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Football: Meet the Leo - ISU’s new defensive position designed to get to the quarterback

Related Topics: Defensive end

Gabe Luna now responds to Leo. He didn’t change his name. He just changed his position.

The new Iowa State coaches switched Luna to the hybrid pass defensive end/linebacker spot. It’s a move that is reinvigorating the injury riddled Luna and could do the same to the Cyclone pass rush.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Luna said. “It puts me in position to hold a lot more responsibility to be a key factor for this defense.”

The Leo is arguably the most important position in coordinator Jon Heacock’s defense. The home base is as a weak-side defensive end and a Leo’s assignment is to create chaos.