Oct. 2, 2003
By Holly Ratliff * Host Communications
It isn’t often that you come across a player with the talent, leadership and heart of UK’s Leonard “Taco” Burress. The senior cornerback is closing in on the school record for pass breakups in a career and experienced a standout 2002 season in which he played in pain for the majority of the year.
Affectionately known as “Taco,” Burress earned his now infamous nickname in high school while on a trip with his team to Mexico. Burress indulged in the area’s popular meal and the name has followed him ever since.
“It (nickname) came from my high school head coach,” said Burress. “We were in Mexico and the only thing I was eating down there was tacos. He told me, ‘Your head is kind of shaped like a taco.’ So, that’s where it started. It came as a joke about my head. It went from Mexico, back to my high school and has followed me here.”
Burress was highly recruited out of Memphis’ Trezevant High School by schools like Arkansas and Clemson, but he chose to continue his football career at Kentucky.
“It all just came down to who I could trust and who I liked the most,” said Burress. “When I came in, I fell in love with Coach Keane (defensive backs coach at the time). It came down to where I felt the most comfortable and where my family felt I should go. That’s why I decided to come here. I knew it was a laid-back city with not a lot that could get you in trouble. I like the fact that it’s a calm-natured place and a college town.”
Burress stands just two pass breakups from the school record of 25 in his collegiate career. Though it’s already an impressive statistic by itself, if you factor in that he has achieved his numbers while learning a new defense in three of his four seasons it makes his possible feat even sweeter.
Burress has experienced the rotating door of coaches along with his teammates. Not only has the he played for three different head coaches, but he has endured four different position coaches in as many years as well. As a veteran in the secondary, Burress has become a natural leader for the defense, after having been around the UK program longer than any player – or coach – on the 2003 staff. The role of leader is one that he welcomes, though he prefers to lead more with his actions than with his words.
“I take the leadership role well and I want to be a leader,” said Burress. “But I’m really not their vocal leader. I’m a player that likes to lead by example. When things go wrong, they see me and see how I react. I want to lead more by example than with words.”
“He’s the most experienced defensive back we have and he shows leadership to the other guys as far as telling them what to expect and what to see,” said defensive backs coach Steve Brown. “He’s actually taught them a lot about the whole college experience.”
Though Burress admits that playing for so many coaches and learning new systems has proven difficult at times, he’s managed to find positives in what each season has had to offer. He has approached each year as a fresh start, as well as a chance to continue learning about the game.
“It’s done more good for me than bad,” said Burress. “All of the coaches have taught me different things. I’ve tried to take a little from each coach and put it all together, and that’s made me a better player.”
The Rich Brooks defensive system is one that Burress feels will prepare him for any game situation. The senior respects his new head coach and believes in the system that Brooks has brought to the Wildcats.
“Coach Brooks’ system is going to get us in shape for anything, I know that off the top,” said Burress. “He knows what he’s doing and he’s a coach that you want to play for. He’s been around a long time and has both NFL and college experience. He was a coach of the year one year. Anybody would love to have a coach like that.”
The Cats’ new 3-4 defense is one that the coaches know will take time to learn. Though the personnel is young overall, Burress and the other players on defense have been quick to pick up the new system. The 3-4 is tailored to be more defensive back-friendly than what Burress has played in the past, offering more zone coverage as opposed to man-to-man.
“I think he and all of the others are adjusting to the new defense,” said Brown. “It allows them the opportunity to make big plays and I think they’re all excited about the system we have in place.”
Burress sees many positives in the new system – one that will hopefully aid him in reaching the school record for breakups in a career this season.
“The new defensive scheme we have in the secondary is pretty good,” said Burress. “It fits a lot of us really well. We know that we have to play over the middle or over the top. It allows us to have a lot of physical play with the wide receivers on the deep routes, which they could run on us easily last year. We’re fourth in the SEC right now (as of Sept. 20) in defending the pass, so that shows how well the secondary is playing. Overall, I think the defense is playing really well.
“The zone is very helpful for us. It stops us from being man-to-man a lot. It keeps teams from scheming against us, since they don’t know if we’re going to be in man or zone coverage. They know they’re going to throw the fade and post a lot, but now since we’re going to mix it up, they really don’t know what to run so they have to guess on what we’re doing.
“As the weeks go on, we’ll get stronger on the run and on the pass. It’s going to take us awhile to really get in the mode of it. I think it will probably be the middle of the season when things really come together. But, I can see that we’re moving in the right direction and if we keep working hard we’re going to get it.”
Burress names his father, Leland, as his role model in life. The younger Burress has always admired his father for his sacrifice and willingness to help others, a trait that has definitely passed down a generation.
“My role model has to be my father,” Burress said. “I look up to him. He raised six great children and put us all through college. I don’t mind helping my family out going to college for free. He sacrificed a lot to help us out and I just love him.”
Burress knows a thing or two about sacrifices, along with an incredible tolerance for pain. He played the majority of his standout junior season – one in which he recorded a team-high 10 pass breakups – while battling complications from a hernia that required off-season surgery. When asked about what might possess a person to play through such conditions, Burress reflected on what influenced his decision of whether to redshirt or play out the 2002 season.
“That was when I knew Coach (Guy) Morris needed me to be out there,” said Burress. “His contract wasn’t renewed yet and they were concerned about him coming back the next year. The coaches asked me if I wanted to redshirt or if I wanted to play for the team. I said I’d rather deal with the hurt and pain to help him out and hopefully he’d be able to get his contract renewed, so that’s what I did.”
Though it’s something he didn’t publicize at the time, nor does he really like to talk about much today, playing with such amazing heart is a trait of Burress that doesn’t go unnoticed by his coaches or his teammates.
“He plays with a lot of heart and is a courageous young man,” said Brown. “He wasn’t one to publicize that he had a hernia last season and he played to the best of his ability regardless of his personal pain. He showed that you can persevere through an ailment. It was important to him to be a starter and a leader on this team. I think guys can learn from him that if they have a little ‘ow’ie here and there, they’ll be all right.”
Burress obviously has high expectations of himself, but he also has lofty goals for this year’s team. He looks for the Cats to be “bowling” in the postseason.
“Overall, I think this is a great team,” Burress said. “I feel like we’re probably better than last year’s team. I expect us to go to a bowl this year – and not just any bowl – but a big bowl. I’ve got high expectations for this team and hopefully we’ll be able to do it.”
Burress maintains high goals for himself for after the completion of his UK career as well, as he hopes to continue his playing days in the NFL. He is currently listed as one of the country’s top prospects to move on to the elite next level.
“That’s one of my aspirations after UK is over – to pursue a career in the NFL,” said Burress. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m going to finish up my degree in kinesiology and hopefully coach somewhere.”
Wherever Burress lands after his UK career is completed, he certainly holds the traits to be successful. His tenacity and work ethic are second to none, making him a proven winner, both on and off the field.
