Luck attended St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland,where he was a standout quarterback. He then enrolled at WVU,playing quarterback from 1978 to 1981. In his freshman season,Luck only had 151 yards passing and five interceptions. As a sophomore in 1979,he passed for 1,292 yards and eight touchdowns,but threw 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 407 yards and five touchdowns,including a career-high 120 yards against Tulane.
In his junior season of 1980,Luck earned first-team Academic All-American honors. Luck's 19 touchdown passes was a school record,while he also added 1,874 yards. As a senior in 1981,he led the Mountaineers to the Peach Bowl where they defeated the Florida Gators by a score of 26–6. Also named Academic All-American for the second consecutive season,Luck threw for a school record 216 completions and 394 attempts to add to his 2,448 yards and 16 touchdowns. He added career-highs 360 passing yards and a school-record 34 completions in a loss to Syracuse that season.
Luck,who was a three-year starter,ended his career with school records of 43 career touchdown passes,466 completions,and 911 pass attempts. His 5,765 career passing yards currently ranks fourth on the all-time school list. Luck still ranks in the top ten in nearly every career passing category.
Luck was a finalist to be a Rhodes Scholar (but he did not obtain the scholarship),a National Football Foundation Scholar,and a two-time GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American who graduated magna cum laude from WVU in 1982. He was named the team MVP in 1980 and 1981 and won the 1981 Louis D. Meisel Award. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Luck was inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2000.[2]
Professional career
Luck was the 44th overall selection in the 1982 NFL draft,taken in the second round by the Houston Oilers. He was the third quarterback taken,after Art Schlichter (4th to Baltimore) and Jim McMahon (5th to Chicago).[3] As a rookie in the strike-shortened 1982 season,Luck saw no action. In his second season,the Oilers inserted him at the starting quarterback position,from which he threw eight touchdowns and 13 interceptions,completing 124 of 217 pass attempts for 1,375 yards[4] as the Oilers struggled to a 2–14 record.[5] He was a teammate of fellow quarterback Archie Manning during the 1982 and 1983 seasons.
In 1984,the Oilers signed Canadian Football League star Warren Moon. Luck played as Moon's back-up for the majority of the season. He completed 22 of 36 pass attempts for 256 yards,two of which were touchdown passes,with one interception. Luck also had some success running the ball,with 10 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown.[4]
In 1985 and 1986,Luck continued to play back-up to Moon. He threw 100 passes in 1985,completing 56 of them with two touchdowns and two interceptions. In 1986,Luck's final season in the NFL,he completed 31 of 60 passes for 341 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions.[4]
Post-football career
After retiring from pro football,Luck earned a J.D. from the University of TexasSchool of Law in 1987. He graduated with honors,[6] then accepted a fellowship to study the European Union and its legal system in Germany.[7] Luck is also a long-time member of the American Council on Germany.[8] In 1990,he was the Republican nominee for Congress from West Virginia's 2nd congressional district,which included his alma mater,but was defeated by incumbent Democrat Harley O. Staggers Jr. An ethical controversy arose after his campaign used a mailing list generated by the non-profit Mountaineer Athletic Club to send a photo of himself as WVU's quarterback,along with a letter from Luck,to over 4000 of the club's contributors. A state ethics commission report subsequently found that the list had been generated at Luck's request,and Luck apologized.[9]
In 1991,he became general manager of the Frankfurt Galaxy of the fledgling World League of American Football. He held the post for two years until the league was suspended. Upon its resumption in 1995,he became general manager of the Rhein Fire,and was named league president the following year. Luck held that role until 2000,during which time he oversaw the league's rebranding as NFL Europe,intended to strengthen the connection between the league and its parent,the NFL.
