Feature stories on Josh Leonard

About how he and his family have bow-hunted for boar and deer in Coalinga, CA, Josh Leonard said about the bows:
"You have to pull them back. It takes a lot of strength. It's more of an adrenaline rush because you have to get closer than (if you were using) a gun. The farthest shot you can get with a bow is around 50 yards." (HA)

About how he killed about 90 ground squirrels during a 2-day period when he was a kid, Josh said:
"They're more of a nuisance for cattle ranchers. They drill holes, and the cows walk by, (step in the holes) and break their legs. (The ranchers) want (the squirrels) off their property." (HA)

About how he once shot a boar who got away, Josh said:
"We ended up losing the blood trail a half mile down the road." (HA)

About his 8 tackles (3 for losses) against Weber State, Josh said:
"They started running to my side, and I started to make the plays." (HA)

About the loss of Fale Laeli to injury, Josh said:
"It's a big loss not to have him in there. He's my roommate every time we go on the road. He gives us senior leadership. He was there in the trenches last year." (HA)

About starting due to Fale's injury, Josh said:
"It's definitely time for me to step up on my part. I'm trying to get a little more vocal with the team." (HA)

HA Note: "Soon after transferring from Sierra College last year, he was immediately miscast as a defensive end. He lost weight and then — oh, never mind — he was switched back to his natural position of defensive tackle. But at the lighter weight, he had difficulty holding the point. Now he is 30 pounds heavier, benching well more than 400 pounds, and physically fit."

About playing in 40 of their 55 snaps against Florida and 37 of their 66 snaps against Weber State, Josh said:
"It's a lot more reps than I was getting last year." (HA)

Christa (who has a son, Blayne, with Josh) said that Josh has:
"a soft side. He's a big, tough guy, but he's a sweetheart. He's a good daddy." (HA)

About how he played against Charleston Southern last year while Christa was at Aloha Stadium and due to deliver their first child at any time, Josh said:
"During the whole game I was making sure she was still in the stands but trying to keep my head in the game. Then right after the game we went to Kaiser and she gave birth (the next day)." (HSB)

Praising Josh, Mack said:
"He's really built his power and really built himself into a legitimate defensive tackle." (HSB)

"I was really excited about him. He and Keala (Watson) both played the tackle (positions) like it needs to be played as far as getting a second line of scrimmage. He came off the ball well and was very powerful. He was all over the place. He's in great shape and he's a class act and I'm really happy to see him doing well." (HSB)

About being up at 7am with Blayne, Josh said:
"It's nice waking up as long as he's smiling." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The senior was reunited with Blayne and fiancee Christa Sariaba last week and enters Saturday's game at Oregon State coming off his most productive game as a Warrior."

About how he's doing better now because he's comfortable now at DT in their system, Josh said:
"I'd say the confidence alone makes me a hundred percent better, knowing I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. You're just reacting, you're not thinking or anything." (HSB)

HSB Note: "With Leonard sequestered with the team on campus during camp, Christa and Blayne stayed with family members in Sacramento until the Warriors returned from their season-opening trip to Florida. They also visited Christa's family in Pennsylvania for two weeks, the 6-hour time difference making it even tougher to keep in contact."

Happy that Christa and Blayne are in Hawaii again, Josh said:
"It's definitely good to have them back, makes everything a lot easier. It was something special to see my son again. He's changed a lot in that month and a half." (HSB)

About how he's noticed Josh's son (Blayne and Christa regularly attend UH practices), Mack said:
"(Leonard's) got a little son that's a stud. I'm going to start recruiting him right now. He's right with (former UH lineman) Mike Lafaele's son. Those are going to be my two defensive tackles 16 years from now." (HSB)