Coming into last season, Leonard Fournette minced few words when talking about his goals for his freshman season. The No. 1 high school player in the 2014 class wanted to win the Heisman Trophy, and he wanted to do it in his first year on campus.

So badly, it turns out, that he showed the nation his intentions by striking the trophy’s pose in the end zone — after his first career touchdown.

Fournette earned a talking-to from Les Miles after that, and he apologized to his team for the self-centered celebration. This spring, Fournette is singing a much different tune when asked about his goals for the season.

“I’m not really focusing on (the Heisman) right now,” he told Ross Dellenger of The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). “Focusing on getting better with the team, winning a championship.”

That’s the kind of talk you need from team leaders, which Fournette is expected to be this fall. After adjusting to the college game throughout the 2014 season, the rising sophomore is now the most experienced runner in LSU’s backfield. Gone are Kenny Hilliard and Terrence Magee, both seniors last year.

Fournette and Darrel Williams, another rising sophomore, are the only experienced running backs on the roster. The rest will be freshmen: David Ducre, an H-back type, is already on campus, and Derrius Guice and Nick Brossette will arrive this fall.

To his credit, Fournette sounds like he’s ready to take on a leadership role after his up-and-down but still record-setting freshman season. The New Orleans native has declined to talk about it in his interviews this spring, but he’s been all over social media posting photos of his newborn daughter. If there’s anything that will force a young man to mature, it’s safe to say having a child is right up there.

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A photo posted by Leonard Fournette (@_fournette7) on

Fournette should be ready to pick up where he left off. Known for his bruising strength and phenomenal top-end speed coming out of high school, Fournette had to adjust to college defenders with the same speed and strength. After busting a 40-yard run in a game against Sam Houston State, when he scored his first touchdown and had his first 100-yard game, Fournette lacked for explosive plays for much of the year.

From Week 3 through the shutout loss to Arkansas, Fournette didn’t have a single run for more than 25 yards. Things seemed to click at the end of the year, though. He had a 46-yard jaunt against Texas A&M in the regular season finale, then an 89-yard touchdown sprint, as well as a kickoff return touchdown, in the bowl loss to Notre Dame.

“I’m not used to one guy tackling me to the ground, and I’ve been working on it during the offseason,” Fournette told ESPN’s David Ching.

One way he’s worked on that: trying to get faster. In the Advocate’s feature, Fournette said he’s lost a few pounds this offseason in hopes of adding speed. Reporters have said his physique looks noticeably slimmed down and more defined.

Fournette, despite his Heisman pose early in the year, made it sound in the ESPN piece that he wasn’t quite as confident as his abilities would make the average person.

“It kind of boosted my confidence that that’s the kind of game I need to have. I know with my teammates, I can have it constantly, every game,” Fournette told Ching about the Notre Dame game.

Fournette will be the workhorse for LSU next year. Cam Cameron talked earlier this offseason about getting the ball in his hands as many as 20 times per game, and if Fournette is improved in pass protection, he’ll be on the field just about every down.

Going into his sophomore year, Fournette will get Heisman buzz whether he wants it or not. He’ll be looked to for leadership, something it sounds like he’ll relish. Most of all, he’ll be looking to lead LSU to an SEC West crown and beyond.