Leonhard will hope to pass on the lessons he learned in the NFL to UW’s young group of defensive backs, and there hasn’t appeared to be any hesitation for players to buy in to what their new coach has to offer.

“Anything he says, you want to listen,” Dixon said. “Whether it’s something as small as taking a step to the left, you want to listen to what he’s saying because you know it means something coming from a guy that’s been in his position.

“Between the group, we’ve just been talking about how easy he makes it feel. He makes you feel more comfortable, more confident. He teaches you the simplistic basics of a game that you really don’t ever notice.”

Although Leonhard didn’t play cornerback, he was often described as a player coach during his time in the NFL and gave guidance to some of the top players at that position, including the Darrelle Revis of the Jets and Joe Haden of the Browns.

“That’s amazing to me,” said UW cornerback Derrick Tindal, who has taken first-team reps during spring practice. “I’m going to listen to every word he says because he’s been there.”

While Leonhard said he wants to bring NFL techniques with him to UW, he needed a year off before beginning his coaching career to re-adjust to the college game.