By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Sep. 28 2007
Just last week, Brian Leonard was talking about getting acclimated to the
fullback position in the NFL.
"I obviously hope I don't have to play the running back spot this year because
we've got
Steven Jackson," Leonard said at the time. "If I'm playing, that
means he's down."
Oops!
Just as Leonard was getting comfortable at fullback, Jackson suffered a
partially torn groin muscle against Tampa Bay and is expected to miss at least
a couple of games. That puts Leonard in the starting lineup at running back.
"I'm definitely excited," Leonard said. "It's been a dream my whole life to
play running back in the NFL. And I finally get my first start."
In Texas Stadium, no less, against the Dallas Cowboys.
"That's a nice place to start your first game," Leonard said. "America's Team.
I'll go out there and give it my best."
There's a certain amount of humility in Leonard, but a certain amount of
confidence as well. It's the confidence born from setting a prep record in the
state of New York for career scoring at Gouverneur (N.Y.) High. And from piling
up nearly 6,000 all-purpose yards during his college career at Rutgers.
So when asked if there were certain plays he was more comfortable with in the
NFL, Leonard didn't blink.
"I'm really comfortable doing everything," he said. "There's not really any
plays that I feel like I can't do. I played running back for years in my
college career, and throughout high school. It's football. You've been playing
it since you were 8 years old. It's a different level, but it's football."
Still, Leonard is ready for whatever Sunday brings. He will put on his
earphones before the game, listen to his favorite band — Linkin Park — and then
get after it.
"I'm ready to take on the load," Leonard said. "If I get 25 carries, I'm going
to take 25 carries. If I get 10 carries, I'm going to take 10 carries. I'm
ready for whatever they give me."
Leonard knows his role. He knows the backfield belongs to Jackson. But when he
has gotten a chance to play, he has not been overwhelmed. He has more than held
his own as a blocker. And has acquitted himself well whenever he has gotten a
chance to touch the football. The Rams need more of the same against the
Cowboys. Much more.
"He's going to get the starter's carries," coach
Scott Linehan said.
Leonard probably will be taken off special-teams duty, or at least have his
role there greatly diminished. On offense, Travis Minor will spell Leonard,
particularly in some third-down situations. But otherwise, it's his football.
"We feel that we're going to see exactly what we saw in the preseason," Linehan
said. "A guy that runs downhill. The game's not too big for him. He fits right
in and just has a knack to get yards."
Unofficially, Leonard has participated in 32 plays at fullback and 12 plays at
running back so far during the regular season, with four carries for 21 yards
and six catches for 41 yards.
With Jackson playing only a handful of plays in the preseason, Leonard was used
entirely at running back during exhibition play, leading the team in carries
(39) and rushing yards (125).
"Obviously, when I came here, I knew I was going to play both positions," said
Leonard, 6 feet 1, 226 pounds. "They wanted me to learn the running back spot
first and then the fullback spot."
Once the regular season started, Leonard began working at fullback, a
transition that accelerated with the release of Madison Hedgecock after Game 1.
But the job description changes dramatically with Jackson's injury.
"Obviously, we have a great running back here in 'Jack' — and we need him back
as fast as he can," Leonard said.
That being said ...
"This is a great opportunity for me to go out there and show I can run the
ball, and I can play running back," Leonard said.
Linear Mode
