Leonard Making Most of Reserve Role

John Leonard, a sophomore quarterback at Arizona State, wanted to play football for Notre Dame so badly that he would have walked on there as a freshman.

“It was the only school where I would have considered doing that to try to prove myself,” Leonard said. “I thought that was what would happen. But it didn’t work out. The Notre Dame coaches said they couldn’t get me into school since I wasn’t a scholarship athlete.”

It was a disappointment to Leonard, an admirer of the Notre Dame tradition.

“I had no other options that late but to go to a community college last year,” Leonard said.

Leonard, who played at Mater Dei High, made the most of that season at El Camino College, passing for 2,765 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Because of that, several schools showed new interest in him. Leonard decided on Arizona State after also considering California and San Diego State.

Leonard hopes things will work out for the best at Arizona State.

He has been a backup this season behind three-year starter Ryan Kealy, but Kealy has been troubled by injuries. That has made Leonard a frequent replacement.

Torn cartilage in Kealy’s right knee forced him out in the first quarter of the season opener against Texas Tech, and Leonard came on to complete seven of 17 passes for 117 yards without an interception in a 31-13 Sun Devil victory.

Kealy also went to the sidelines after two series against UCLA because of bruised ribs suffered the previous week against Cal. Leonard and another backup, junior Griffin Goodman, replaced him. Leonard was nine for 17 for 72 yards, though it was Goodman who led the Sun Devils on their winning drive in a 28-27 victory.

Leonard got his chance to play at Notre Dame a week ago in the Sun Devils’ 48-17 loss to the Irish. He completed two of four passes for 21 yards.

“I hated for us to lose like that, but it was a great feeling for me just to be able to play there,” Leonard said.

Leonard said he thinks he has learned a lot this season. “It’s always an adjustment when you move from one level of competition to another,” Leonard said. “I would like to be playing more, but I know you have to pay your dues and wait your turn in a program with so many good athletes. I didn’t get to start regularly at Mater Dei until my senior year.”

Leonard passed for 2,427 yards and 21 touchdowns with only three interceptions that season. He also set a school record with 406 yards passing against Mission Viejo.

“It’s hard to get into a rhythm sometimes as a backup because you’re not doing as much in practice as the No. 1 quarterback is, but that’s part of a backup’s job,” Leonard said. “I go into each week with the idea that I might play a lot and I have to be ready.”

HEISMAN MENTION

Brigham Young quarterback Kevin Feterik, who played at Los Alamitos High, is getting some mention among potential Heisman Trophy candidates as the season progresses.

Feterik also is among 16 quarterbacks on the watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented to the top senior quarterback each year by the Unitas Foundation.

Feterik went into Saturday night’s game against New Mexico leading the nation in total offense with an average of 354 yards a game. He ranks sixth in passing efficiency.

Feterik passed for 211 yards in the 31-7 victory over New Mexico to bring his season total to 2,028 yards after six games. Sean Stein, a teammate of Feterik’s at Los Alamitos, started for New Mexico Saturday and passed for 134 yards.

Stein was one of Feterik’s receivers for two seasons at Los Alamitos before winning the quarterback job after Feterik went to BYU. Stein also backed up Feterik for two years, and played five games at quarterback during his sophomore year when Feterik broke his throwing hand.

Stein played for Long Beach College for two seasons before transferring to New Mexico.

Stein moved into the starting lineup a week ago and accounted for 199 total yards in New Mexico’s victory over San Diego State. He threw for two touchdowns and 154 yards and rushed for 45 yards, even though he missed part of the second half with a mild concussion.

NOTEWORTHY

Junior middle blockers Caryn Sale of Mission Viejo and Myeetsha Coffer of Anaheim Hills are playing key roles for the Cal State Los Angeles women’s volleyball team that is ranked 25th in the nation in NCAA Division II. In recent road victories against Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly Pomona and Grand Canyon, Sale averaged 3.8 kills, 3.3 digs and 1.1 blocks per game. Both players are in the top five in blocks in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

UC San Diego tennis players Amy Tranckino and Lyndsey Tadlock won the doubles championship at the NCAA Division III West Region championship at Claremont College recently. Tranckino played at Dana Hills High. The two advance to the Rolex Small College National Tournament in Memphis next weekend.

USC junior midfielder Andrea Warner, who played at Dana Hills High, scored her 99th career point with an assist in the Trojans’ 2-1 soccer victory over Washington Friday in the Coliseum. Her assist set up a goal by junior Megan Orach, who played at Marina High. USC is 10-3 and 3-0 in the Pacific 10.

Freshman Justin Ragognetti led the William & Mary men’s golf team to a ninth-place finish out of 17 teams at the Liberty/Sea Trail Classic in Sunset Beach, N.C. Ragognetti, from Servite High, shot a team-low 75-74.