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New York Times
By PETE THAMEL
Published: December 12, 2010
He told a table full of reporters that he was enjoying his experience in New York because one did not get too many chances to get an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan. After an awkward pause, a round of laughter filled the room.
Luck, a junior, is poised to be the top pick in the N.F.L. draft IF he turns pro after the season. It is a position that would come with a free trip to New York for the draft in April.
While the college football world gathered in New York for Cam Newton’s expected coronation as the Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday night, perhaps the most intriguing question was whether Luck would return to Stanford for his senior year.
Luck’s football future will probably be tied to that of Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh, who after leading the Cardinal to the Orange Bowl is considered one of the hottest commodities on the market. Luck went to Stanford in part to play for Harbaugh, a former N.F.L. quarterback who turned around the moribund Cardinal program in just four seasons. But there is heavy speculation that Harbaugh’s alma mater, Michigan, will court him if it decides to fire Rich Rodriguez after the Gator Bowl. Harbaugh also will probably be the focus of N.F.L. searches.
“Obviously he’s been the only head coach I’ve known in college,” Luck said. “He’s been great to me. I don’t think I could ask for a better one. It’s something I’ll definitely have to give a lot of thought about, whatever happens with him.”
Luck last came to New York in July as part of the Pacific-10’s East Coast news media junket, joined on the trip by Washington quarterback Jake Locker. With his stellar season, Luck has surpassed Locker on most experts’ draft boards. Luck threw for 3,051 yards and a team-record 28 touchdowns, but most important led Stanford to an 11-1 record.
Luck was asked if seeing Locker’s stock drop after he decided to return for his senior season would affect his decision.
“I don’t want to sound cocky or pretentious or whatever, but no,” he said. “I think it’s just you have to have trust in the decision you’re going to make is the right one. If it’s going to back to school, I’m confident that I can still perform at a high level.”
Luck did not sound like someone who had pondered too many of the intricacies of preparing for the N.F.L. He said he had not had discussions with potential agents, something that highly regarded players sometimes explore the summer before their season starts. (Luck redshirted as a freshman and has played only two seasons in college.) He also said he did not know any details of the N.F.L.’s potential labor problems.
“I honestly don’t know anything about it,” he said. “I just know former players coming back and telling the whole locker room, ‘Hey, there’s something actually happening in the N.F.L.’ I haven’t asked around. I’m sure my dad knows a lot more than I do.”
Luck’s father is Oliver Luck, a former N.F.L. quarterback who is West Virginia’s athletic director. He was in New York for his son’s Heisman moment and he certainly would have liked Andrew’s answer when asked how much getting a degree would weigh in on his decision to return to Stanford.
“A big part of going to a university like Stanford is to get a degree and graduate and have that opportunity to go into the business world or whatever world it is with a Stanford degree,” Andrew Luck said. “It’s a big deal.”
By PETE THAMEL
Published: December 12, 2010
He told a table full of reporters that he was enjoying his experience in New York because one did not get too many chances to get an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan. After an awkward pause, a round of laughter filled the room.
Luck, a junior, is poised to be the top pick in the N.F.L. draft IF he turns pro after the season. It is a position that would come with a free trip to New York for the draft in April.
While the college football world gathered in New York for Cam Newton’s expected coronation as the Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday night, perhaps the most intriguing question was whether Luck would return to Stanford for his senior year.
Luck’s football future will probably be tied to that of Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh, who after leading the Cardinal to the Orange Bowl is considered one of the hottest commodities on the market. Luck went to Stanford in part to play for Harbaugh, a former N.F.L. quarterback who turned around the moribund Cardinal program in just four seasons. But there is heavy speculation that Harbaugh’s alma mater, Michigan, will court him if it decides to fire Rich Rodriguez after the Gator Bowl. Harbaugh also will probably be the focus of N.F.L. searches.
“Obviously he’s been the only head coach I’ve known in college,” Luck said. “He’s been great to me. I don’t think I could ask for a better one. It’s something I’ll definitely have to give a lot of thought about, whatever happens with him.”
Luck last came to New York in July as part of the Pacific-10’s East Coast news media junket, joined on the trip by Washington quarterback Jake Locker. With his stellar season, Luck has surpassed Locker on most experts’ draft boards. Luck threw for 3,051 yards and a team-record 28 touchdowns, but most important led Stanford to an 11-1 record.
Luck was asked if seeing Locker’s stock drop after he decided to return for his senior season would affect his decision.
“I don’t want to sound cocky or pretentious or whatever, but no,” he said. “I think it’s just you have to have trust in the decision you’re going to make is the right one. If it’s going to back to school, I’m confident that I can still perform at a high level.”
Luck did not sound like someone who had pondered too many of the intricacies of preparing for the N.F.L. He said he had not had discussions with potential agents, something that highly regarded players sometimes explore the summer before their season starts. (Luck redshirted as a freshman and has played only two seasons in college.) He also said he did not know any details of the N.F.L.’s potential labor problems.
“I honestly don’t know anything about it,” he said. “I just know former players coming back and telling the whole locker room, ‘Hey, there’s something actually happening in the N.F.L.’ I haven’t asked around. I’m sure my dad knows a lot more than I do.”
Luck’s father is Oliver Luck, a former N.F.L. quarterback who is West Virginia’s athletic director. He was in New York for his son’s Heisman moment and he certainly would have liked Andrew’s answer when asked how much getting a degree would weigh in on his decision to return to Stanford.
“A big part of going to a university like Stanford is to get a degree and graduate and have that opportunity to go into the business world or whatever world it is with a Stanford degree,” Andrew Luck said. “It’s a big deal.”
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