Leonidas Redding has drastically changed his body since he arrived at West Liberty four years ago.
The 6-foot-3 Redding was a 265-pound freshman in 2008 but is a 285-pound senior in 2012.
Hilltoppers’ head coach Roger Waialae described the former Redding as “chubby” and “pudgy.”
“He has come a long way,” Waialae said of Redding, a defensive tackle from Collinwood High School in Cleveland, Ohio. “He was overweight when he got here. He has been able to do it the right way. He has been able to get his body fat down and build his weight back up with muscle.
“He came from a high school that didn’t do a lot of weight training. He has been in there working hard to get bigger and stronger. He understands the benefits, such as helping him recover from injuries faster. I have been most impressed with the way he has changed his work ethic. Now, he is one of the best defensive linemen in the conference. I hope he has a special year.”
Remaining at West Liberty during the summer is one of the reasons Redding has been able to make his physical transformation.
“I have stayed at the school the past three summers,” he said. “Staying here keeps you focused on football and workouts. That helped me a lot. I just wanted to play, and I knew I had to work to get where I wanted.
“When I was in high school, we didn’t work out too much. It was a small school, so we didn’t do a lot of that. I really didn’t have to change the way I eat. It was more lifting weights and running to get in shape. I’m a way better player now than I was then, but I still have stuff I can improve on.”
Redding appeared in 32 games and started 20 the past three seasons, collecting 77 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two fumble recoveries.
“He can run for a big kid,” Waialae said. “He is fast off the ball. What has hindered him is, he rotated a lot the past few years. We have been notorious for rotating defensive linemen to keep them fresh. This year, I want to keep him on the field as much as possible. He has gotten in shape to a point where we don’t have to take him off the field as much. If he keeps progressing like he has, he is going to be a good one.”
Redding wants to become a team leader this season. He also wants to help the Hilltoppers become the top defense in the league.
“I really don’t have any individual goals,” Redding said. “I just want to help the team any way I can. I want us to be the No. 1 defense in the conference. Once our defense is good enough, our team is going to follow suit and our offense is going to get back on track.”
Like every other coach and player in the league, his ultimate goal is a conference championship.
“I feel like we can win it if we come together,” Redding said. “I don’t have any doubt.”
Redding is on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing in the spring.
“He is a positive role model for those younger kids coming in,” Waialae said. “He is doing it the right way.”
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