Title game RBs prove they belong

Conference, first of Alabama and then LSU, from attending so many games as a teenager.

But after meeting Elliott and talking with coach Dabo Swinney, Etienne became hooked on Clemson.

He still can’t fully believe that Clemson reached out to “a small kid from Jennings, Louisiana.”

He can thank Richardson for that, who played at UCF as freshman before transferring to Texas A&M.

But when Clemson did make the call was when Etienne decided where he wanted to play college football, “like this is meant to be, me going there.”

The coupling has been fruitful ever since.

Etienne was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year the past two seasons, setting league marks for most rushing touchdowns (55) and total TDs (60).

He’s run for 1,536 yards so far this season and is seven yards away, at 3,990 fin three seasons, at breaking Clemson’s career rushing mark.

LSU coach Ed Orgeron, the interim coach in 2016, said whenever he sees Clemson play “or every time I’ve seen (Etienne) having success, I’m sick to my stomach.”

Örgeron said he loves his running backs, just wished that Etienne was part of LSU’s rotation.

“We wanted Travis Etienne, but it was too little, too late,” he said.

Not that Orgeron completely lost out.

While Etienne was leaving his home state, Edwards-Helaire was excelling close to his future campus as a stellar prep tailback in Baton Rouge.

Edwards-Helaire was a one-time high school teammate of former LSU star tailback Derrius Guice. There was one distinction that stood out about Edwards-Helaire.

The Tigers’ recent starting running backs like the 6-foot Leonard Fournette and 5-11 Guice were taller; Edwards-Helaire is just 5-7.

Edwards-Helaire has embraced the challenge, more than living up to that LSU running back pedigree. He has rushed for 1,305 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.

He was crucial in ending LSU’s eight-year run of futility against Alabama in a 46-41 victory this season with 103 yards and three touchdowns rushing with nine catches for 77 yards and another score.

Edwards-Helaire, whose mother once thought he was too small to play football, has dealt with having to prove himself on the field. “It’s, ‘Lets see what this small guy can do as far as football,’ and then it’s, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s actually good,’” Edwards-Helaire said.

Edwards-Helaire had a hamstring injury leading up to LSU’s 63-28 win over Oklahoma at the Peach Bowl and was pretty much a decoy in the semifinal win.

Orgeron has said Edwards-Helaire should ready to play against Clemson.