LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) scores
during first half action against the Mississippi Rebels in Baton Rouge
on Saturday, October 22, 2016.
Leonard Fournette returned
to the field for LSU against Ole Miss Saturday night with a
record-setting performance, which earned him the title of SEC Offensive
Player of the Week.
The junior running back rushed for a single game school record of 284 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns (59, 76 and 78 yards) after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. The previous record was set by Alley Broussard in 2004.
On Monday evening, Fournette appeared on the SEC Network's television program, "SEC Now," and discussed with Peter Burns his performance against the Rebels, Ed Orgeron's influence on the team and the big matchup with Alabama in two weeks.
Below is the entire interview transcript:
How did it feel to be back on the field? "Man, it felt great especially to be back in Death Valley with my team and all the prayers that came my way from my parents and teammates. It felt great."
When did you find out you broke the record? "Well actually I found out toward the end of the game when they put it on the big board. It was a record I was close to in my sophomore season, but I never really got the chance to break it so it was an exciting moment not just for me but I think for LSU period and also my O-line and those guys that block for me."
What goes through your mind when you're trucking somebody? "At the end of the day, it's just a reaction. Like Coach (Jabbar) Juluke always tells us when we pass that line let your God gifts take over. Our slogan is 'Never let one man take you down.'
What does Coach O bring to the squad? "I think Coach O is trying to get used to our generation with the music, how we play, how we dress. He's a player's coach and we love him."
Give your best Coach O impersonation? "His (accent) is different. He's got that little frog in his voice. Like 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' He's always hyping us up and getting us on our feet. I think that's just his vibe."
What did the players say when you trucked Deontay Anderson? "People was on the sideline saying they heard it. It happened on the Ole Miss sideline so everybody on our sideline said they heard it. They were saying all types of stuff."
Why was it important for you to come back (and play instead of sitting out with injury)? "It's all about competing. That's my team and no matter what's at stake, if you love the game of football or any sport, you're going to play with your all until the end."
What makes the Alabama game so special? "Everybody knows they knocked us off last year. We shall see, man. Their defense is doing a tremendous job overall; Reuben Foster, those linebackers and that D-line. Can't wait to play those guys in Death Valley."
What's the game going to be like? "It's going to be hectic especially because they're undefeated and just know it's going to be one of the best games we're going to play as a whole. I'm going to make sure as a leader on the team we're going to prepare everybody each and every day."
At the end of the interview, Burns and Fournette played a quick fact or fiction game. Here are the questions and answers:
Before Southern Miss game, you threw a ball 70 yards in warmups? "That's a fact."
LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri recruited you to play baseball after seeing you throw 103 mph fastball? "It could be a fact, but it's fiction right now."
When you won the New Orleans high school player of the year, you gave trophy to second place finisher? "That's fact. I played against him my sophomore year, Eugene Wells, quarterback from East Jefferson. It was just how he developed as a quarterback in that one year and they came out the following year and beat us. I think at the end of the day football is not just about winning, it's a developing character and football player overall."
LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt had to order new weights because all the old weights were afraid to work with you? "That's fiction. We needed some new stuff in the weight room."
Will LSU will beat Alabama this year? "Fact."
The junior running back rushed for a single game school record of 284 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns (59, 76 and 78 yards) after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. The previous record was set by Alley Broussard in 2004.
On Monday evening, Fournette appeared on the SEC Network's television program, "SEC Now," and discussed with Peter Burns his performance against the Rebels, Ed Orgeron's influence on the team and the big matchup with Alabama in two weeks.
Below is the entire interview transcript:
How did it feel to be back on the field? "Man, it felt great especially to be back in Death Valley with my team and all the prayers that came my way from my parents and teammates. It felt great."
When did you find out you broke the record? "Well actually I found out toward the end of the game when they put it on the big board. It was a record I was close to in my sophomore season, but I never really got the chance to break it so it was an exciting moment not just for me but I think for LSU period and also my O-line and those guys that block for me."
What goes through your mind when you're trucking somebody? "At the end of the day, it's just a reaction. Like Coach (Jabbar) Juluke always tells us when we pass that line let your God gifts take over. Our slogan is 'Never let one man take you down.'
What does Coach O bring to the squad? "I think Coach O is trying to get used to our generation with the music, how we play, how we dress. He's a player's coach and we love him."
Give your best Coach O impersonation? "His (accent) is different. He's got that little frog in his voice. Like 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' He's always hyping us up and getting us on our feet. I think that's just his vibe."
What did the players say when you trucked Deontay Anderson? "People was on the sideline saying they heard it. It happened on the Ole Miss sideline so everybody on our sideline said they heard it. They were saying all types of stuff."
Why was it important for you to come back (and play instead of sitting out with injury)? "It's all about competing. That's my team and no matter what's at stake, if you love the game of football or any sport, you're going to play with your all until the end."
What makes the Alabama game so special? "Everybody knows they knocked us off last year. We shall see, man. Their defense is doing a tremendous job overall; Reuben Foster, those linebackers and that D-line. Can't wait to play those guys in Death Valley."
What's the game going to be like? "It's going to be hectic especially because they're undefeated and just know it's going to be one of the best games we're going to play as a whole. I'm going to make sure as a leader on the team we're going to prepare everybody each and every day."
At the end of the interview, Burns and Fournette played a quick fact or fiction game. Here are the questions and answers:
Before Southern Miss game, you threw a ball 70 yards in warmups? "That's a fact."
LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri recruited you to play baseball after seeing you throw 103 mph fastball? "It could be a fact, but it's fiction right now."
When you won the New Orleans high school player of the year, you gave trophy to second place finisher? "That's fact. I played against him my sophomore year, Eugene Wells, quarterback from East Jefferson. It was just how he developed as a quarterback in that one year and they came out the following year and beat us. I think at the end of the day football is not just about winning, it's a developing character and football player overall."
LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt had to order new weights because all the old weights were afraid to work with you? "That's fiction. We needed some new stuff in the weight room."
Will LSU will beat Alabama this year? "Fact."
