by Pat Turner, goUTSA.com contributing writer
SAN ANTONIO — Nate Leonard knows this is the end.
When UTSA faces North Texas today at the Alamodome, this will be the last time the center from McKinney snaps the ball to the quarterback and delivers a block on an opposing defender. It also will be the final time he experiences running onto the field with his teammates and hearing the roar of the crowd.
Although the curtain is about to drop on a career that began in pee wee football 15 years ago, it won’t be a sad occasion by any means.
Instead, Leonard will be smiling about the special times, especially the past five years while helping the Roadrunners launch their new football program.
It has been a wonderful ride, but Leonard truly is looking forward to graduating and beginning his life as a football coach.
“I look at the last game as a celebration of all of our careers because we all have had a great ride,” he said. “I started playing football when I was in third grade and, at one time, I was playing year-round football. In middle school I played for my school in the fall and, in the spring, I played for a club team and then an arena team in the summer. I will miss it, but, at the same time, I think it’s going to be good to turn in the pads and jersey and put on the whistle instead.”
Leonard leaves knowing he left his mark on UTSA.
After going through the redshirt year that first season, he is one of the 18 Roadrunners on this year's team from the original signing class who stuck it out to the end. In fact, he comes into today's game as the only player in program history to start all 45 games.
He had his nicks, bumps and bruises, but Leonard was good to go week after week.
“That streak is something I’ve always been proud to have,” he said. “Being able to start has been special for me. I always wanted to help my team win and contribute in every game. It’s one of those things where you grit your teeth and go.”
Although Leonard did his part to endure the journey, he credits others for making the streak possible.
“My coaches helped me prepare,” he said. “Jerry Greeson and his training staff deserve a lot of credit, too. If I had any kind of injury, I relied on them to patch me up. A lot of guys play with pain, especially this time of year, but you have to keep going and play with passion.
“More importantly, though, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. They believed in me and expected me to perform. I also did it for my family. They put in a lot of effort in helping me build my career. They knew I had a dream to play college football and always supported me. The last thing I wanted to do was let them down.”
Leonard did not disappoint.
In addition to shining on the football field, he produced winning results in the classroom.
The 2013 second-team Academic All-American was named Conference USA’s Scholar Athlete of the Year for football a year ago. Leonard, who maintains a 3.99 GPA in physical education and is on track to graduate in May, earned Capital One Academic All-District VII laurels for the third consecutive year three weeks ago and now is eligible to become an Academic All-America again this season. Most importantly, however, he is one of 17 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the nation's top scholar-athlete.
In addition, the 6-foot, 280-pound lineman was on this year's Dave Rimington Trophy watch list, an honor that goes to the top center in the country.
Succeeding in all areas was Leonard’s game plan in life long before his college football career began.
“My parents had a big influence on me.” he said. “They always encouraged me to strive for excellence in everything I did. You have to make the sacrifice if you want to succeed both in the classroom and on the field. I am glad I was able to do that. It means a lot to succeed in both.”
Leonard went out his way to set the example on the field and classroom with his work ethic and enthusiasm. His friendly manner is contagious. He is popular interview among media members and has a unique way of making teammates feel comfortable, especially the newcomers.
Leonard has written a weekly blog for goUTSA.com the past two seasons after doing so for The Huffington Post back in 2012. He also hosts a UTSA’s Football Insider segment called “Between Two Chairs,” where he interviews teammates on various topics. The show isn’t the typical sports show. This one is closer to a Saturday Night Live venue, but, then again, it wouldn’t be Leonard if he wasn't entertaining.
“Nate is an outstanding football player and student, but he’s an even better person,” head coach Larry Coker said. “He has a great work ethic and is the ultimate team player. Nate has been one of our best and most consistent offensive linemen and has had a great career for us.”
How Leonard ended up at UTSA is an interesting story in itself.
Since he hails from the Metroplex, he wasn’t aware of the San Antonio-based school. During his junior year, he heard UTSA was adding football. That perked interest, but the clincher came one day when Larry Coker attended one of McKinney’s practices.
“I didn’t know the UT system had a campus in San Antonio until I heard they were starting football,” Leonard said. “We were practicing and there on the hill was a college coach wearing orange and blue. I turned to my buddy and said ‘Larry Coker is at our practice.’ That was really neat.”
It was even neater when Coker showed interest in Leonard.
“I wasn’t getting much attention from Division I coaches because of my size,” Leonard said. “After talking to coach Coker, I started thinking maybe I could play Division I football. It was exciting for me to get a chance to play for him because I was going to get to play for a National Championship coach. Not everyone can say that.”
Sitting out the first season was strange for someone used to playing every fall, but the redshirt year gave Leonard and his teammates time to adjust to college.
Once the Roadrunners began playing, Leonard was ready to get the show on the road.
Now, it’s close to ending and Leonard is hoping to end the season on a winning note.
Whatever takes place, he will leave with a feeling of accomplishment, along with memories to last a lifetime.
“Any time you get to wake up and play football with your brothers, it’s great,” Leonard said. “I will remember a lot about how far we came because we definitely left it better than we found it. We can leave here knowing we are giving the younger generation of Roadrunners a better football program.
“It’s been a remarkable dream come true. I always wanted to play Division I football and it’s been great living out that dream with this team.”