PING: Rutgers fans

[General Mike]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2180594

Leonard drives Knights' leap in the standings

By Joe Starkey
Special to ESPN.com

It's not just that Rutgers fullback Brian Leonard slid headfirst down a metal ladder when he was little.

Or that he rode his bicycle down a slide.

Or even that he attacked Mickey Mouse.

It's that he did all these things -- and plenty more of the kind -- with complete awareness and full intention.

"I was kind of a crazy kid," Leonard says.

That's the way his older brother remembers it, too, during their never-dull childhood in upstate New York.

"Oh man, he was wild," Nate Leonard says. "He had no limits, I would say, from [ages] 6 to 13."

Fact is, Brian Leonard absorbed more head shots in childhood than Sugar Ray Leonard. His toughness and, uh, enthusiasm, were part of the dynamic package he brought to Rutgers, where he has established himself as perhaps the best fullback in the country and has helped the surprising Scarlet Knights to a 3-1 start (1-0 in Big East) going into Saturday's game against West Virginia. A win would allow Rutgers to start 4-1 for the first time since 1992.

When Brian was 7, Nate, three years older, accidentally cracked him in the skull with a driver at the height of a backswing. It was scored a hole-in-son, but Brian Leonard didn't cry.

Brian Leonard never cried.

"He just started laughing," Nate said.

No tears were shed when Brian slid face-first down that ladder from atop the family garage, either. He smiles when he shows you the scars around his bottom lip.

The Mickey Mouse incident? Yeah, we should probably get to that before we move on to how Brian Leonard blew off Penn State, Notre Dame and Syracuse to follow his star-crossed brother to Rutgers, how he matured and how he developed a signature move -- The Leonard Leap -- that is burned onto Scarlet Knights' highlight reels for eternity.

It seems ole' Mick was minding his business at Disney World, like any other day, posing for pictures with a family, when 6-year-old Brian Leonard spotted him and blitzed.

"Brian ran up, stripped off his tie and started running," Nate recalled. "I don't know who chased him down to get it back."

Whoever did must have had some wheels, because Brian could run. Still can, having clocked a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash when he was 20 pounds lighter in high school. It's all part of what makes the 6-foot-2, 235-pound junior such an enticing NFL prospect -- and such a bear to defend.

In some ways, Leonard is reminiscent of former NFL star John Riggins, a power runner who was light on his feet.

"He's a very, very underrated player," said Pitt linebacker H.B. Blades, who watched Leonard roll up 130 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in a 37-29 Rutgers victory last Friday. "He's the best running back I've played against since I've been in college."

Whoa. Better than Kevin Jones, Julius Jones, Walter Reyes and Darius Walker?

Blades didn't flinch.

"That combination of power and speed is amazing," he said. "Some of the runs he makes in the open field, he can cut like a tailback. He jumps over safeties when they try and cut him, but then he runs over linebackers and defensive linemen. His combination of power and speed just makes him the best at what he does."

Leonard flies under the radar because he plays for Rutgers, which hasn't had a winning season since 1992. Yet, the College Football News picked him as the Big East Freshman of the Year and a freshman All-American two years ago.

Last year, Leonard led the conference in all-purpose yards (125 per game). This year, he is second in the conference, behind Louisville's Michael Bush, in all-purpose yards at 135.8 per game and is fourth in rushing at 90 yards per game. He has exceeded 100 yards in all-purpose yardage in 18 of the past 19 games.

At this rate, Leonard will post his best year yet, with career-bests of 5.4 yards per carry and 12.5 yards per catch.

Leonard constantly surprises people -- including his brother -- with his athletic ability. Nate watched in amazement this past summer, when Brian, from a standstill position with his back to a 10-foot-6 basket, jumped, turned in midair and hung on the rim with both hands.

But that was nothing compared to what Leonard does to would-be tacklers, whom he has taken to leaping over as though he were former Louisville basketball star Darrell Griffith. Leonard had one successful leap in each of the first three games, including one over a safety against Illinois that was part of a spectacular 83-yard touchdown run. His favorite occurred against Buffalo, when he jumped over a defender who was standing straight up.

Anticipating that Pitt would prepare for the move, Leonard changed his strategy against the Panthers.

