Thanks to Hurricane Matthew, LSU’s game at Florida may or not go off as scheduled. If/when it is played, one of the top running backs in the country won’t be on the field. Again.
On the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday, interim head coach Ed Orgeron confirmed that Leonard Fournette will likely be sidelined for Saturday’s game against the Gators in Gainesville. Fournette hasn’t practiced at all this week after a lingering ankle injury kept him out of the Week 5 win over Missouri.
The All-American initially injured the ankle during a mid-August summer camp practice; then aggravated it against Wisconsin in the opener; sat out the Week 2 game against an FCS foe; and then aggravated it again in Week 4 against Auburn before sitting for Mizzou.
Fournette also missed the Week 2 game against FCS Jacksonville State because of the injury.
Playing in place of Fournette, Derrius Guice ran for a career-high 163 yards in the win over Mizzou. The sophomore now leads the Tigers in rushing with 402 yards, four rushing touchdowns and 8.7 yards per carry. Fournette’s currently at 386-2-5.8 in less than three full games.
In addition to Fournette, two other LSU offensive starters are expected to be sidelined: left guard Will Clapp (shoulder) and tight end Foster Moreau (unspecified). The injury to Clapp could sideline him for next Saturday’s game against Southern Miss.