Growing up in Jennings, Louisiana, Travis Etienne always dreamed about being one of college football’s best running backs, but now that it is happening, it is still kind of surreal to him when he thinks about it.

“It is just crazy to me,” he said. “I am a small-town guy who just came out here and took a chance.”

Etienne took a chance by coming to Clemson. He always envisioned he would play at LSU or somewhere in the SEC. But when Swinney and the Tigers reached out to him and gave him the opportunity to come play for them, he thought why not.

Since then he has become one of the best running backs in the country and is a serious Heisman Trophy candidate heading into his junior year.

“It has paid off for me. It just goes to show hard work does not go unnoticed,” Etienne said.

Etienne’s hard work allowed him to set a new single season rushing mark at Clemson last year, while also tying an ACC record in touchdowns. He rushed for 1,658 yards and scored 26 total touchdowns (24 rushing), earning him ACC Player of the Year honors as well as a First-Team All-American selection.

More importantly, he helped his team win a second national championship in three years.

But don’t worry, Etienne knows he has not arrived just yet. His ultimate goal is to play in the NFL one day and he knows he still has work to do in order to get to that level.

“My pass catching ability and blocking (has to get better),” he said. “I definitely want to continue to improve in those areas. I have to hone in on the little things and focus on my upper body.”

As for his plans following this coming season, Etienne is not thinking about that about the NFL just yet, “I am just trying to go our here and play each game one game at a time. I have not really looked down the road.”

Etienne is instead trying to better himself at Clemson. In the off-season, he has tried to sharpen his skills both as a player and as a leader. With Adam Choice and Tavien Feaster gone, and with two true freshmen now in the running backs’ room in Chez Mellusi and Michel Dukes, Etienne automatically becomes the guy everyone looks up to.

“I just have to get better and better at it,” he said. “I am the kind of guy that just sticks to myself and I don’t really say much. I have just always been to myself. So, I just have to go out there and put myself out there to be able to lead and take guys along with me. I’m definitely going to have to work at it.”

If he imagines it, it’s probably going to work out just fine.