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You can make the argument that despite no seat at the Heisman ceremony, LSU’s Leonard Fournette was the best running back in the nation throughout the 2015 season. His 1,953 yards (FBS-high 162.75 per game) and 22 touchdowns can help back that statement up.
But there was a short, two-game stretch that saw Fournette really struggle for the first time since suiting up for the Tigers — he rushed for 31 yards against Alabama in a blowout loss, and then 91 the following week in another blooper versus Arkansas.
Fournette, who will likely end up becoming a top 10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, sat down with The Advocate’s Ross Dellenger to discuss several things, including where the 6-foot-1, 230-pound rising junior must improve.
Above all, he just needs to set the right example for his teammates by always going the extra mile:
“It’s being a leader,” said Fournette. “That’s the biggest thing I’ve been working on right now during the off-season, helping guys out on and off the field with personal problems and by me being an example in practice, having the energy for them to get through it.
“Some days we might be tired as a whole,” he added. “School, tutoring may be wearing us out. At the end of the day, my job is to boost the energy, give them hope (that) you still can get better even when you’re tired.”
You can view the rest of the Q&A here.
Tyler Waddell is a member of the Saturday Down South news team. He brings over five years of professional journalism experience and is closing in on a Bachelor's in sports management. Follow him on Twitter (@Tyler_Waddell).