In 2001 Luck was sworn in as Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Sports Authority. In this role he oversaw the operations of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority,the governmental entity created in 1997 to provide the financing,construction and management oversight of the three large sports and entertainment venues in Houston:Minute Maid Park (home of the Houston Astros),Reliant Stadium,(home of the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo),and the new Downtown multi-purpose arena (home of the Houston Rockets and Comets).[citation needed]
Prior to joining the Sports Authority,Luck was a top-ranking executive with the National Football League for more than ten years,where he served as Vice President of Business Development and President and CEO of NFL Europe. In 2005,he was named president of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. Luck worked with the City and County to create a publicly funded downtown soccer stadium,BBVA Compass Stadium,which opened to much fanfare in March 2012.[10]
On June 27,2008,Luck was appointed by West Virginia GovernorJoe Manchin to the West Virginia University Board of Governors,effective July 1.[6] On June 9,2010,Luck was hired as the athletic director of West Virginia University. Two years later his name surfaced as a potential candidate to fill the open athletic director's slot at Stanford University,where his son Andrew played quarterback and one of his daughters played volleyball. But Luck announced on May 17,2012,that he was staying at WVU.[11]
During Luck's tenure the WVU athletic program made significant changes,including:WVU's move from the Big East Conference to the Big 12 Conference;[12] the resignation of head football coach Bill Stewart and subsequent promotion of Dana Holgorsen to that spot;[13] and the firing of baseball coach Greg Van Zant,[14] instituted beer sales at football stadiums,[15] restructured the WVU compliance office,[16] and took the school off of major probation;[17] facilitated multi-media rights to IMG in a 12-year,$86million guaranteed deal,[18] added men's golf after a 32-year hiatus;[19] hired baseball coach Randy Mazey who led the team to a 3rd-place finish in the Big 12,[20] and organized state TIF funding to build a new baseball stadium eventually known as Monongalia County Ballpark.[21]
As of October 12,2012,WVU amended Luck's employment agreement,extending his contract through 2017.[22]
On October 14,2013,Luck was one of 13 members unanimously chosen by the College Football Playoff Management Committee[23] to select the four teams to compete in the first College Football Playoff which was to be held in 2015.
On December 17,2014,the NCAA announced that Luck would take a newly created post as executive vice president for regulatory affairs. Luck is in charge of all national office regulatory functions,including academics,membership,eligibility,and enforcement. The position had been created by current NCAA president Mark Emmert as part of a major restructuring of his senior staff.[24] Notably,the NCAA offices are in Indianapolis,where Andrew played at the time.[25][26]
On June 5,2018,the XFL announced that Luck would be the league's Commissioner and CEO.[27] After a start that was possibly "the best launch of a new sports league in the last 30 years,if not ever," [28] the league suspended play on March 12,2020,due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. On Thursday April 9,XFL owner Vince McMahon fired Oliver Luck two working days before the league filed for bankruptcy.[29][1][30] Luck sued XFL owner Vince McMahon for wrongful termination on April 21.[31] As XFL President Jeffrey Pollack noted:"Our shutdown and our bankruptcy filing had nothing to do with anything other than the pandemic. Our business was working,our proof of concept was successful,and we were on our way to a phenomenal first season."[28]
Luck is married to the former Kathy Wilson,with whom he has four children:Andrew,Mary Ellen,Emily,and Addison. The three oldest are graduates of Stanford University,where Andrew played football and Mary Ellen played volleyball. When Luck's NCAA employment was announced,Addison was attending Morgantown High School. Andrew played quarterback at Stanford and was selected number one overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 NFL draft.[33][34][35][36]
In addition to his professional pursuits,Luck was actively involved as a coach for youth sports.
Related Research Articles
Thomas Alfred Maddox is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL),most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also played one season each for the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League (AFL) and the Los Angeles Xtreme of the XFL. In the XFL's only season,Maddox was the league's most valuable player (MVP) while leading the Xtreme to victory in the league's championship.
Major Harris is an American former college football player who was a quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaineers during the 1980s. Harris was a first-team All-American in 1989 and finished fifth and third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989,respectively. He was also the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989. Harris was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Aaron Bruce Beasley is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for West Virginia University,and received consensus All-American recognition. He was drafted in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft,and played professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars,New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.
