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After missing the entire 2021 season due to academic issues, LSU running back John Emery Jr. will reportedly sit an additional two games to begin the ’22 campaign.
The Athletic’s Brody Miller reported Sunday that Emery, LSU’s expected starter entering the fall, received a two-game suspension for lingering issues related to last year’s full-season punishment. The rising senior is currently attempting to appeal the suspension in hopes of reducing it, per Miller; if the appeal is denied, Emery would miss the season opener against Florida State on Sept. 4 and a home game versus Southern on Sept. 10.
Miller reported that Emery and LSU are seeking to argue that he has been meeting academic standards since Brian Kelly took over in Nov. 2021. The team expects to know more about Emery’s status in the next week, per Miller.
Emery, a former five-star prospect from Destrehan, La., has struggled to find his way on and off the field since arriving to LSU in 2019. According to The Athletic, Emery also tried appealing in 2021, with his case focusing on the hardship he faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During that year, Emery fell behind in his classes as his stepfather battled COVID complications for much of the year; Emery also dealt with the death of his grandmother, as well as two personal bouts with COVID.
In the two seasons Emery saw playing time, his struggles in between the lines were further compounded by vision issues that led to him undergoing LASIK surgery before his sophomore season. For his career, Emery has compiled 114 carries for 566 yards and seven touchdowns in 19 appearances.
Despite enduring a difficult first three years, Emery figures to remain firmly in the mix at the position ahead of Penn State transfer Noah Cain and sophomore Armoni Goodwin. Kelly has spoken highly of Emery throughout camp, recently telling reporters he’s in “good standing with football” and is expected to be involved with the gameplan throughout the ’22 season.
“He’s certainly going to be part of what we do this year,” Kelly said. “There’s obviously some things I can’t talk about, he is in good standing with football. Everything that he’s done, he’s done a good job with us in football. Anything else that arises is something I can’t comment on because of privacy rights.”
