Andrew Luck is returning to his alma mater to change into the overall supervisor of the Stanford soccer program, he informed ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“I am excited,” Luck informed ESPN. “I believe Stanford is taking an assertive and revolutionary step. We’re undoubtedly the most effective athletic division in faculty sports activities. We’ve to re-prove it in soccer, and we’re excited to be a part of that problem.”
The 35-year-old Luck, who quarterbacked the Cardinal from 2008-2011 and was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, goes again “dwelling” for this newly created position that can put him atop this system’s hierarchy. The GM job will see Luck concerned in every part Stanford soccer associated, together with dealing with the teaching employees, participant personnel employees, recruiting, and roster administration.
There’s a enterprise facet to Luck’s new gig. He’ll take care of necessary points of the NCAA expertise such a fundraising, sponsorships, and alumni relations.
In accordance with Luck, this concept was devised final month in a dialog with college president Jonathan Levin when Levin proposed that the 2012 No. 1 choose within the NFL draft run the soccer program.
Luck has stay intently concerned with Stanford since leaving for the NFL. A decade after graduating with a level in architectural design, he went again to highschool and acquired his grasp’s diploma in schooling. Through the Paris Olympics this previous summer season, Luck and his spouse, Nicole Pechanec, who was a gymnast at Stanford, helped get the college’s mascot, The Tree, to the Video games to assist 59 athletes with ties to the college.
“I am a product of this place,” Luck mentioned. “Moreover my of us and the buddies and prolonged household I grew up with, Stanford, that is dwelling for my spouse and I. I am profoundly influenced by Jim Harbaugh, David Shaw, Pep Hamilton, and all of the coaches and professors that I’ve ever had.”
Luck mentioned he understands he is getting into this job with out plenty of expertise, however he is taking it on with “eyes vast open and conscious of my strengths and my limitations.”
This system has loads of work to do to turnaround their latest historical past. The Cardinal haven’t made a bowl recreation and haven’t received greater than 4 video games in a season since 2018. This 12 months, Troy Taylor’s crew is 3-9 of their first season within the Atlantic Coast Convention.
“I am very grateful for what soccer has given me,” Luck mentioned. “In lots of, some ways on many, many ranges. Stanford is a type of deeper ranges. There’s one thing about it, particularly the folks there. That is going to be a frightening problem. It is a steep climb. However I am fired up.
“It’ll take a complete crew of individuals.”