Kliff Timothy Kingsbury is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders,finishing in the top three in several school passing records before being selected in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He was a member of several other NFL and CFL teams before entering coaching in 2008.
Steve Slaton is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers,earning unanimous All-American honors in 2006. He was chosen by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. Slaton also played for the NFL's Miami Dolphins and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Patrick Christian White is an American former football quarterback. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.
Casey Austin Keenum is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars,where he became the NCAA's all-time leader in total passing yards,touchdowns,and completions. In the 2008 college football season,Keenum ranked first nationally in total offense and second in total passing yards.
Joshua Javon Johnson is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He has been referred to as a classic journeyman quarterback for his stints with an NFL-record 14 different teams. He also played in the United Football League (UFL) and the XFL.
Chase Austin Clement is a former American football quarterback. Clement played college football for Rice University,where he finished his career ranked first in school history with 9,785 passing yards and 11,526 yards total offense. He has played professionally for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League (UFL),leading the team to a championship in 2010.
Jarrett Brown is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at West Virginia,and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 NFL draft. He served as the starting quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaineers at West Virginia University during the 2009 season after three seasons as the backup to Pat White. He was also a member of the Cleveland Browns,Indianapolis Colts,BC Lions and Spokane Shock. In 2019,he signed with the West Virginia Roughriders.
Andrew Austen Luck is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. One of the most highly touted amateur prospects during his college football career with the Stanford Cardinal,Luck won the Maxwell,Walter Camp,and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards as a senior. He was selected first overall by the Colts in the 2012 NFL draft.
Matthew James McGloin is a former American football quarterback who played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was the starting quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 2010 to 2012. McGloin was the first walk-on quarterback to start at Penn State since scholarships were reinstated in 1949.
Raymond Anthony "A. J." McCarron Jr. is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide,becoming the first quarterback to win consecutive BCS National Championship Games with victories in 2012 and 2013. McCarron also received the Maxwell,Johnny Unitas Golden Arm,and Kellen Moore Awards.
Taylor Heinicke is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Old Dominion Monarchs and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Heinicke has also been a member of the New England Patriots,Houston Texans,Carolina Panthers,and Washington Football Team / Commanders of the NFL,and the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL.
Connor Cook is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was their starting quarterback from 2013 to 2015. He holds the record for most career wins at Michigan State. Cook was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders.
Quinton Lenard Flowers is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the South Florida Bulls.
Luis Francisco Perez is an American football quarterback for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Texas A&M University–Commerce from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that,he played junior college football at Southwestern College in Chula Vista,California. He was awarded the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2017 as the best football player in NCAA Division II and led the Lions to their second national championship in football during the 2017 season,their first since 1972. He most recently won the 2023 XFL Championship with the Arlington Renegades. Perez was named MVP of the Championship Game,leading the Renegades to a 35–26 victory over the D.C. Defenders.
Phillip "P. J." Walker Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Temple,and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts in 2017. He also played for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020,leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns before it suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tederal Duralle White is an American football coach and former quarterback. Before coaching,White played for the Frankfurt Galaxy and Barcelona Dragons as part of NFL Europe in the early 2000s. From 2003 to 2005,White was the backup quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. With both leagues,White had a combined total of 2,568 passing yards,20 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
Lindsey Scott Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League (UFL). He began his career with the LSU Tigers before transferring to the East Mississippi Lions,where he threw for over 3,400 yards and 29 touchdowns. After one year he transferred for a second time to the Missouri Tigers where he sat a year due to an injury. He transferred once again for a third time to FCS team,the Nicholls Colonels. Scott transferred as a graduate transfer for a fourth and final time to the Incarnate Word Cardinals and set FCS records for touchdown passes and touchdowns responsible for.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
