LSU has added another running back to its roster ahead of the 2023 season in Notre Dame transfer Logan Diggs.
Diggs, a Boutte native who went to Archbishop Rummel, was the Fighting Irish’s second-leading rusher as a sophomore last season. He finished with 821 yards rushing and four touchdowns on a team-high 165 carries, an average of 5 yards per rush.
After two years at Notre Dame, where Diggs first played for LSU coach Brian Kelly, he entered the transfer portal April 27. Diggs called it the “hardest decision of my life” in a social media post. He also considered South Carolina and Ole Miss.
Diggs, who’s listed at 6-foot and 214 pounds, has two years of eligibility. LSU now has seven scholarship running backs with Diggs, graduate student Josh Williams, senior Noah Cain, senior John Emery, junior Armoni Goodwin, freshman Trey Holly and freshman Kaleb Jackson.
“When you had another opportunity to add to that room — although it does, on face value, look crowded — we felt there were too many uncertainties based upon the way we’ve configured this offense,” Kelly told The Advocate before Diggs visited this weekend. Kelly did not name Diggs, per NCAA rules.
Blessed & Highly Favored, God chose me.. Bet on 3… I’m coming Home #TG #GP pic.twitter.com/Ez06a1hEpL
— Logan Diggs (@logandiggs3) May 16, 2023
The position looks crowded, but Emery’s status is uncertain after he missed spring practice with academic issues, which already sidelined him for 15 games during his career. Williams and Goodwin didn’t practice because of respective knee injuries suffered last season.
Kelly said earlier this spring Williams and Goodwin were expected to be cleared for preseason camp, but he sounded less sure this week, especially with Goodwin.
“Armoni is probably the one that has a question mark in terms of where he’s going to be,” Kelly said. “That gave us some pause. I think Josh will be ready. At what level he’ll be is a question mark.”
Diggs provides some certainty. He has more career carries (217) and yards (1,051) than every running back except Cain, who has played one more full season. Only one of LSU’s running backs has gained more than 500 yards rushing in a single season, which Williams did last year.
A three-star recruit, Diggs finished as Notre Dame’s third-leading rusher his freshman year. He then split time with Audric Estimé last season while the Fighting Irish’s offense struggled early.
Diggs showed flashes as a reliable pass-catcher out of the backfield as well, adding 10 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns last season, including a 75-yard touchdown in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against South Carolina.
Leave a Reply