BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan sees Brian Leonard splitting time at fullback and halfback as well as playing a key role on special teams in his second season in the NFL.
"He is going to play fullback for us in certain packages and he'll be a halfback for us in others," Linehan said Thursday after a light practice called organized team activities. "He's got to know both. That's what makes his role so valuable for us. He has to play both, and he has to be good at both."
Leonard, a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft out of Rutgers University, played in all 16 games as a rookie last season, including four starts at halfback in place of an injured Steven Jackson and three starts at fullback.
"We know he can go into a game and get 100 yards for us. He did that versus Arizona," Linehan said of Leonard, who rushed for 102 yards on 16 carries in Week 5 against the Cardinals. "We know he can fill the role of fullback. He's not going to be a blow-up-the-middle-linebacker type of fullback. There are a lot of functions for the fullback in our offense, and the things he does well, we can accentuate."
Leonard welcomed getting to showcase his versatility again this season.
"Hopefully, everybody stays healthy this year, but I'm at my best when I'm playing different roles at different times," Leonard said.
Because he was thrust into a starting role, Leonard saw little action on special teams last season.
Linehan said that will change this season.
"The biggest thing I want to see from Brian next year is really increasing his role on special teams," Leonard said. "I think that will be something he can really make a lot of strides in."
Leonard said he was working on all the Rams' coverage and return units with special teams.
"Special teams is one of the reasons they drafted me," Leonard said.
Leonard still is learning new Rams offensive coordinator Al Saunders' voluminous playbook, but he likes what he has seen so far from Saunders' complex system.
"I think it's an awesome offense," Leonard said. "There is a lot of different stuff we throw in there. We throw to the backs a lot, with screens and all that kind of stuff. They're going to get the ball into the running backs' hands a lot this year."
Having a year of experience under his belt, Leonard feels better prepared heading into his second season in the NFL.
"It completely is night and day," Leonard said of his comfort level this year compared with last year. "I feel sorry for those rookies coming in now. It's a tough year to get through."
Making Leonard's rookie season even tougher were shoulder injuries that hampered him much of the campaign.
"I felt like a freshman in college strengthwise," Leonard said. "I was weak, and instead of having a great punch, it kind of affects you with blocking and stuff."
Leonard had arthroscopic surgery on both of his shoulders during the offsason.
To better handle the rigors of playing fullback, he's bulked up to 233 pounds, and he hopes to weigh about 235 pounds by the start of the 2008 season.
Leonard said having healthy shoulders has enabled him to do more work in the weight room.
"I didn't do any upper body, no shoulders or chest, last year," Leonard said. "I was limited pretty much to my legs. This year, I have gotten my upper body bulkier and my legs stronger. I've put on some weight, and it's good weight."
News-Democrat
St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan sees Brian Leonard splitting time at fullback and halfback as well as playing a key role on special teams in his second season in the NFL.
"He is going to play fullback for us in certain packages and he'll be a halfback for us in others," Linehan said Thursday after a light practice called organized team activities. "He's got to know both. That's what makes his role so valuable for us. He has to play both, and he has to be good at both."
Leonard, a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft out of Rutgers University, played in all 16 games as a rookie last season, including four starts at halfback in place of an injured Steven Jackson and three starts at fullback.
"We know he can go into a game and get 100 yards for us. He did that versus Arizona," Linehan said of Leonard, who rushed for 102 yards on 16 carries in Week 5 against the Cardinals. "We know he can fill the role of fullback. He's not going to be a blow-up-the-middle-linebacker type of fullback. There are a lot of functions for the fullback in our offense, and the things he does well, we can accentuate."
Leonard welcomed getting to showcase his versatility again this season.
"Hopefully, everybody stays healthy this year, but I'm at my best when I'm playing different roles at different times," Leonard said.
Because he was thrust into a starting role, Leonard saw little action on special teams last season.
Linehan said that will change this season.
"The biggest thing I want to see from Brian next year is really increasing his role on special teams," Leonard said. "I think that will be something he can really make a lot of strides in."
Leonard said he was working on all the Rams' coverage and return units with special teams.
"Special teams is one of the reasons they drafted me," Leonard said.
Leonard still is learning new Rams offensive coordinator Al Saunders' voluminous playbook, but he likes what he has seen so far from Saunders' complex system.
"I think it's an awesome offense," Leonard said. "There is a lot of different stuff we throw in there. We throw to the backs a lot, with screens and all that kind of stuff. They're going to get the ball into the running backs' hands a lot this year."
Having a year of experience under his belt, Leonard feels better prepared heading into his second season in the NFL.
"It completely is night and day," Leonard said of his comfort level this year compared with last year. "I feel sorry for those rookies coming in now. It's a tough year to get through."
Making Leonard's rookie season even tougher were shoulder injuries that hampered him much of the campaign.
"I felt like a freshman in college strengthwise," Leonard said. "I was weak, and instead of having a great punch, it kind of affects you with blocking and stuff."
Leonard had arthroscopic surgery on both of his shoulders during the offsason.
To better handle the rigors of playing fullback, he's bulked up to 233 pounds, and he hopes to weigh about 235 pounds by the start of the 2008 season.
Leonard said having healthy shoulders has enabled him to do more work in the weight room.
"I didn't do any upper body, no shoulders or chest, last year," Leonard said. "I was limited pretty much to my legs. This year, I have gotten my upper body bulkier and my legs stronger. I've put on some weight, and it's good weight."