The strong side linebacker traditionally lines up across from the opponent's tight end. Against power offenses, he must be big and strong enough to shed muscular blockers and tackle running backs.

But the ascent of the spread option has made classic power offenses somewhat rare. Three-, four- and five-wideout sets leave big, bulky linebackers at a disadvantage.

Defensive coaches are trading size for speed at linebacker in hopes of tackling shifty rushing quarterbacks in the open field.

That's where Leonard comes in.

He started his N.C. State career at cornerback, moved to safety and now is starting at strong side linebacker at 6 feet and 210 pounds.

"This game is about speed," Leonard said. "... I am considered a really good open-field tackler, and that's why they moved me."

A look at N.C. State's schedule shows why the team made offseason defensive scheme changes to make room for Leonard. East Carolina with Patrick Pinkney and South Florida with Matt Grothe have quarterbacks who can get out of the pocket and make plays with their feet.

Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner is a threat to run. In last season's 37-0, final-game debacle against Maryland, quarterback Chris Turner hurt the Wolfpack with a 41-yard run.

N.C. State's defensive coaches visited other schools during the spring for ideas on defending the spread. Defensive coordinator Mike Archer won't identify all the places the staff visited but revealed that he spent time at Georgia.

The Bulldogs have 6-foot-2, 218-pound Akeem Dent starting at outside linebacker. Like Dent, Leonard is slim for a linebacker. But N.C. State coaches moved him in the spring in hopes of neutralizing the spread.

Leonard lines up to the wide side of the field and uses his speed in open space. The other outside linebacker, Nate Irving, packs more of a punch at 225 pounds and lines up to the short side.

"Really, [Leonard] is another strong safety," Archer said. "In essence, we're playing a nickel. That's what it amounts to. It's basically a nickel defense. Which if you put on a tape now in college football, everybody is playing nickel."

Two sports, two cities

Leonard was groomed for this assignment in an unusual way.

When he was in high school, his father, Rob Leonard, was working for an electronics company in Sanford while the rest of the family stayed in Moon Township, Pa. (The family since has moved to Raleigh.)

Robbie Leonard spent the fall at Moon High playing football. In the spring, he stayed with his father in North Carolina so he could play for the Apex High golf team. His mother, Mary Beth, preferred golf, and the son excelled in that sport.

But his father had been a four-year starter at cornerback at Division II California University of Pennsylvania. He could see that Robbie had unusual talent plus a love for contact.

"You're a great golfer," Rob Leonard said he explained to his son, "but you'll never get to hit anybody [playing golf]."

As a senior, Robbie had what he considered a breakthrough football season and didn't return to Apex for golf. But his plans to be an invited walk-on at Penn State fell through, and he wound up at Division III Washington & Jefferson.

He didn't even start there as a freshman but was determined to play Division I. His high school coach, Mark Capuano, played at N.C. State with Chuck Amato, who was coaching the Wolfpack.

Capuano convinced Amato to take Leonard as a walk-on transfer student. As a senior, he has worked his way into a starter's role under new coach Tom O'Brien because of a change in scheme.

"When I came here, I wanted to play no matter what the defense was, and I knew I could find a way on the field," Leonard said. "I got lucky with the style of defense we're playing now, but I knew I was going to play the whole time. I was pretty confident."

Challenging opener

Last Thursday's opener at South Carolina seemed to be a huge challenge for Leonard because the Gamecocks have excellent tight ends -- Jared Cook and Weslye Saunders, formerly of Durham Riverside.

But South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is known more for his complex passing game than for power football. Spurrier occasionally splits 6-foot-5, 240-pound former wide receiver Cook out in the slot to take advantage of his speed.

Unlike bigger, slower linebackers, Leonard wasn't vulnerable in those situations.

Cook was held to two catches for 19 yards (though he did score a touchdown), and Saunders didn't catch a pass.

Leonard made nine tackles, second-best on the team.

"Last year, we really weren't sure where he was going to play as a safety," Archer said. "... But when we made this decision in the offseason, he has taken it and he's run with it. He's playing with a great deal of confidence."

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