Former Five-Star LSU Football Running Back Set to Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

The former Tiger will test the waters of the Transfer Portal, prepare for seventh season of eligibility.

LSU runningback John Emery Jr 4 runs the ball as the LSU Tigers take on the Auburn Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former LSU running back John Emery will make a return to college football after announcing he will look to suit up for his seventh season of eligibility in 2025.

Emery, who suffered a torn ACL last fall, has missed significant time during his collegiate career after battling the injury bug during his LSU career.

Now, after multiple ACL tears, academic challenges that have led to missed games and more, the Louisiana native will return to college football in 2025.

Emery is in the "early process," so he has not decided the destination of where he will play this upcoming fall, but it will not be with the LSU Tigers, according to Brian Kelly.

"No, we haven't talked to John about it," Kelly said when asked if he'd spoken to Emery about a return to LSU. "It was the first that we've heard. We love John, but sometimes, you know, things happen. We don't know where it came from.

"We'll be supportive in any way we can, but we're set where we are at in terms of the running back position. But love John, and we will be here to help and support him. If he's given a seventh year, he is certainly a young man who can help somebody in the Power Four."

During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show last September, LSU head coach Brian Kelly stated that Emery would be preparing for life after football following the injury.

“John, you know, I think it’s always about how you handle adversity,” Kelly said. “Unfortunately, he’s had this before. And I think he’s at a place in his life now that he knows he can do things outside of football. I think that’s what the trap is here, is that many of these young men sometimes didn’t know that they could do things outside of just football. And that’s a shame, right?

"I think building an identity outside of football with these young men is so crucial when you come into football programs. And we’ve done that.

“John knows that he has a life outside of football… is he disappointed? Absolutely. We’re crushed for him. But he knows that he has a life outside of football and now he’s going to be working towards that.”

Now, after putting the finishing touches on his rehabilitation following an ACL tear, Emery eyes a return to the gridiron.

Emery tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 season as well, and after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal for his final season of eligibility, he elected to return to LSU. He ended the year rushing for 121 yards on 23 carries.

The veteran running back has totaled 1,062 career rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while starting in five games and appearing in 37. He saw most of his production occur in 2020 and 2022, logging 75 and 76 carries, respectively.

LSU's current running back room consists of scholarship players Caden Durham, Kaleb Jackson and five-star freshman Harlem Berry. Four-star signee JT Lindsey will join the program this summer.

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