UNEXPECTED LOSS: LSU unexpectedly lost another superstar from transfer portal

LSU running back John Emery announced on Friday that he will return to the Tigers for his sixth and final year of college football.

In April, Emery had entered the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer. This offseason, he has been recovering from a season-ending knee injury sustained during LSU’s November victory over Florida. In the 2023 season, he carried the ball 23 times for 121 yards.

Emery, a five-star recruit from Destrehan High, began his LSU career in the 2019-20 season, rushing for 566 yards on 114 carries in his first two years. His third year was disrupted by academic eligibility issues, which also affected the first two games of his fourth year.

To date, Emery has accumulated 1,062 career rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

With Emery’s return, LSU now has five scholarship running backs on its roster: graduate senior Josh Williams, sophomore Kaleb Jackson, sophomore Trey Holly, and freshman Caden Durham.

Holly is currently suspended indefinitely following his arrest in February in connection with a Union Parish shooting that injured two people. Although a grand jury in April declined to charge him with attempted second-degree murder, he still faces one felony count of illegal use of a weapon or dangerous instrumentality. Holly’s attorney has stated that he will plead not guilty.