Leonard Fournette Injury: Updates on LSU Star's Ankle and Return

LSU Tigers superstar running back Leonard Fournette suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of a Sept. 10 game against Jacksonville State. His official playing status against Mississippi State on Saturday has yet to be revealed.

Continue for updates.

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Latest on Fournette's Playing Status

Wednesday, Sept. 14

"His health continues to get better," head coach Les Miles told reporters on Wednesday. "We want to wait till he's 100 percent, and he's closing in on that."

"We expect Leonard to be back and ready to go in this game," Miles told reporters when asked about Fournette's availability against Mississippi State on Monday. "We'll be very cognizant of how Leonard feels and his health."

On Sept. 10, Bryan Lazare of TigerBait.com reported it was "not definite" the running back would be ready for the matchup. However, ESPN's Kaylee Hartung reported before Saturday night's game that Fournette was expected to be on the field next week, per Ross Dellenger of the Advocate.

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Fournette Is Critical Part of LSU Offense

During LSU's 16-14 loss against Wisconsin on Sept. 3, Fournette was injured during a run in the fourth quarter. Last week, Miles told reporters his star running back only suffered a bruise and he expected him to play, per LSU's official Twitter account. 

Fournette's ankle should be a growing concern in Baton Rouge. He suffered a separate ankle injury during a scrimmage in August that required him to be in a walking boot. 

Fournette, a junior, has established himself as arguably the best offensive player in college football. He rushed for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman but was dominant in 2015, accumulating 2,206 yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns.

He came into 2016 as a Heisman favorite and is LSU's most important offensive player, making him nearly impossible to replace. The Tigers have experience behind him, though. Sophomore Derrius Guice, who appeared in 11 games in 2015, is likely to take over the starter's role if Fournette misses significant time. Junior Darrel Williams should also see snaps.

But LSU's offense is built around Fournette, so getting him back will be crucial.

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