Leonard Fournette 10th RB in FBS History to Run for 1,000 Yards in 5 Games

LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette rushed his way into the history books in Saturday’s 45-24 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks in Baton Rouge, becoming the 10th running back in FBS history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in the first five games of the season, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Fournette also became the fastest player in school history to reach the benchmark, according to Ross Dellenger of the Advocate. 

In distinctive fashion, the standout sophomore set the record on an 87-yard touchdown run with 14 minutes and 14 seconds remaining in the third quarter, as shown by Michael Shamburger of The Big Lead:

Fournette has catapulted undefeated LSU into the Top 10 and has it poised for a run at the College Football Playoff. Entering Saturday, the No. 7 Tigers ranked first in the Southeastern Conference in rushing (334.0 yards per game) but dead last in passing (95.5 yards per game). 

As a highly touted freshman, Fournette needed a combined 289 yards over the Tigers’ final two games to eclipse 1,000 yards, according to Sports-Reference.com. However, Scott Rabalais of the Advocate highlighted just how rapid Fournette’s ascension has been.

What’s scary for the rest of the SEC is that this prodigy has at least one more year in Baton Rouge before he is eligible for the NFL draft. 

In fact, that Fournette can’t enter the draft despite being arguably the most NFL-ready player has raised questions into eligibility protocol. John Walters of Newsweek offered a stern criticism of the NFL’s third-year player rule:

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The problem with the three-year rule, then, is not a matter of it harming more people than it benefits. The problem is that it is inherently un-American. Even if you are not so cynical as to believe that the NFL and FBS schools want this rule to remain in place to serve their own interests, you have to wonder how patronizing such a rule is toward the young men it supposedly protects.

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Fournette, however, has mostly shied from the topic. He reiterated his commitment to his teammates in a tweet on Sept. 29:

The NFL aside, Fournette is the firm favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at this point, as he's the current front-runner on Odds Shark. Health and team performance will be ongoing factors, as will other circumstances. But the sophomore is assuredly in the driver’s seat for now.