LSU Football: Tigers Fans Don't Panic, Leonard Fournette Will Be Just Fine

LSU fans need to stay on the Buga Nation bandwagon.

The college football world was promised miracles from LSU freshman sensation Leonard Fournette. But in Fournette's first game against Wisconsin, he was below average.

Check that. He was bad. 

Fournette carried the ball eight times for 18 yards and returned five kicks for a paltry 117 yards. The 5-star recruit failed to make defenders miss to gain extra yardage. He also had a case of butterfingers, dropping a screen pass late in the third quarter and mishandling a pitch to the left in the fourth. 

Buga Buzzkill. 

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

LSU head coach Les Miles defended Fournette's stale game against the Badgers. 

"I think his first game is certainly not to be compared with his 30th game,” Miles said, per The Advocate.  “I think expectations are unrealistic. Can you imagine that somebody would comment how you made your first game as a true freshman? We needed for him to come in and contribute, which he did." 

Credit should be given to Wisconsin's defense. Its 3-4 front gave the LSU offensive line problems, and the Badgers linebackers attacked the line of scrimmage effectively. 

Fournette, nor running back Terrence Magee, could find any daylight. But senior Kenny Hilliard was successful, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown. 

Yet Hilliard's numbers are a tad deceiving.

Hilliard raked in nearly half of his yards in only three plays on LSU's game-winning drive. The Badgers were in their nickel defense and were without nose tackle Warren Herring due to injury, which weakened the group up the middle.

Fournette and Magee would have had similar success carrying the football if given the same blocking. 

Below is a photo of Hilliard's 17-yard run on the first play of the drive after a Jalen Mills interception. Right guard Hoko Fanaika opened up a crater so big it could barely fit in the picture.

ESPN Screencap

On his second run, a similar hole was created. Hilliard could have gained more yardage, and possibly scored, if tight end Dillon Gordon had made a simple block on the back side of the play. The senior was shoe-string tackled at the line of scrimmage yet still fell forward for eight yards.

ESPN Screencap

The touchdown scamper to cap off the drive was the biggest hole I've ever seen opened by an LSU offensive line. All that was left for Hilliard to do is beat the safety to score a touchdown, which he did with relative ease. But that is expected when given that clean of a run in the open field. 

ESPN Screencap

Hilliard was undoubtedly LSU's best back, but Fournette would have produced similar results. The New Orleans prodigy still has the highest ceiling of the backs on the Tigers roster. 

Miles is going to give his prized freshman plenty of touches against LSU's cupcake opponents to boost his confidence, beginning with Sam Houston State on Saturday. The Tigers will need him when Mississippi State comes to Baton Rouge in two weeks. 

Fournette will still be the guy for the Tigers. Just give him a little time.

Buga Nation wasn't built in a day.  

Stats, rankings and additional information provided by cfbstats.com and LSU Sports Information. Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow me on Twitter @CarterthePower.