After injury disrupted his growth, LSU’s John Emery Jr. is ready for the headlines
When he first declared for LSU, the hype for John Emery Jr. was real. The running back out of St. Rose, Louisiana was the highest rated running back to go to LSU since Leonard Fournette, and we all know how that turned out for the Tigers.
Emery had initially declared for Georgia, but after talks with the LSU coaching staff and a visit to watch LSU play the Bulldogs in Death Valley, Emery knew he had to make the switch to stay at home in Louisiana.
“After going to that game, I (was) like man, ‘this is where I need to be for sure,’” Emery said while speaking on the Jordy Culotta Show. “That was really the first time of me being in a game with that much electricity, for real. You know, it was amazing.”
That good feeling continued for Emery into his first two seasons with the Tigers. Emery played back up to Clyde Edwards-Helaire his freshman season, playing 10 games, rushing for 188 yards on 39 attempts in the Championship winning season for the Tigers.
In his sophomore season Emery continued his development nicely, with a return of 378 yards on 75 attempts for the Tigers in what would end up being a disappointing season.
However, Emery’s growth was halted going into his junior season as an injury put him out of commission for the entire year. The former Destrehan High star began doubting himself and the organization as they entered a transitional period with head coach Ed Ogeron’s firing and subsequent replacement with Brian Kelly. But after Kelly and new LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson, a family and lifelong friend of Emery, spoke to him, Emery knew what his decision would be.
“I ain't going nowhere,” Emery said. “I ain't gonna be no coward and I love LSU.”
While the conversations with the coaches helped, Emery has also attributed some of his recent drive for success to a former Tiger. The previously mentioned Leonard Fournette returned to LSU to speak to the locker room about his personal trials and tribulations, a conversation that Emery said had profound effects on him and the squad.
“When Leonard came in, I think he was like the the first back that came back and he looked at me he was like ‘Bro like come on. Get on your shit.’,” Emery said. “Hearing that from him, it’s like I really got to get to it, let’s work for real. It was amazing hearing their stories.”
Emery has strived to live up to that work ethic and return to fitness at 100% for the season, working with his coaches and new nutritional staff to get his body fully ready for the upcoming season.
Coach Wilson has been impressed with Emery and his running back room as a whole for their effort and willingness to learn. The room is chalk-full with talent, with Noah Cain, Josh Williams and Tre Bradford all adding competition and depth for the room. But Wilson singled out Emery specifically for his drive and effort to fully return from injury.
“(Emery) has worked extremely hard. He has done the work and the things necessarily to put himself in position to be eligible, to be ready to go this upcoming fall and we're excited about the things that he bring to the table,” Wilson said in a interview on the Jordy Culotta Show. “He's been phenomenal, he's been endearing and just really a thirst for knowledge of wanting to get better as the entire room.”
With the confidence that he has in himself and from the LSU coaching staff, Emery knows that this season is setting himself up for the headlines and maybe a professional career after his college days are done.
“I do believe that I can perform, you know, at the best of my ability and do well throughout for the whole season as long as I'm healthy,” Emery said.
Anthony Bailey
