Feature article on Brett Leonard

HFL = Hollister Free Lance

About portraying Idaho's Mike Iupati (LG that was drafted in the 1st round after the season) as a member of the scout team last season, Brett Leonard said:
"They wanted me to portray him." (HFL)

"It was a bit of a challenge because of the player he was. We all know what he did." (HFL)

HFL Note: "Redshirted, Leonard was listed on the depth chart as the No. 3 left tackle for the Warriors - he was only to be used in an emergency situation - and was better preparing himself for his next two seasons at Hawaii. In this case, that meant mimicking the moves of a future NFL guard."

HFL Note: "Studying just about anything he could of Iupati, who was a consensus 2009 All-American, Leonard played the Iupati role for the scout team perhaps not as well as Iupati would have, of course, but well enough for coaches to see how good he was at the guard position. Two months later, coaches confirmed any initial inklings Leonard had when he was formally asked to be the team's starting left guard in 2010."

About how he had been set at tackle and hadn't played guard for years, Leonard said:
"I think I played it my freshmen year in high school." (HFL)

About moving to guard, Leonard said:
"They gave me a choice, but I think guard is where my future is at. They're looking out for me and what's best for the team. I think it might be better for me, too, because I'm not 6-foot-7. Six-foot-five guys are usually guards." (HFL)

HFL Note: "The 21-year-old lineman made a name for himself at the tackle position while attending Saddleback College, a junior college in Mission Viejo. Mentored by offensive line coach Jackie Slater, a seven-time Pro Bowler who played 20 seasons in the NFL with the Rams organization, Leonard was named all-conference second team as a sophomore, and was part of an offense that averaged more than 482 yards and nearly 40 points per game. He was a tackle coming out of high school, too, where he helped lead the Balers to the Large School Division championship in 2005."

About how he expects to get reps at center during camp due to UH's starting center suffering an injury during spring practice, Leonard said:
"I'll be starting somewhere. I may see some snaps at center in camp, but left guard is where I'll probably end up at. I figure it will be just another weapon for myself, where I can tell someone that I've played all the positions." (HFL)

HFL Note: Coming out of high school, that was never the case. In fact, playing Division I football wasn't even on the radar for Leonard, who back then stood at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds. The recent graduate had zero offers from big-time programs, and received one letter from San Jose City College."

About his recruiting experience, Leonard said:
"I didn't know what to expect." (HFL)

Note: Leonard decided to follow his brother to Gavilan College, but he injured his knee shortly and was forced to greyshirt.

HFL Note: "The Hollister resident sought a change of pace following the injury and transferred to Saddleback, where he developed under Slater and became not only a top recruit, but also an honorable mention all-american as a sophomore, when he allowed just two sacks all year against some of the best JC pass rushers in the country. With zero offers on the table just two years prior, Leonard now had a choice - Kansas, Cal, Marshall, Nevada, UTEP and San Diego State all pined for his services. But it was Hawaii's locale, culture and passion that intrigued Leonard, who visited Honolulu for his very first trip, and decided not to visit anywhere else."

About choosing to go to UH on his very first recruiting trip and not taking any other trips, Leonard said:
"You always kind of wonder what could have happened, but I definitely have no regrets with a place where I could start for two years. The culture is something you don't see too much in Hollister, and the support of the fans was a big thing. Football is huge out here. High school itself is big. But when it comes to college, there is no pro team, there is no semi-pro team. It's the University of Hawaii." (HFL)

HFL Note: "Crediting his quick turnaround to the work ethic that was instilled by his parents and San Benito head coach Chris Cameron, Leonard now has two seasons in front of him as the Warriors' starting guard. He expects to graduate after the fall semester, leaving plenty of time for the football field, the weight room, or perhaps even a little graduate work in psychology. Despite being named Player of the Year for the Hawaii scout team last season - an award that often goes to skill-position players - Leonard hasn't played in a live game of football since transferring from Saddleback nearly a year and a half ago."

About how he will play anywhere the coaches want him to, Leonard said:
"I'll go where the team needs me, and right now they need me at left guard. I'll try to do my best there. I've got two years to make stuff happen." (HFL)

http://www.freelancenews.com/sports/267183-football-island-guard-duty