Les Miles’ “Mad Hatter” nickname is well earned, with his brazen and creative play calling. Every week, we’ll be taking a look at an interesting wrinkle the coach worked into the game plan. LSU hasn’t been challenged late in games yet, and the defense has been able to dominate the last two and a half games without doing anything exotic. This week: Miles and Cam Cameron getting Leonard Fournette the ball in space.

It’s been pretty clear from the jump that the coaching staff wants to get the ball in the No. 1 recruit’s hands as often as possible. He’s been the team’s top kick returner since the opener, although the Tigers haven’t gotten a lot of opportunities to return kicks thanks to their defense.

While the running game has been solid the last two weeks, averaging better than 275 yards over the last two weeks, there have been times when the line has struggled to open up holes. Fournette has gotten better, but he didn’t show much patience behind his blockers early on.

To help counter that, Cameron and Miles have gotten Fournette out wide with a variety of screens and toss plays. He has the third-most receiving yards on the team, with three catches for 52 yards, and took a pass into the flat for 20 yards to start the second quarter. Even better, his 24-yard touchdown run in the third quarter came on a short toss.


Fournette and the offensive line are both talented, and eventually the holes are going to be there consistently and Fournette will have the vision to hit them. For now, getting him moving before he gets the rock seems to be working just fine.