Spinning, leaping, plowing Leonard Fournette changes his first big game for LSU

Accompanied to Baton Rouge by outlandish expectations while transitioning from New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine, including comparisons to Adrian Peterson, Fournette had mostly been a disappointment before breaking out against the Gators with 27 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-27 win, his first 100-yard game against a power-conference opponent.

But to talk about impact performances by true freshmen and not mention a bevy of other talented young backs would be remiss. Several other ball-carriers impressed over the weekend, providing more evidence that running back is one of the few positions in football where high school success can quickly translate.

Oregon’s Royce Freeman had been under consideration for this honor before, after rushing for 89 yards and two touchdowns in the big win over Michigan State. He turned 18 carries into 120 yards and two touchdowns in a resounding victory over UCLA.

There was also Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, who took advantage of 23 carries against Syracuse to gain 122 yards and score a touchdown in receiving his first significant action since carrying the ball 13 times in his debut against the lowly Citadel. SB Nation’s own Bud Elliott believes that Cook will eventually become the top back in the ACC. Based on last weekend’s performance, that may happen sooner rather than later.

Back to Fournette, though. The overall numbers don’t tell the tale of the full display of ability that Fournette showcased in Gainesville.

The 6’1, 230-pounder drew hype coming out of high school in large part because of his prodigious power as a runner. Check out this clip from a game as a prepster.

His 12-yard run in the first quarter against LSU was reminiscent of plays like that in high school, with him showing off his incredible lower body strength that he consistently maximizes by keeping his legs churning after contact. Since he has around 30 or more pounds on most defensive backs, the challenge of tackling him in the open field is a significant one.

Still not impressed with the athleticism of Fournette, who was able to run the 100m in less than 11 seconds in high school?

Try on this touchdown leap from the 4-yard line that featured Fournette extending and then pulling back the football to protect it in mid-air.

Fournette had his entire skill set on display against Florida, and LSU needed every bit of his repertoire to come out with the narrow victory.

Whether Fournette would admit it or not, and regardless of how much pressure he feels, the weight of expectations have been heavy upon him for some time. That’s the natural result of emerging from high school as the consensus No. 1 player in the country. He didn’t quite finish in that spot in the 247Sports rankings, but he did receive a grade of 101 from the service.

How long was Fournette a staple on the recruiting scene? He gained nearly 1,800 yards and scored 22 touchdowns as a freshman, exactly the type of performance that quickly draws attention at a football powerhouse like St. Augustine. The onslaught didn’t slow down, either, as Fournette nearly hit 2,000 yards rushing as a sophomore. He then surpassed that mark as a junior before his total rushing yards dipped as a senior when he increased his production as a pass-catcher by turning 42 catches into 742 yards and six touchdowns.

By the time that he was finished at St. Augustine, his list of national awards of recognition was too long to list here.

Unsurprisingly, he had offers from across the country during his recruitment, though his 247Sports profile reports only 14 offers. By the fall of his senior season, the finalists appeared to be home-state LSU and rival Alabama, as the big back took two unofficial visits and his only other official visit to Tuscaloosa.

When Fournette announced at the Under Armour All-American game in early January, though, he hardly surprised the industry by choosing to remain close to home and commit to LSU -- 94 percent of his predictions in the 247Sports Crystal Ball were in favor of the Tigers.

It may still not be humanly possible for Fournette to live up to the all the incredible hype, but he finally proved that his skill set can translate to college football. Tigers fans celebrate his true arrival on the scene.