Riley Leonard, Duke’s Rising Star: Following in Father’s Footsteps | Sports – Hot

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard has never beaten his father in a game of one-on-one basketball.

But then, Riley’s father isn’t your typical weekend warrior.

Chad Leonard was a Division I basketball player and one of Pat Dennis’ first recruits at The Citadel in the mid-1990s. He played four seasons for the Bulldogs, finishing his career as one of the school’s all-time steals leader.

As with many sports-crazy kids, beating your father — especially one that played collegiately — would have been one of those life-affirming milestones for Riley. 

But it never happened.

“Yeah, I stopped playing Riley when he was in the seventh grade,” said Chad, who played for the Bulldogs from 1992-95. “As soon as I figured out he was going to be able to beat me, I just stopped playing him.”

Riley said the father-and-son games ended even sooner.

“It was like the third grade,” said Riley, who was born in Mount Pleasant. “Whatever he told you, he’s lying. I don’t think his pride would let him lose to me.”

Chad, who served as a golf professional at Rivertowne Country Club and Patriots Point after his playing days were over, moved his young family from the Lowcountry to Fairhope, Ala., when Riley was in kindergarten.

“I’ve been to Charleston a few times,” Riley said. “Going downtown was great, always a lot to do, and I had the best barbecue I’ve ever had the last time we were there at Home Team BBQ.”

The fact that Riley is now considered one of the top quarterbacks not only in the ACC, but in the country, is something that the Leonard family is still trying to wrap their collective heads around.

For most of Riley’s childhood, the father was convinced that his son would follow in his footsteps and play Division I basketball.

Even Riley, a two-sport star at Fairhope High School, was sure he was going to play basketball. After his junior year, Riley was being recruited by Power 5 schools, including Auburn.

“I was hearing from like 50 coaches for basketball, it was crazy,” Riley said.

He had only a handful of football offers.

And then the pandemic hit and changed everything.

“Because Riley was a quarterback, they tend to make offers earlier in the recruiting process,” Chad said. “I never pushed him to play basketball, but I always kind of thought he would end up playing basketball in college. But then COVID happened, and the football offers he was getting he just couldn’t ignore.”

Duke, Syracuse, Nebraska, and Vanderbilt were just a few of the football programs that came calling.

“I felt for a long time that he had a quarterback’s body,” Chad said. “His personality was built for the quarterback position. He’s been a quarterback since he was little. The position comes natural to him.

“When he told me he wanted to go with football I was kind of relieved and excited. He’s a freak athlete and combine that his natural talent for the position and it’s a perfect fit.”

An opinion that would be shared by second-year coach Mike Elko and Blue Devil fans.

In 20 career games, Riley has completed 63 percent of his passes and thrown for 3,348 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 872 yards and 15 TDs and led Duke to a 9-4 mark in 2022, its best record in eight years.

Not bad for a guy that didn’t find out he was going to be Blue Devils’ starter until just days before last year’s season opener against Temple.

Over the summer, Riley got to spend time at the Manning Passing Camp, working as a counselor.

“It was an amazing experience, working and talking with those guys,” Riley said.

The 6-4, 215-pound Leonard has become one a top NFL quarterback prospects. Several 2024 mock drafts have Riley as a second-round pick, but with another good season could move into the first round.

“Everything has happened so fast,” said Chad, who said he’s already fielding calls from NFL agents. “This time last year, we didn’t know he was going to be the starter. Then to have the kind of season he had was incredible.”

The Blue Devils will take on Clemson in a national televised game Monday night. It will be the first time that Riley has faced the defending ACC champions.

“You can’t ask for more than to compete against a team like Clemson on national TV in the only game that night,” Riley said. “It’s going to be a cool atmosphere. I can’t wait.”

Riley Leonard will be the first of two ACC quarterbacks that Clemson will face during the month of September whose fathers played sports at The Citadel.

Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader, whose father, Tracey, played football and baseball at The Citadel in the late 1970s, will take on the Tigers later this month.

“It must be something in the water in Charleston,” Chad said.