The State of the LSU Football Running Back Room After Two Games

Pretty much up until kickoff, LSU was hoping Chris Curry would be ready to go. The sophomore running back got the nod at running back against Mississippi State and was a guy that coach Ed Orgeron admitted earlier in the week, the coaching staff had the most trust in.

“We thought that maybe he'd be able to come around on Saturday and maybe give us some snaps. If he couldn't play, he couldn't play,” Orgeron said.

Instead LSU went with the two back approach in Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emery. Davis-Price put together a solid evening but Emery was the star. His career high 103-yard night on 12 carries that included a touchdown was the type of performance LSU was hoping would come together for the former Destrahan High School star.

“That's the John Emery we recruited. It took him a little while for him to come. It's just like any other freshman. Everyone grows at their own pace,” Orgeron said. “John is a terrific young man, a confident young man, hard working. Like I said Saturday night, he's gotten bigger and stronger in the weight room. I think Kevin Faulk has done a tremendous job with his development. He knows his plays. He hangs onto the football, and he's very eager.”

But while Emery was shining bright on the field, his mother Nikki was caring for his ill stepfather. In a moving story by the Athletic on Sunday, it was reported that Emery’s stepfather was rushed to the hospital due to COVID-19 complications.

His stepfather, Webster Garrison, had spent the last six months in the hospital recovering from COVID-19 complications and had just returned home when a fever spiked, forcing him back to the hospital.

“I’m playing for y’all,” John told his mother. “Everything y’all have been through, I’m gonna ball out. I promise you.”

His 132 yards and 6.8 yards per carry leads the team by a wide margin. Of his 103 yards against Vanderbilt, 59 came after first contact.

Should be a loss of 3.

Turns into a gain of 7.

John Emery had 59 of 103 yards after contact Saturday.

Averaged 4.9 yard per carry AFTER contact. pic.twitter.com/iHneKgter9
— Cody Worsham (@CodyWorsham) October 5, 2020

Needless to say, it’s just one game and Emery will need to have similar performances over the next few weeks to really earn the trust of the staff as a bell cow kind of back. But there’s no denying that he flashed the potential of a difference maker the Tigers thought he could be when recruiting him.

The hope is to get Curry back on Saturday against Missouri and return to a three back approach. Orgeron said that despite Emery’s breakout game, he views all three in the same light and will continue to share the workload unless one player continues to ascend.

“We'll have to see how healthy Chris is. Hopefully, those guys can share the reps back there, along with Tyrion,” Orgeron said. “I still believe Tyrion Davis-Price is an excellent back. I feel good about all three backs right now, and all three are equal in my mind."