Video: Leonard Fournette (LSU) high school highlightsLeonard Fournette looks like he has sprinted, side-stepped and bulled over the competition to head up the 2015 Heisman Trophy competition.
The LSU sophomore and former
St. Augustine (New Orleans) standout rushed for 244 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-24 win at Syracuse on Saturday.
"My job is to make one man miss, and that's what I did," Fournette told reporters after he became the first LSU back to run for more than 200 yards in consecutive games.
Fournette has always been a straight-forward sort. We caught up with him before his senior year at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore., and he offered this little exchange.
He was strong, quiet and polite. Asked what player he looks up to or tries to emulate, Fournette answered immediately.
"No one," he said. "Everyone always compares me to (Adrian Peterson). He's a great player. But I look up to no one at all."
Why did he come out to Oregon? Every school was already after him.
"I'm here to prove I'm the No. 1 player and No. 1 running back in the country," he said. "I want to compete with all the great players out here."
Asked to describe his game, Fournette said: "I'm big, fast and have hands. I can catch."
With 10.62 speed in the 100-meters, he's hard to catch. He's not that hard to quote because his answers are short and measured. It's sort of reflected when asked if he has any special mantra or philosophy he lives by.
"Be a man," Fournette said. "A coach of mine always reminds me of that. He says to be a leader and show your teammates the right path."
Fournette is definitely "The Man" on the national college football scene right now.
Leonard Fournette (5) at St. Augustine (New Orleans)
File photo Stephen Lew
