Clemson Football: 3 reasons Travis Etienne is a Heisman contender

Big-time plays by big-time players

It’s unlikely that Travis Etienne will get 27 carries next week when Clemson takes on Wake Forest, but the uber-talented sophomore might not need it to be successful.

Etienne didn’t do much last year as a true freshman, but when the Tigers put the ball in his hands, he rose to the occasion.

In a win over Louisville last year, Etienne had six carries for 98 yards, averaging over 16 per carry. He followed that up with a nine-carry, 113-yard showing vs. Boston College.

Etienne also averaged 13.6 yards per carry in a loss to Syracuse and had games where he posted 6.1, 6.9 and 7.8 yards per attempt. It appeared the wear and tear, albeit limited, wore on him late in the season with just 10 carries for 46 yards in the final two games.

This offseason, Etienne was able to get himself in the weight room and build his body into that of an every-down college back.

He had 63 yards in the opener vs. Furman and 44 the following week vs. Texas A&M. Since, Etienne has 487 yards on 54 carries in his last three games. That equals out to over nine yards per carry, numbers befitting a Heisman contender.