LSU Football: Leonard Fournette Setting Tone for 2015 Heisman Trophy Run
World, meet LSU running back Leonard Fournette. Leonard Fournette, meet world.
Get to know each other, because you're going to see each other a lot in the next year.
Fournette's first touchdown run in the 23-17 Thanksgiving win over Texas A&M was Herschel Walker-esque, as he plowed through safety Howard Matthews en route to the end zone. The true freshman from New Orleans, who came in as the country's top-ranked recruit, finished the day with a career-high 146 yards and the one touchdown.
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Then when his team was up three points with just over five minutes to play, Fournette iced the game as he ripped off a 46-yard run that set up the final field goal and, more importantly, drained the clock.
Fournette came to LSU with slightly unrealistic expectations. Les Miles went so far as to compare him to NBA legend Michael Jordan during SEC Media Days in July, according to ESPN.com. It seemed crazy at the time, especially considering Fournette would join a backfield that included established backs Kenny Hilliard and Terrence Magee.
It didn't matter. The Heisman was still a stated goal for Fournette. He made that abundantly clear before his first career game.
"I'm planning on winning a Heisman my freshman year and hopefully, a BCS championship. I can handle it," he told Jacques Doucet of WAFB in August.
When Fournette struck the Heisman pose after his first career touchdown in the Sam Houston State game, the hype train started.
And as the season went on, Fournette became more of the feature back. The 6'1", 230-pounder has earned more than 20 carries in three games since Oct. 11.
Thursday night's performance versus the Aggies was the exclamation, and it served as the tone-setter for Fournette's 2015 Heisman Trophy run.
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Remember "the hit" from former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney in the 2013 Outback Bowl? Fournette's demolition of Matthews is the sequel. It's going to be seen on highlights, promos and previews for the next nine months, to a point where by the time toe actually meets leather against McNeese State in LSU's 2015 opener, it'll be as played out as Jameis Winston crab leg jokes.
That's a good thing for Fournette.
If a running back is legitimately going to spring the Heisman upset and unseat a quarterback for the quarterback-driven award, he needs that kind of hype and attention—even if it gets annoying for the general public to see the same play over and over.
Hilliard and Magee will both be gone next season, and the inconsistency at the quarterback position all season from Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris suggests that, at the very least, LSU will be very run-heavy until one takes the next step as a passer.
That means more responsibility for Fournette with the eyes of the world watching.
Jackpot.
Only two running backs have won the Heisman since 2000 (Reggie Bush in 2005 and Mark Ingram in 2009), and Bush had to return his after the NCAA came calling. If there's any running back who can break through that glass ceiling, it's Fournette.
He has the size, speed and skills to be a superstar, and now he'll have the hype to be a contender from Day 1.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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