Heisman Trophy 2015: Dalvin Cook and the five biggest snubs
By Dustin Hull
Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into November, the Heisman trophy was practically gift-wrapped for Leonard Fournette. But we should have known better. Behind an impressive offensive line and the physical structure of a buffalo, Henry and Alabama rolled over LSU and threw the entire Heisman race for a loop.
But what people forget is just how masterful Fournette was in every game but that one. He practically carried LSU on his back against Florida, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State, among several other games. The workhorse finished 106 yards shy of McCaffrey’s 1,847 rushing yards, but would’ve easily finished with more if he’d had the 48 more carries the Stanford running back received.
Sure, McCaffrey was a threat all over the field, but Fournette had a nose for the goal line, bowling over many a defender and surging his way to 18 touchdowns, six more than McCaffrey. Yes, Fournette was padding his stats against the likes of Syracuse, Eastern Michigan, and Western Kentucky, but McCaffrey played the No. 105, 108, 113, 114, 115 and 116 ranked defenses.
I don’t care how good your offenses are, Pac-12, that’s not great competition. This is while Fournette was playing five of the top 55 defenses, and torching them for 637 yards. Yes, that’s including the Alabama game.
I realize that game was of humongous importance, but I don’t even think Fournette averaging 1.6 yards a carry against the SEC’s best defense is nearly as bad as McCaffrey running for 2.9 against the not-so-Knightly, 0-12 Central Florida. Just saying.
Next: Baker Mayfield