TLDR: John Emery, the talented running back, has decided to stay with LSU football, as announced on his Instagram. His decision comes after entering the transfer portal in April, choosing instead to complete his college career with the Tigers, whom he signed with back in 2019 straight out of Destrahan. For LSU and head coach Brian Kelly, having Emery back in the lineup provides much-needed support at the running back position, which struggled during spring practices with only two scholarship tailbacks, Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson. A five-star recruit in his heyday, Emery dealt with a knee injury against Florida last season, limiting his playtime to just seven games where he managed 121 rushing yards and one touchdown in 2023. With a total career of 1,062 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns on 213 carries over four seasons, his junior year stood out as his best performance, notching 375 yards and six touchdowns. His return to LSU is a significant gain for the team as they anticipate a more robust lineup next season.

Well, folks, it looks like John Emery ain’t packing his bags just yet! On Friday afternoon, the LSU running back made it plain as day on his Instagram that he’s sticking round Baton Rouge. Despite flirting with the transfer portal back in April, Emery’s decided to wrap up his college days right where they started—with the Tigers. Now, for Coach Brian Kelly and the rest of them, having Emery back in the fold is like a blessing from above, giving a jolt to a running back room that was running on fumes during spring practice. With only Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson on scholarships at that time, they were about as thin as a Creole gumbo roux!

Now, for you football addicts like me, you know Emery’s had a rough patch with injuries. He ended up sidelined against Florida last season with a knee injury, only managing to show his skills in seven games. But don’t let them numbers fool y’all—when he was on the field, he showed flashes of that former five-star glory. Managed to rack up 121 yards and a touchdown in what little window he had playing for the Tigers in 2023. In his entire career, Emery’s clocked in 1,062 rushing yards and piled on 14 touchdowns over four seasons. Not too shabby, eh?

His standout season, though, had to be his junior year, when he took off like a shot for 375 yards and six touchdowns on 76 carries. That boy was steaming up the field faster than a kettle on a cold Alabama morning! Returning back to LSU, Emery’s not just coming back as another player—he’s coming back with a point to prove. For the Tigers, this is one load of good news right before the start of a new season. Now they got somethin’ to look forward to, hoping that Emery helps lead them to a winning SEC campaign. Can’t wait to see him back on the gridiron!