The college football season is young, but there’s a clear frontrunner in the Heisman Trophy race: LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette.
Fournette didn’t get the chance to post gaudy numbers during the opening weekend of the season because the Tigers’ game against McNeese State Univeristy was canceled. Fournette responded by posting enough rushing yards and touchdowns against Mississippi State University and Auburn University to make up for the lost game.
In fact, Fournette has produced more in two games than most running backs in the country have produced in three.
In two games, Fournette has 47 carries for 387 yards and six touchdowns. He’s averaging 8.2 yards per carry against Southeastern Conference foes, not vastly inferior non-conference opponents.
Going back to last season, Fournette has rushed 77 times for 676 yards and nine touchdowns in his last four games, proving the start to this season is anything but an anomaly.
Fournette set his career-high rushing mark against Mississippi State in the season opener, only to eclipse that mark against Auburn on Saturday.
It’s not just the numbers Fournette is posting, it’s the way he’s posting them. Fournette seems to provide highlight reel runs multiple times per game.
He’ll display unbelievable speed and elusiveness on one play, and the next play, he’ll truck some poor defensive back with ease. Sometimes, he combines all the traits he possesses in one spectacular run.
They say Heisman Trophy winners need that one iconic moment, but Fournette will produce a dozen to choose from before the end of the season if he continues on this pace.
Other running backs have been great this season, but none have wowed quite like Fournette.
United of Georgia’s Nick Chubb, Ohio State University’s Ezekiel Elliott and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook have been impressive, but their numbers don’t reflect the fact they’ve played one more game than Fournette. Alabama running back Derrick Henry may have one more touchdown than Fournette, but he has fewer rushing yards on more carries in one more game.
USC quarterback Cody Kessler has been impressive, but his team lost to an unranked Stanford team on Saturday. Kessler can’t afford many more losses if he’s hoping to stay in the race.
TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin has good production through three games, but he’s yet to play a ranked team. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen made headlines early in the season, but he was woeful in UCLA’s narrow victory against BYU on Saturday.
College football has many talented players, and Fournette is as talented as any of them. He’s a human highlight reel racking up rushing yards, scoring touchdowns and running over everything in his way, and he’s on a path to run over everything in his way to claiming this season’s Heisman Trophy.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.