Sept. 17, 2009

By Bill Hass
theACC.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Leon Wright lived a dream twice last Saturday.

“Some of the best (defensive backs) have a lot of interceptions but no touchdowns,” said Wright, a senior cornerback at Duke. “You have that dream of returning an interception for a touchdown and that makes it more special than just getting an interception.”

Wright returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 35-19 win over Army. That was a first in Duke football history and the first time by an ACC player since Virginia’s Randy Neal returned two picks for scores against Virginia Tech in 1992.

What elevated Wright’s feat from rare to almost unheard-of was that he did it on consecutive plays. The NCAA does not keep records on things like that, perhaps because it never occurred to anyone that it might happen.

And that wasn’t the extent of Wright’s afternoon. He also recovered a fumble and advanced it four yards, returned a punt nine yards, broke up a pass, made two solo tackles and assisted on two more.

“Pretty good day’s work for Mr. Wright,” summed up Duke coach David Cutcliffe.

As exciting as all that was, Wright did his best to take things in stride.

“I was taking advantage of opportunities as a defensive back,” he said, “attacking the ball and doing what I could to help my team win. I don’t really look at it as a career day. I look at it as me doing what I’m supposed to do.”

Perhaps the most satisfying aspect for Wright was just to be playing. He missed six games of the 2008 season, including the last five, with a torn hamstring. It was almost more than he could bear.

“I’m just happy to be out here competing again,” Wright said. “It was so tough to sit back and watch the sport you love and have been playing all your life. I’m just grateful to be able to get on the field.

“It’s probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, having to sit on the sidelines and not being able to help my teammates.”

The one good thing about Wright’s injury is that it did not require surgery. But there was considerable rest and then rehab, rebuilding strength and stamina in the muscle. He was limited in spring practice but almost 100 percent by the summer.

Did he feel he had to prove to his teammates that he could still play at a high level when preseason camp opened?

“I thought about that,” Wright said, “but I felt like I had more to prove to myself. When you have a significant injury like that, you kind of hesitate in some of the things you do to try not to have the injury again.

“So I had to get over that hump, first of all. I had to tell myself that I could still do this without worrying about getting hurt again. After that, I felt like I had something to prove that I could still compete in the ACC against top receivers.”

Cutcliffe said Wright’s spot was there as soon as he was ready to go.

“Let me tell you, he didn’t have to win a job back,” the coach said. “He’s the best cover corner we have by far, very aggressive, an excellent football player who does everything you ask him to do.”

Wright played as a true freshman and earned a starting berth as a sophomore under previous coach Ted Roof. He has never let his 5-9, 175-pound frame be a disadvantage against taller receivers. He even lined up to cover an Army receiver listed at 6-10, 270.

“I have to use my speed and my quickness,” Wright said. “Those guys are bigger and they’re stronger and they’re capable of just bulldozing me. But as long as I know I have my center of gravity and as long as I’m playing under control I feel I can compete with any receiver.”

Cutcliffe has no doubts about that.

“Some of the greatest corners in the NFL have been in the 5-9 range,” Cutcliffe said. “Leon is really strong, really has great quickness and great instincts. So you use your instincts and never let people get in good body position on you. His vertical jump is pretty fantastic.”

Wright used his vertical jump on the first interception. After Duke took a 21-13 lead, Army sent in its passing quarterback. Looking for a receiver on the sideline, he let the ball go and it looked like a completion – until Wright leaped, snagged the ball, then took off diagonally across the field and weaved through the pursuit for a 51-yard touchdown.

“The coverage we were in allowed me to read the quarterback and allowed me to come off my man and make the play,” Wright said. “I kind of took it away with one hand. I actually thought my safety was going to jump up and intercept the ball, so I could have reacted a little late. I just reached over and snatched it out.”

After Duke kicked off, Army tried to throw again. The resulting interception was much easier than the first one as Wright had a clear path to the end zone 33 yards away.

“The second one, the coverage allowed me to focus in on the quarterback,” Wright said. “My receiver ran a shallow route and our coverage was designed to stop it. The quarterback misread it and I jumped the route.”

Two touchdowns in 16 seconds. That boosted his career total to three -- he returned a fumble for a score against Georgia Tech as a sophomore.

Wright’s best friend, and roommate for four years, is quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. The two Florida natives (Wright is from St. Petersburg, Lewis from Opa-Locka) formed their friendship quickly in their freshman season. Wright admits it’s a bit unusual for a defensive back and quarterback to be that close.

“We come from similar backgrounds and have very similar personalities, so we kind of bonded as soon as we got on campus,” Wright said. “We’ve never had a problem with each other.

“It’s a weird type of relationship to have with a quarterback. You know you have to compete against him (in practice) and the friendship is over when you’re on the field, but once you’re off the field it’s all good.”

The two enjoy going on their own to visit the Durham Boys and Girls Club and interacting with the youngsters.

“Some of those kids don’t have older brothers or someone to look up to,” Wright said. “They kind of look at us as idols. To be able to bond with them is significant, we feel. Coming from the areas we come from, looking up to guys who were successful in our neighborhoods helped us want to become successful. We feel it’s a way to give back to the Durham community.”

Wright said Lewis took things in stride when he was replaced by backup Sean Renfree, who threw two TD passes in the second half against Army. Cutcliffe said Lewis remains the starter this week when the Blue Devils play at Kansas.

“He’s taking it like a leader should,” Wright said. “He’s proud of Sean for stepping up when he had the opportunity; he’s not pouting about it. He knows he has to come out and play to the best of his ability and he knows Sean is going to do what he can to play. I think Thad has handled it very well. We know Thad is capable of doing what he’s been doing for three years.”

The Kansas game presents a stiff challenge because the Jayhawks have an experienced quarterback in Todd Reesing.

“It’s going to be an exciting game, a great opportunity for our defense to make plays,” Wright said. “We can prove to ourselves and to the world that Duke football can actually play and we’re out to compete.”

Wright doesn’t know what the future holds for him. He would love to get a call from an NFL team but if that doesn’t work out he is interested in a career in medicine, perhaps becoming a physician’s assistant.

But that’s long-range. For now, there’s a lot of college football left to be played. And who knows, maybe some more touchdowns to be scored.

Bill Hass is a long-time observer of ACC sports. His career at the Greensboro News & Record spanned 36 years, from 1969 until his retirement in March, 2006. He is now writing "Bill Hass on the ACC" for theACC.com. His weekly columns will keep fans plugged in to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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