LSU running back Leonard Fournette is having a monster season running the football for the Tigers. At Florida State, running back Dalvin Cook is also putting together an impressive season. Both running backs are among the best in the country, but in this day and age we are sometimes compelled to rank just about everything, so there will always be a debate over whether or not Fournette or Cook is the best running back in the country, leaving out other viable candidates like Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott, Utah’s Devontae Booker or Stanford’s rising star in Christian McCaffrey. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney weighed in with his opinion on the top running back debate though, and he is showing some ACC solidarity.
Florida State’s Cook is “the best running back in the country,” Swinney said Tuesday. Swinney’s comments came while discussing Clemson’s opponent this week, Miami, and how the Hurricanes did against the Seminoles rusher.
“They did a great job against Florida State outside of three plays, and they were going against as good a player as there is in the country in Dalvin Cook,” Swinney said (per ESPN.com). “That guy is a freak. They couldn’t have done a better job, but he made three plays in that game that won the game.”
Cook rushed for 222 yards and three total touchdowns against Miami in a 29-24 victory. Cook opened the scoring in the game with a 72-yard touchdown run, added a 36-yard touchdown reception and a 23-yard touchdown run to give Florida State a lead midway through the fourth quarter. Clemson will get a firsthand look at Cook on November 7. Cook had one rushing attempt for three yards last year against the Tigers. Odds are pretty good that rushing production will be much more significant this season, win or lose.
So, Fournette or Cook? Dabo’s got Cook. Who are you taking if you have to choose?