All eyes remain on sophomore running back Leonard Fournette and his status in the Heisman Trophy conversation heading into LSU’s final three games of the 2015 season.
While fans anticipated Fournette’s typical performance to lift then-No. 2 LSU past then-No. 4 University of Alabama on Nov. 7, the question in people’s mind after the shocker in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, became whether the star tailback will average more than 1.6 yards per carry in future games.
When the Tigers (7-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) line up against the University of Arkansas (5-4, 3-2 SEC) at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday at Tiger Stadium, Fournette has his first shot at reversing his fortunes and jumping back to the top of the Heisman rankings.
The Crimson Tide’s No. 2 ranked rushing defense has allowed 75.8 yards a game so far and forced LSU’s previously praised offensive line to take the burden for Fournette’s 31 yards.
“It definitely did catch me off guard,” said freshman offensive guard William Clapp. “It was a different game for us and something we got to keep in the back of our minds. Now we have to make sure we’re working hard this week so it doesn’t happen again.”
The road doesn’t get much easier. Arkansas’ rushing defense is ranked 27th in the nation and kept Alabama’s junior running back and current Heisman frontrunner Derrick Henry to one touchdown and 95 yards, while allowing 129.4 yards per game this season.
“It’s all about preparation,” Fournette said. “Everything we do as leaders has to be crisp. It all starts [Monday] when we try and make corrections by looking at film from the Alabama game then move on to Arkansas.”
Last year, Fournette saw his career-low rushing performance against Arkansas in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, finishing the game with nine yards on five carries. But the New Orleans-native has grown into an even stronger and more consistent player. Having rushed for 949 yards over a stretch of five games at Tiger Stadium, he said he looks forward to playing at home, calling it the best place in the world.
The LSU star also said he doesn’t worry about his Heisman spot, but his chances haven’t been eliminated. Henry leads Fournette by one touchdown but is 129 yards behind the Tiger tailback, while having played one more game due to LSU’s canceled season opener against McNeese State University.
Clapp said watching film and correcting the mistakes made against Alabama will make them ready for Arkansas’ defensive linemen, but there is more than technique the players are working on.
For junior center Ethan Pocic, the offensive line needs to come out firing from LSU’s first offensive possession to avoid reliance on the passing game in third-and-long situations.
“I think as a unit, we got to start faster,” Pocic said. “Getting out to a good start is what we’ve been working toward. We worked too hard to come out and just lay down for a team.”
Aiming for perfection, Fournette said he is confident about bouncing back against Arkansas and focuses on keeping the team together.
“We got to keep our heads high and know we can finish the season with a championship,” Fournette said. “Everyone needs to know that we are going to come back. Everyone acts like it’s the end of the world, but we have three more games to play.”