HOOVER, Ala. – When LSU coach Les Miles stepped on the stage on the last day of Southeastern Conference Media Days, questions swirled around the program.
From when suspended players, including sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings, will return to the team to how star running back Leonard Fournette is progressing entering into his sophomore season, Miles as expected left the podium with multitude of question marks still unanswered heading into fall practice.
Quarterback Situation
Heading into fall practice, Miles did not set a timetable for Jennings or any of the other players’ return to the team.
“When we get information, we’ll make a decision then,” Miles said. “I’m very optimistic that a number of those guys will return, only because I know the information … This is all about what’s going on in the legal process.”
No matter who takes the first snap for the Tigers in 2015, he will be surrounded with a talented corps of skill players, starting with sophomore running back Leonard Fournette.
Leonard Fournette
Although one of only a few sophomores present at Media Days, Fournette looked the part of a star running back complete with a pair of bright red pants, which he got “on sale” for “6.99 at Dillards.”
Even though he was unsure of Fournette’s fashion sense, senior defensive tackle Vadal Alexander supported his running back’s choice just like he opens up running lanes for him on the field.
“When I first saw it, I was like ‘Leonard, Leonard,’’ Alexander said. “He said, ‘It’s my favorite color.’ I was like, ‘Okay.’ We got each other’s back it don’t matter… He looks good.”
Fournette heads into his second season off what he said was his best performance as a Tiger in LSU’s 31-28 loss to Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, 2014.
Against the Fighting Irish, Fournette showcased his speed with a 100-yard kickoff return and a career-long 89-yard run on his way to a career-best 264 all-purpose yards.
“The game came to me a 100 percent,” Fournette said. “By reading my blocks, the game slowed down [for me] tremendously.”
The New Orleans native looks to build on a historic freshman campaign, where he broke the LSU freshman record for rushing yards with 1,034 and tallied a team-best 10 rushing touchdowns.
Fournette’s feats and physical tools amaze his teammates along with the Tiger faithful.
“It’s really crazy,” Alexander said. “A two-hundred and twenty-something pound man running as fast as a 180 pound defensive back and stronger than some defensive lineman… [He’s a] freak of nature.”
Paving the way
Although LSU lost offensive tackle La’el Collins to the NFL, the Tigers still have plenty of talent along the line to open up holes for Fournette, including four year starter Alexander.
Alexander was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award for nation’s best down lineman and Outland Trophy for the nation’s best interior lineman watchlists. Despite being the Tigers’ most experienced offensive player with 34 career starts, Alexander will not be the only player to help fill Collins’ shoes
“I played with La’el for two straight years,” Alexander said. “So replacing him will be difficult but we have a lot of experience on the line with me, [junior offensive tackle] ]Jerald [Hawkins], and [junior center] Ethan [Pocic], so we should be just fine. We have a lot of talent, a lot of guys who are willing to work and do great things. So I think we’ll be ok.”
Alexander is not the only Tiger lineman in line for national recognition.
Pocic was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list for the nation’s best center and looks to become LSU’s second winner after Ben Wilkerson took it home in 2004.
“Ethan’s the type of guy who you want to be in your foxhole, who you want to be in your battles with you,” Alexander said. “He can help everybody he’s around. I look forward to playing with him. Whichever quarterback is behind him is going to love him because he is a great player; Point blank. “