Every team worth its salt needs that one leader. The person who, when they speak, everyone listens. Players, and coaches, too.
For the East Tennessee State football team, that leader is senior defensive lineman Brenden LeBlanc.
“LeBlanc is one of those guys that, in my opinion, is gonna be honest with you. He’s honest with himself, too,” Bucs coach Will Healy said Monday at his weekly press conference. “I think he’s probably his harshest critic, and he wants what’s best for this program.”
Healy has what he describes as a leadership council with some of the key voices from within the locker room. On previous episodes of his coaches show, Healy has shared that LeBlanc is one of the key voices on that council, describing him more than once as the team’s “Alpha.” As ETSU prepares to host Western Carolina this Saturday (3:30 PM, ESPN+) in the first of two rivalry games in as many weeks, both happening at home, Healy shared something that LeBlanc brought up from last week’s leadership meeting.
“He’s like, why don’t you make a bigger deal of these rivals,” Healy said. “Make it a big deal. Put that pressure on us to play well in a rivalry game, make it mean something to play here.”
ETSU’s series with Western Carolina is the oldest in Bucs history. It’s also been played for the Blue Ridge Border Battle trophy, which stays with the winning team until they meet again the following year. It’s a big deal to players like LeBlanc, who have been with the Bucs for several seasons, weathering multiple coaching changes and highs and lows against rivals like Western: last season’s 52-35 ETSU win in Cullowhee, or the 24-21 comeback win in 2024 in Johnson City. Or, on the other side of the coin, a 58-7 loss to the Catamounts on the road in 2023 when LeBlanc was a true freshman and George Quarles was head coach.
LeBlanc said the rivalry with Western Carolina “definitely is a big deal to me. I think the point I was trying to get across to coach Healy was just, the amount of transfers you get in every year, amount of new guys. And sometimes you watch some of these games and you just wonder why the intensity is not there, or just the excitement and the effort. Well, a lot of times these dudes, they don’t know what it means, and it’s hard.
“You’re not going to get everybody to feel the certain type of way I’m going to feel or a guy who’s been here the same amount of time as me. … My biggest fear is they feel one way about it. You know, Western Carolina feels a certain type of way. And we’re not matching that energy. You know, we don’t have that same fight or grit.”
At 5-11 and 270 pounds, the native Louisianan LeBlanc was named a preseason All-Southern Conference selection in 2025 and again this year. He’s been a fixture on the D-line for quite some time, starting every game in 2024, 10 of 12 games last season, and each of the Bucs’ first four contests in 2026.
“I don’t know if there’s anybody on our team who cares more about the success of this program,” Healy said. “He paid his dues. He’s been extremely consistent with his work ethic. He’s been extremely productive on the football field. And I just really value what he has to say.”
Having that voice, or that platform, is not something LeBlanc takes lightly.
“I stay in my lane,” LeBlanc said. “There’s a couple times where I’ll ask them about something or maybe give them an idea that I think’s good. … And no matter who my coach is, I’m gonna listen, I’m doing what’s told, however you’re coaching, or however he’s coaching, whatever he wants to run. It’s his program at the end of the day, and I don’t question a single thing he does. I’m just here to help. And yeah, I’m thankful that I have my voice to be able to help and be able to maybe get some stuff done that’s really good for the players. But I never want to overuse my voice or, you know, overuse the type of power I may have. That’s just the respect piece that I have for (Healy) and believe that he’s a really good coach. And not for one second am I going to question that.”
LeBlanc has had his experiences playing under multiple coaches: Quarles in 2023, Tre Lamb in 2024, and now a second season under Healy. LeBlanc is also one of a handful of Bucs who have been with the team through those multiple coaching changes. Wide receiver Xavier Gaillardetz, currently injured, is another. So is defensive back Mike Jenkins, the reigning Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
Just as we asked Gaillardetz this summer, why did LeBlanc choose to stay especially in this era of the transfer portal where changing schools has become so common?
LeBlanc attributed it to “the place outside of football” that ETSU provides. “There’s just not many places like this in FCS football country that you can find that’s passionate about football, like all of you guys [the media]. And just outside factors: my family life. Just, the area is great. And also, I mean, they brought in two good coaches after my first coach left. That’s always just kept me around and not wanting to jump ship, just staying consistent and realizing, I can do it no matter who’s my coach. So that, and just realizing that this place needs success and it’s dying for it, and I want to be here when it happens.”
For veteran Bucs like LeBlanc, part of that success means beating Western Carolina.
“I’ve been on both sides of it,” LeBlanc said. “You know, 58 to 7, that sucked. I’ll never forget that. And I’ve just been happy the past two years. It’s going our way and looking to do the same this year.”
That would mean beating Western for the third straight season. And that’s something ETSU has not accomplished since the early 1990s, when the Bucs reeled off four straight wins against the Catamounts from 1990 through 1993.