LSU RB John Emery Jr. suffers another torn ACL
The injury bug has bitten LSU veteran running back John Emery Jr. again, this time coming off a big showing in the Week 1 loss to Southern Cal.
Emery, who brought a spark to an LSU run game that had fallen flat when he rushed for 61 yards on 10 carries, suffered another ACL injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for the season, sources tell The Bengal Tiger staff. The news was first reported by The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander.
For Emery, a sixth-year senior who was part of LSU’s National Championship team in 2019, the news comes after he suffered a torn ACL that cut short his 2023 season. Emery briefly entered the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, but later withdrew his name and returned to LSU for the 2024 season.
“There was a bit of uncertainty with Trey Holly’s situation, which opened up the opportunity,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said following Emery’s return to the team. “At that position, I think that was one thing. I think the other was that he’d graduated and we kind of put a mandate on that he had to do the work academically.
“I think the third thing was that he really did an incredible job rehabbing from the injury. Like compliance-wise. He was very committed to playing again. Like, if he was kind of so, so about playing — he was committed. He was gonna play.
“So, when we added all that up, it just and Frank and I talked about it, said, ‘Look, we’ve got a kid here that a lot of things didn’t go his way, some of it was self-inflicted but he’s really shown that he wants to do this one more time.’ So, we sat down. We thought about it and we offered him the opportunity, and he had other offers out there and he felt like this was the best opportunity and we’re glad he’s back.”
Emery entered the year with 37 games played across five seasons in Baton Rouge, totaling 1,062 rushing yards and 14 career touchdowns. Emery also caught 36 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns across that stretch. On Sunday, he added 60 more yards and 10 carries to his career totals.
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Beyond Emery, LSU’s running back room is already without Trey Holly, who continues to work through ongoing legal issues during his second season on roster.
LSU started veteran running back Josh Williams in Week 1 against the Trojans, and he finished the game with nine carries for 33 yards and one catch for three yards. Backup running back Kaleb Jackson had six carries for 18 yards against USC, adding nine more yards on his lone target in the passing game. The lone other LSU player to log a rushing attempt against the Trojans was wide receiver Zavion Thomas, who carried the ball once for five yards.
With Emery sidelined for the season, expect LSU to test out freshman running back Caden Durham, a speedy newcomer who flashed at Duncanville High in Texas before leaving high school as the nation’s No. 5 running back on the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2024 class.
LSU’s next four games ahead of a matchup with No. 6 Ole Miss on October 14 come against Nicholls, at South Carolina, UCLA and South Alabama. The Tigers then have a bye week before welcoming the Rebels to Tiger Stadium.
