Leonard Fournette reveals when he nearly transferred from LSU

Leonard Fournette shared some candid thoughts during a recent episode of “The Pivot” including about his transition from high school to college, and the moment he realized college would be different.

Against Wisconsin early in his career, Fournette said to himself, “‘I’m about to do my thing,’ thinking it’s like high school. So I come in there, 6 carries, 20 yards. The first time in my life anyone ever called me a bum on the Internet.”

Fournette recalled that after that disappointing game, he told long-time LSU assistant coach Frank Wilson that he would transfer, which was an important conversation because Fournette said, “Coach Frank is like my second father.”

Fournette shared that Wilson told him, “Your time is coming.”

But then Fournette looked at players like Georgia star Nick Chubb, who he noted had 1,400 yards as a freshman, “I’m way better than Nick,” he said. “But that was my motivation. I had to watch him, understand it’s different for everybody. The game was too fast for me.”

Fournette recalled that he never had to pick up a blitz in high school, and didn’t realize how different the college game was from high school.

“Grace of God, my coach, my family, I stayed, I prospered,” Fournette said.

Fantastic episode @thepivot with former LSU RB @_fournette

The guys do an awesome job making their guests comfortable to open up. Leonard talks being cut, joining Tampa, the ? and…

When he almost transferred from LSU ?

? https://t.co/HkSsqwp2TC pic.twitter.com/5iqO2MDaxb

— Matt Moscona (@MattMoscona) September 7, 2022

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.