"They were sitting back on their heels," he said. "They were ready to pop up and take my legs out. I knew they'd be expecting it, and I'm sure they worked in practice on how to defend that. So I decided, 'Well, I'm just going to run these guys over.'"

That he did, once steamrolling Pitt safety Tez Morris at the goal line. Leonard scored untouched on a 33-yard screen pass and later on an 11-yard reception. As always, he simply handed the ball to the official.

The kid might play a flamboyant game, but he is described as a quiet, salt-of-the-earth type by teammates and those who cover the team.

"Humble is the best word I can think of," said senior offensive tackle Sameeh McDonald.

Leonard learned humility from his parents, Mark and Laurie, growing up in Gouverneur, N.Y., which sits about 90 miles north of Syracuse and a half-hour from the Canadian border.

Nate, 24, was a star linebacker and running back at Gouverneur High and was recruited by some big-time schools before he tore his ACL during his senior year. Brian, then a freshman, wasn't expecting to play that day but replaced his brother and ran for 100 yards.

The fact that Rutgers stuck to its commitment to Nate Leonard -- who attracted interest from Wake Forest, Syracuse and Boston College -- is one reason Brian signed with the Scarlet Knights and coach Greg Schiano. Brian had dreamed of playing at Syracuse and following in the footsteps of his favorite player, Rob Conrad, after an incredible high school career that saw him amass 5,854 yards and a state-record 696 points.

But after spending 45 minutes in Joe Paterno's office and considering Syracuse and Notre Dame, Brian Leonard decided Rutgers was the place for him.

You think riding a bike down a slide is hard? Try winning at Rutgers.

"I didn't want to go to a school that already had a tradition and was supposed to win every game," Brian says. "Here, you beat Pittsburgh, the fans are on the field running around. Every win feels so much better than a win would at Penn State or Notre Dame or schools like that."

Nate and Brian never got to play together because Nate had another ACL operation, plus reconstructive surgeries on both shoulders while at Rutgers. He returned from all of that before a crushed bone in his knee finally finished his career.

Not hard to see where Brian gets his toughness from, is it?

And now that Rutgers is winning a little bit, Brian feels good about where his class will leave the program, which, with a few more big wins, will shed the Mickey Mouse label for good.

"We're building a foundation," Brian Leonard said. "People are going to remember us here for doing that."

Joe Starkey covers the Big East for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

[ISiddiqui]

You think riding a bike down a slide is hard? Try winning at Rutgers.

LOL! So true

(see signature)

[DeToxRox]

Good article. Leonard is one of my favorite guys to watch play. He reminds me so much of Alstott in college, but better.

[cthomer5000]

Leonard is for real.

[Logan]

My favorite part:

"They were sitting back on their heels," he said. "They were ready to pop up and take my legs out. I knew they'd be expecting it, and I'm sure they worked in practice on how to defend that. So I decided, 'Well, I'm just going to run these guys over.'"

EDIT: In case people didn't see the original Leonard Leap, check this out.

[Swaggs]

Any of you guys know of any local news websites or Rutgers affiliates that might be showing a webcast or have an audiocast for free? Looks like, from the WVU end, we have been blacked out where I live.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Any of you guys know of any local news websites or Rutgers affiliates that might be showing a webcast or have an audiocast for free? Looks like, from the WVU end, we have been blacked out where I live.

the game should definitely be broadcast live on radio on WCTC, and they do stream over the internet. Just go here: http://www.scarletknights.com/football/ when the game is about to start and click on the "listen" tab. (under all the game details on the far right of the page).

It's not on TV here either, and i'm pretty unlikely to go, so I'll probably also be listening this way.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

the game should definitely be broadcast live on radio on WCTC, and they do stream over the internet. Just go here: http://www.scarletknights.com/football/ when the game is about to start and click on the "listen" tab. (under all the game details on the far right of the page).

It's not on TV here either, and i'm pretty unlikely to go, so I'll probably also be listening this way.

Thanks man.

Hopefully they are not obligated to blackout during gametime.

[cthomer5000]

Don't worry, they won't be.

[timmynausea]

Thanks for the link. Looks like I'll have to listen as well.

