With Emery Out, What’s Next at Running Back?

By Hunt Palmer

At this time a year ago, LSU’s running back position ran eight deep.

Since then, attrition has whittled that number down to three. Tre Bradford, Armoni Goodwin and Logan Diggs transferred out. Trey Holly has been embroiled in a legal situation stemming from a shooting in February. And now John Emery Jr. is out for the season with his second torn ACL in 10 months.

Josh Williams has proven himself to be a quality back in the SEC. He’s played in 48 career games and started 10 of those. In 2022, he led the team in rushing. Position coach Frank Wilson trusts the sixth-year senior to pass protect, catch passes out of the backfield and secure the football in the ground game.

Williams is not a home run hitter. Only twice in his career has he broken a run for more than 30 yards.

With Emery out for the season, Williams becomes the only real veteran presence in the rotation.

There is talent, though.

Kaleb Jackson was a Top 10 running back in his high school class according to On3, 247Sports and ESPN. He’s bulked up to 235 lbs. during his year on campus and still possesses big time speed.

“We looked at it, and his conditioning level is outstanding. He was about 235 lbs. in the spring, and we thought he was too heavy,” said LSU head coach Brian Kelly. “He wasn’t able to maintain a high level of workload. All through the summer and in camp, his workload was outstanding at 235. And he was hitting 21-21.5 (miles per hour).”

Jackson was bottled up by the USC defense in his six carries on Sunday. That carry count and productivity figure to rise as the schedule eases up for LSU over the next month.

Both Nicholls State and South Alabama are upcoming out of conference games where LSU will be massive favorites. The Tigers will also be favored over South Carolina and UCLA in the next three weeks.

Perhaps those games could be an opportunity for freshman Caden Durham to enter the mix.

Durham was a four-star back out of Texas powerhouse Duncanville High School. He’s got track speed, consistently better than 10.5 seconds in the 100m last spring.

The plan was likely to ease Durham in, but that may not be a luxury LSU can afford at this point. Two scholarship backs is not enough.

Expect a heavy workload for Durham in the second half of Saturday night’s game. Some confidence gained against an FCS opponent could translate to the field in an SEC contest.

Another option could be some creative usage of other non-running back options.

Zavion Thomas is a proven SEC playmaker as a wide out and kick returner. He also took a handoff Sunday night and picked up five yards.

Harold Perkins was an all-state back in his prep days back in Texas. He also scored a rushing touchdown in the Reliaquest Bowl last season. In reality, Perkins’s role on the defense likely prevents this discussion from starting, but options are options.

Lastly, there is a chance Holly returns.

“He’s been allowed to go to class,” Kelly told 1045 ESPN Baton Rouge’s Matt Moscona in July.  “So, he’s been able to work out. He hasn’t been able to work out with the team, but he’s been in a regimented workout routine that has been monitored. We monitor his academics. It’s not like he’s off by himself. He’s here in Baton Rouge…I think when hopefully this gets taken care of that he’ll be able to come in and work his way back.”

Holly is set to appear in court on September 18. The question remains, how much catchup would he have to play physically and mentally to help out?

Ultimately, Williams, Jackson and Durham should be able to handle the 20-30 carries in a given game. Wilson would assuredly rather have another options. But three can work. Any more attrition could spell real problem, though.