never know when coach will be like go ahead and get in on this play.”

Cain has definitely made the most of his touches so far this season, recording 168 rushing yards and four touchdowns on just 28 carries. Cain ties Daniels for the team lead in yards per carry, averaging six, which he attributes to his preparedness.

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“And if you’re not ready for you opportunity then that’s on you, you can’t blame anybody else. So I think this is all about staying locked in throughout the game, being ready for an opportunity, and then once you get in the game make the most of it,” Cain said.

Cain transferred to LSU from Penn State earlier this year, and in his three years with Nittany Lions picked up 806 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Even in Penn State’s offense, Cain was not the feature running back, as he explained how his experience in Happy Valley has prepared him for his role at LSU.

“When I was at Penn State we kind of had a similar rotation with four guys, so I’ve been kind of used to just being ready when your number’s called. Not really worried about when I get in the game, just being ready to go when I get in the game and it’s all about the perspective of things,” Cain said. “You could sit on the sideline, be upset about not getting many opportunities, or you can be cheering your teammates on and being ready when your number’s called.”

Cain seems to have the perfect mindset in his role and he’s thriving in it. Hopefully for the Tigers, his mentality is contagious, as they do have a lot of mouths to feed with three ball carries already reaching the 100-yard mark for the season.

“So if you have the right mindset perspective on things and you’re ready to go when you get in the game, you’re gonna be locked in 100% or you can be upset about the number of snaps and not be ready. And then the opportunity you wasted away is on you, so it’s all about having that positive outlook on it because the next level gets harder,” Cain said. “And then you’re gonna have guys just as talented as you if not better than you, so you’ve gotta be ready to go whenever your number’s called, whenever the opportunity presets itself.”