FAYETTEVILLE, AR – NOVEMBER 12: Leonard Fournette #7 of the LSU Tigers runs the ball during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers defeated the Razorbacks 38-10. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Leonard Fournette made a somewhat controversial decision in December to sit out LSU’s bowl game in order to help his own draft stock. At the time, he portrayed his decision as a mutual one between himself and head coach Ed Orgeron, as he said he was still dealing with the effects of an ankle injuries.

But on Friday, the star running back he changed his tune rather dramatically.

“To be honest, it really wasn’t my decision,” Fournette told NFL Now Live. “My coach brought me into the office. He told me ‘You have a lot on the line.’ He didn’t want me to play. I cried like a baby. It was hard for me. That was my first time not really traveling with the team and I couldn’t play in a game with my brothers. I’m going to miss them.”

When Fournette was asked again about skipping the Citrus Bowl, he reiterated, “my coach made (the decision) for me.”

He also told NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano that he’ll run at the Scouting Combine later this month, indicating that his ankle has healed.

But the story from this interview will no doubt be Fournette’s changing tune on who ultimately made the decision for him to skip the Citrus Bowl.

In the end, it’s not a huge deal since he skipped the game no matter who made the decision, but changing his story at this juncture might be an attempt by Fournette to buoy his draft stock. However, his stock hasn’t really been affected much at all by the story then and now, so this all does feel as if it’s come out of nowhere.

Fournette is likely still a first-round draft pick despite any “controversy” his decision may have whipped up.

[NFL.com]

About Matt Lichtenstadter

Recent Maryland graduate. I've written for many sites including World Soccer Talk, GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Testudo Times, Yahoo's Puck Daddy Blog and more. Houndstooth is still cool, at least to me. Follow me @MattsMusings1 on Twitter, e-mail me about life and potential jobs at matthewaaron9 at Yahoo dot com.