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LSU Football: Breaking down addition of RB Noah Cain

By Chris Peterson

Dec 28, 2019; Arlington, Texas, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Noah Cain (21) runs the ball against the Memphis Tigers in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2019; Arlington, Texas, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Noah Cain (21) runs the ball against the Memphis Tigers in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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The LSU football program made a solid addition on Thursday night by getting a commitment from Noah Cain in the transfer portal and here’s what it means for the Tigers. 

With the way the transfer portal now works, there is a near-constant supply of talented players hitting the portal in hopes of finding a new home and better fit.

One of those players is former Penn State starting running back and top-100 recruit Noah Cain, who started for the Nittany Lions in 2019 before suffering an injury in 2020.

Cain was expected to be the bell cow for Penn State in 2020 and returned in 2021, but wasn’t quite the same guy. He scored four touchdowns but averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt.

https://twitter.com/therealnoahcain/status/1481793797369434112

And with a crowded backfield in Happy Valley, the four-star recruit from Florida entered the portal and took no time at all to wind up with Brian Kelly and LSU football.

Kelly is familiar with Cain from his time at Notre Dame. The Irish were one of the teams that recruited him and LSU football was too — even getting a crystal ball projection at one point.

But James Franklin won the recruitment. However, Cain is headed back to SEC country and his addition is ideal for LSU football, which has talent at running back but lacks experience.

What Noah to LSU football means for the Tigers

It means that the Tigers have a veteran who’s ready to come in and start on day one of the 2022 season. John Emery, Corey Kiner, Armoni Goodwin, and Kevontre Bradford are all talented prospects but in 2021, they combined for just 395 rushing yards on 97 attempts.

Cain struggled last year too, but when he was healthy back in 2019, he not only scored eight touchdowns but averaged 5.3 yards per rushing attempt.

And it always takes players a year of playing before they get fully healthy from an ACL injury or something like that. It takes time to get confidence, especially when you make a living on quick cuts and movements.

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The opportunity was no longer there at Penn State with a borderline five-star recruit coming to take the RB job in 2022, but there is an opportunity with LSU football and following his addition from the transfer portal, Cain should be the favorite to be the Tigers’ starter next season.

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