| LSU's football program has been dogged by some high-profile academic issues in recent years. No more high profile or longer-lasting than that of running back John Emery. His last carry from scrimmage was in December 2020 against Florida. Emery sat out the entire 2021 season and the first two games of 2022. Now he's back for Saturday's game against Mississippi State to bolster a run game in sore need of bolstering. The Tigers' leading rusher is quarterback Jayden Daniels, and their longest run from scrimmage was a 41-yard jet sweep last Saturday against Southern by wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. Emery's five-star talent has never truly shined at LSU. Now would be a very good time. Say this for the Tigers: they do appear to be trending in the right direction personnel wise. Coach Brian Kelly said Monday that he expects BJ Ojulari to return after sitting out the Southern game with an injury. And the secondary may be getting a key transfer piece in the mix just in time to try to apply a muzzle to the Bulldogs' "Air Raid" offense. My column from Monday takes its cue from the rough and tumble weekend it was for coaches like Jimbo Fisher (who was a major candidate at LSU before it hired Kelly) and Marcus Freeman (who replaced Kelly at Notre Dame). No one had it worse of course than Nebraska's Scott Frost, who was sacked and replaced by former LSU assistant Mickey Joseph as interim coach. Money may not be the root of all evil, but it's sure bred a lot of impatience in college football. Finally, we tell you what Kelly said about quarterback Garrett "Gunslinger" Nussmeier, who ran the offense for most of the Southern game in relief of Daniels but ran into some turnover troubles. Thank you as always for reading and subscribing. We are with you throughout football season with the latest news and analysis of the Tigers in Year One of the Kelly era. Tell a friend, and if it helps, let them know this is a cowbell-free zone. Scott Rabalais | 