OXFORD — Logan Diggs caught a swing pass, put his foot in the ground and leaned into contact from an incoming Purdue defender.
The then-LSU running back felt his knee buckle and knew immediately something had happened. For a few seconds, he was the only one. That changed soon.
“I got up and ran all the way off the field,” Diggs said. “I was fine until I got to the sideline and then my knee started bothering me a little bit. I went to get it checked and they did the tests and they knew what it was.”
That was the end of not only Diggs’ day in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando but also the end of his LSU career. At that very moment, Diggs was unsure about his future.
“It kind of was a weird experience for me,” Diggs said. “I didn’t cry and I wasn’t super hurt. I was in a place in my life where I was kind of balancing in between and in the middle. God does everything for a reason. Maybe if I wasn’t leaning towards leaving or coming back or declaring for the draft, God put me in this position to tell me to focus on myself right now. That’s kind of how I approached it. I leaned heavy on my faith. I was in a situation I couldn’t control, so I just had to trust God.”
Diggs had rushed for 1,703 yards and 14 touchdowns over three seasons at LSU, but days later — specifically, on the day he underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL — he entered the transfer portal.
Ole Miss, a team that was adopting a College Football Playoffs-or-bust approach entering 2024, offered. The Rebels wanted the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Boutte, La., native, knowing full well he might not be able to play at all in 2024.
“That speaks volumes about this culture and this place and the coaching staff,” Diggs said. “They took a chance on me when they didn’t have to. They knew I wasn’t going to be able to play right away. Me saying I’m grateful and thankful is an understatement. I got into the portal the day I was getting surgery, so I didn’t necessarily know what would happen.
“They believed in me. They believed I’d be able to come back strong. Being grateful and thankful for this place and this program is an understatement.”
On Tuesday, Diggs went through Ole Miss’ fourth practice of spring. He was cleared full-go back in January, just in time to get a few snaps in Ole Miss’ TaxSlayer Gator Bowl win over Duke in Jacksonville, Fla., one year to the day of his injury.
“It felt really good but at the same time, I was kind of feeling, ‘I’m exactly where I need to be,’” Diggs said. “I didn’t feel rushed at all. I felt like it was the perfect time for me to come back. I didn’t have to come back at a specific day of the season or earlier or later, play or not play at all. God put me in the right position to go out there and play.
“I was OK with however it went. Obviously, I lean on my faith, but if game day came and the decision was for them to say, ‘We don’t necessarily want him to play,’ I was OK with that as well. I definitely do think that me going out there uplifted my spirit a lot. When you go through an injury like that, you have that mindset of you don’t necessarily know if you’ll be the same or if you’ll get back out there. Being able to get back out there definitely boosted my confidence and made me feel good going into the next year.”
Diggs had one carry for 15 yards against the Blue Devils and got a few snaps of pass protection as well. He figures to have a much larger role in 2025, and the year in the training room may ultimately be a blessing.
“I was definitely able to dive into the playbook and learn the offense as a whole and not just from the running back position,” Diggs said. “Being able to observe people, being an older guy and being a veteran and seeing how different people respond to criticism or leadership, being able to get to know people and build a connection with them was pretty good.”
Ole Miss opens the season Aug. 30 in Oxford versus Georgia State. That should be a day of gratitude for Diggs, knowing the work he put into getting back on the field fully healthy.
“It’ll mean everything,” Diggs said. “Last year the theme was ‘Last Dance,’” Diggs said. “This is the last dance for me. It’s the last year. I’m out here competing with the guys, trying to put ourselves in the best position to accomplish everything we want to accomplish. At the same time, I love the people in this building and I am willing to do whatever it takes for me to have a good season.”
