The LSU Tigers, ranked sixth in the initial coaches poll, experienced a minor scare when star RB Leonard Fournette suffered an ankle sprain.
The 2016 college football season is approaching swiftly and teams are in the midst of preparing for another exciting year. One of those teams is the LSU Tigers, who possess one of the country’s most dangerous weapons in RB Leonard Fournette.
On Saturday, the Tigers held a scheduled scrimmage and the 2016 Heisman Trophy hopeful suffered an ankle sprain. Fournette is now in a walking boot and it’s unknown when he’ll return to practice. Fortunately for LSU, it is only a “light” ankle sprain, according to head coach Les Miles. He even quoted Leonard saying “he’ll be fine.”
LSU enters the 2016 season ranked sixth in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll. They can’t afford any more injuries after losing defensive linemen Christian LaCouture and Isaiah Washington for the season. They will also be without defensive back Corey Thompson for six weeks with a lower leg injury.
Despite the small scare, Fournette should be ready for the Tigers season opener. LSU will kick off the season on Sept. 3 against the Wisconsin Badgers. He will look to improve on his 2015 season, when he rushed for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns. Only Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey and last year’s Heisman winner, Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, rushed for more.
Leonard also averaged six yards per carry with 300 total carries. He finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting for last year, but is currently the favorite to win it this season over Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.