If there was such a thing as a September Heisman, LSU running back Leonard Fournette would have won in a landslide last season. The then-sophomore opened the season with 159 yards and three scores against Mississippi State, 228 yards and three scores against Auburn and 244 yards and two touchdowns at Syracuse during the month, but it was his shucking of Auburn defensive back Tray Matthews that cemented the hypothetical trophy.
Perhaps you remember it.
Speaking to Auburn Undercover, Matthews explained why he went high on Fournette.
“That’s not me at all,” he self-deprecatingly told the site. “When I was going in -- and that was my first game back from popping my shoulder out of place -- actually didn’t hit that whole week and I ain’t gonna lie that was probably the worst feeling I ever had in my life when I popped my shoulder out of place. Going into that game, I really didn’t know what I was going to do. I saw him coming and I was, like, it was kinda like a business decision because I didn’t want to pop my shoulder all the way out of place and miss the whole season. I was like, OK, let me hit him up high and try to grab him and bring him down. I actually jumped too high. My adrenaline was running.”
For those doubting Matthews’ toughness based on one play, consider he underwent surgeries on each of his shoulders just four weeks apart over the offseason and is ready to play again this fall.
Here’s hoping when the chance arrives Matthews is healthy enough to go low this time.
