Alumni Q&A With Nate Leonard

contributed by: joearriolajr

By Joe Arriola
Sports Reporter -- TOWNSQUAREBUZZ.com

The University of Texas at San Antonio will begin its first season of NCAA Division I football this fall. The Roadrunners' program will be led by former Miami head coach Larry Coker and will include McKinney High's own Nate Leonard as an interior linemen. As a three-year starter and all-district center for MHS, Leonard helped lead the Lions to back-to-back playoff seasons as the offense smashed school records. When Leonard signed a national letter of intent with UTSA in February of 2010, he said playing D-I football was a 'dream come true'. Although he and the rest of the Roadrunners have yet to play an actual college football game, they have been hard at work preparing for the 2011 season. TownSquareBuzz recently caught up with Leonard to ask him about his college experience, playing for coach Coker, and what he thinks about the new Lions program under head coach Jeff Smith.

When you signed with UTSA, you were very excited to be a part of a new program. What has that experience been like for you?

The experience has been very new and I have been learning about what it takes to be apart of a Division I football program. It has not only been a learning experience for me, but also for everyone involved with the program: coaches, players, administrators, and donors. Everyone is on the same playing field when it comes to starting a new program, and we have all had to learn on the fly, but that element of surprise and new beginnings is part of the whole excitement factor. So far, Division I football has been everything that I expected it to be and more--we really feel like superstars here in San Antonio.

How are you handling the competition?

The level of play here is outstanding and the coaches did an excellent job of recruiting. To put it simply, this team is filled with players that were the best at their respective high schools and in the state of Texas. The coaches stress every day that each practice is a tryout and the depth chart changes on a whim, so I have to be on my toes and on top of my game at all times, but personally I have never been afraid to push myself outside of my comfort zone and improve my skills each and every opportunity I get. Division I football is a 24/7 job, and the only way to go is full out all the time, because if you don't, you can be replaced with a simple signature. Although every offensive lineman is fighting for a starting job, I really respect the skill level of my teammates and am able to learn from not only what they do right, but also what they do wrong, and apply it to my own skills. So although the competition level is high, everyone is just trying to improve the guy next to them.

Are you still playing center?

Yes, as of now I am running at the first team center position. Coming into fall, I was slotted at left guard, but naturally moved back to where I was most comfortable, at center.

Describe your head coach and position coach.

Larry Coker is the head coach and his resume speaks for itself having been to two national championship games at Miami, winning one of them. During the recruiting process, at times it is difficult to tell if a coach is being honest and genuine with you, but from the start I knew that Coach Coker was a man of his word. To this day, he is the same man on the football field as off of it and truly inspires his football team to get better every day. He wouldn't be here without us and we wouldn't be here without him, and that fact heightens the respect level of everyone involved. It is an honor to play football under a man of his stature in the football world.

My offensive line coach is Jim Marshall, and he has been a key role in improving my skills at the center position and as an offensive lineman in general. His experience in the football ranks really shows, allowing him to coach us up on every situation in the book and feel prepared going into scrimmage and game-like situations. He instills the "bar fighter" mentality into his offensive line, giving us the mind set that every play is a fight and we all have each other's backs, like one unit, which is a crucial attitude for any successful offensive line.

Do you still keep in touch with coach Reyes or any of your former teammates?

I keep in touch with Coach Reyes, Coach Mark Gibson, and Coach Glenn Williams on a regular basis, but have also seen most all of the coaches when I have come home to visit. Those men have had too much of an impact on my life to be a stranger to them, and I thoroughly enjoy the time that I am able to catch up with them.

As far as my former teammates, I keep in touch with Zach Lee and Jacob Smith the most. I am really proud of those two guys as they are not only dear friends, but excellent athletes in the baseball world, and I wish them the best in their respective careers.

What is your favorite thing about the campus?

My favorite thing about campus has to be the Roadrunner Cafe, because if I am not in class, football meetings, or in "the dungeon" (weight room), I am with the team at the Roadrunner Cafe, and I can promise that I never pass up a meal!

This year's Lions team lost to McKinney North and failed to make the playoffs. As a three-year starter at MHS, you know how difficult it can be to start a new program with a new head coach. What advice would you give the team for this fall?

The team cannot get discouraged by this previous year. New installments take time to grow and time to be successful. It took Coach Reyes and us a year to get our stuff together and make back-to-back playoff runs so this team can only strive to improve with each day. I have had the privilege to associate with Coach Jeff Smith and the staff that he has put together, and have been nothing but impressed by the way they have handled themselves, the kids, and the program as a whole. I have the upmost respect for him and his staff and know that the McKinney Lions are in great hands to get back on track in the playoff race. OH AND ABOUT THAT LOSS TO THAT SCHOOL NORTH OF US, THE TEAM SHOULDN'T BE PHASED--EVERYONE IN THE TOWN KNOWS WHO THE REAL TEAM IN MCKINNEY IS--"NO NAMES, NO DIRECTIONS, THE ORIGINAL" GO LIONS!"