“If he’s hot, let him burn.”That’s how LSU sophomore running back Richard Murphy feels about his teammate Charles Scott’s fast start to the 2008 season.LSU coach Les Miles said the Tigers’ running back by committee system, which helped the Tigers’ rush for 2,998 yards last season, would remain in place this season.But Scott’s hot start has given him a leg up on the competition.Scott rushed for 160 yards in the season opener against Appalachian State and 102 yards against North Texas. He has just 23 total carries this season, giving him a Southeastern Conference leading 11.4 yards per carry average.Scott is the first LSU running back to rush for at least 100 yards in the season’s first two games since Rondell Mealy did it in 1999.Former LSU running backs LaBrandon Toefield, Dominick Davis, Joseph Addai, Alley Broussard, and Jacob Hester never began any of their seasons with back-to-back 100 yard games.Scott’s four touchdowns through two games are also the most since Toefield’s seven in 2001.Scott said having such a fast start wasn’t a goal he set for himself this season.”Win as many games as we can — that’s my only goal,” Scott said. “You get caught up in personal goals and you kind of separate yourself from the team. I think of more what can I do for the team, what I can do to make us be better.” Scott’s efficient running has the Tigers’ ranked No. 1 in the conference with 241 rush yards per game entering this weekend’s showdown against Auburn.The Saline native said he attributes his recent success to “working his butt off” last summer.”Whether it was vision, blitz pickup, whatever,” Scott said, “I just tried to make myself more complete.”Miles said Scott is seeing the field better.”He’s had the kind of summer where he is really pointed to having this kind of fall,” Miles said. “There’s a mental approach and an awareness that is benefitting him. He’s trained himself to expect to see things, and it’s working out for him.”Scott said he feels stronger and faster, and his extra work has earned him the fourth-most yards in the conference despite playing one less game than the other backs ranked in the top eight.Murphy and junior running back Keiland Williams and Murphy both averaged more than six yards per carry last season, and Williams was the teams second-leading rusher.This season, Andrew Hatch is the team’s second leading rusher with 61 yards and a touchdown.Murphy, who has 91 all purpose yards, said Scott’s play has motivated him to play better. “Whenever I see him working hard it pushes me to work even harder,” Murphy said.Scott said he and the other running backs push each other to do better but are still very supportive of each other.”It is more a of a fun competiton to see what we can do in the game,” he said.However, Scott has monopolized offensive positions, three of Scott’s four touchdown runs have come from more than 29 yards out.”Every time I touch the ball I am trying to make a big play,” Scott said.Senior center Brett Helms said there’s nothing more rewarding for an offensive lineman than a big run.”Big passes are nice but whenever you break one 50, 60, 70 yards, that is the best,” Helms said. “You gotta love it.”  Helms said having a running back makes his job easier.”The guy is unbelievable. He has great vision,” Helms said. “He is so fast. You don’t find many guys like that.”And Scott hasn’t forgot about the men paving the way for his success.”He is always tellings us ‘you’re doing good,'” Helms said. “He just keeps motivating us.” Scott said his life hasn’t changed much because of his recent success.”I’m still the same old me,” he said. “A few more people might know my name.”—-Contact Amos Morale at [email protected]