[Logan]

Any of the RU faithful gonna be at the stadium Saturday?

[Swaggs]

Good news.

WVU @ Rutgers has been added to ESPN Gameplan and will not be blacked out. Apparently the MLB playoffs viewership played some type of factor.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

the game should definitely be broadcast live on radio on WCTC, and they do stream over the internet. Just go here: http://www.scarletknights.com/football/ when the game is about to start and click on the "listen" tab. (under all the game details on the far right of the page).

It's not on TV here either, and i'm pretty unlikely to go, so I'll probably also be listening this way.

You're not in Jersey anymore?

Originally Posted by Logan

Any of the RU faithful gonna be at the stadium Saturday?

I don't know. I might be able to get over there.

[cthomer5000]

I am in jersey, just not gonna make it to this home game. Maybe 1-2 later in the year.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I am in jersey, just not gonna make it to this home game. Maybe 1-2 later in the year.

Yeah, but you said

It's not on TV here either, and i'm pretty unlikely to go, so I'll probably also be listening this way.

and the game is on MSG here.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by General Mike

and the game is on MSG here.

Wow, no shit? I obviously had no idea. That's great news, thanks!

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Wow, no shit? I obviously had no idea. That's great news, thanks!

Yeah, and next week's game vs Syracuse is on MSG also.

[Lathum]

great story. I love to see leanord and RU do well

[General Mike]

Bump for 2 more national articles:

Mantra at Rutgers: "I have a good feeling about this one"

and

Notebook: Bing, bing, bing ... Rutgers nears bowl territory

[ISiddiqui]

That first one is an amusing article .

One more win, and Rutgers is bowl eligible. As I write that sentence, I go back over it in disbelief. I rub my eyes, move my cursor over the words "bowl eligible" and my cursor still blinks at me — or perhaps more accurately — winks at me. It's true. It's really true.

One more win and the planets will collide, the cow will jump over the moon and Rutgers could be headed to a magical place it hasn't seen since 1978 — a bowl.

Frankly, I'm not sure how I'll handle my alma mater actually going to a bowl game. It's like I won't even know the team anymore!

[Swaggs]

Will you guys travel to the bowl game?

I wonder how Rutgers travels? Since there is no precedence for a Rutgers' bowl game, is there even an answer to that question?

If you get the bid for the bowl held in Charlotte, you should go. We went a few years ago and had a nice time in the city, even though we got clubbed in the game.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Will you guys travel to the bowl game?

I wonder how Rutgers travels? Since there is no precedence for a Rutgers' bowl game, is there even an answer to that question?

If you get the bid for the bowl held in Charlotte, you should go. We went a few years ago and had a nice time in the city, even though we got clubbed in the game.

I think we will send a good contingent to a bowl game. We might not travel like West Virginia or some of the great powers, but the fan base is starved, there are a ton of alumni, and I know how people traveled to the NIT finals back in 2004, but that's a little different.

[General Mike]

Yogi Berra will be filliping the coin on Saturday. Go Yogi!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Will you guys travel to the bowl game?

I wonder how Rutgers travels? Since there is no precedence for a Rutgers' bowl game, is there even an answer to that question?

If you get the bid for the bowl held in Charlotte, you should go. We went a few years ago and had a nice time in the city, even though we got clubbed in the game.

Well if its a small bowl game, I guess some will go. I don't see hordes of Rutgers faithful rushing around like some other schools may.

Though if it is in Charlotte (or Jacksonville) and I am in the country, who knows .

[Logan]

If the game is in Charlotte (or, god bless, Jacksonville), I'm there. Will be a little tougher to get to Phoenix since the game is in the middle of the week (Tuesday the 27th I think) and it would be a pain in the ass for me to get out of work.

[cthomer5000]

Bowl eligible.... wooot!

Ok, now taking a serious look at the rest of the schedule:

South Florida
@ Louisville
Cincinnati

I'd be disappointed with 6-5, fine with 7-4, very happy with 8-3, and would probably lose my mind if they somehow finish 9-2.

I think one more win probably removes any doubt about them going to a bowl.

[CraigSca]

They should sign the Rutgers head coach to a 10 year extension.