Andrew Luck going back to Stanford

[Elite]

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in this spring's NFL draft, announced Thursday that he will stay in school and play his redshirt junior season. "I am committed to earning my degree in architectural design from Stanford University and am on track to accomplish this at the completion of the spring quarter of 2012," Luck said in a statement. The school announced that Luck wouldn't be made available for comment.

The Carolina Panthers own the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and indicated earlier this week that they would be interested in drafting Luck if he decided to leave school.

Luck led Stanford to a 12-1 finish this season and a likely top-five rating in the final BCS standings, which the program hasn't produced since 1940. Luck passed for 3,338 yards this year with 32 touchdowns. He completed 71 percent of his passes with just eight interceptions. He also rushed for 513 yards. He passed for 287 yards and four touchdowns in the Cardinal's 40-12 win over Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl.

Luck, the son of former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck, is a major reason why Stanford has gone from a one-win team in 2006 before Harbaugh arrived to one of the top teams in the country. He has led Stanford to a 20-5 record in his 25 career starts, only missing last season's Sun Bowl loss to Oklahoma with a broken right index finger.

Luck finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

He is already being mentioned alongside John Elway, Jim Plunkett, John Brodie and Frankie Albert as one of Stanford's great quarterbacks. Stanford still awaits final word from coach Jim Harbaugh on whether he will return. Harbaugh is being courted by a number of NFL teams, including Miami, Denver and San Francisco.

Harbaugh, a former star quarterback at Michigan and in the NFL, has called Luck the greatest player he has ever been around.

ESPN

This kid is flat out retarded.

 

[dez]

Once I seen it on ESPN

I could hear the hearts of all the Panthers fans being ripped out.

Hopefully he doesnt pull a Jake Locker, or have a Sam Bradford injury.

But he's thinking more about life without football, and a Architecture degree from Stanford is alot more sure then an NFL contract.

 

[elcheato]

I find it funny that a Stanford student was just called retarded for deciding to stay in College longer

 

[Elite]

I find it funny that a Stanford student was just called retarded for deciding to stay in College longer

Ask Jake Locker how that one worked out for him.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

The difference is, Jake Locker can't hold a candle to Andrew Luck as far as talent is concerned. I wish Harbaugh would stay with him so Stanford could really be a Top 5 team next year, but that seems unlikely. Why is everyone so shocked by this? He's not a Miami QB, this is Stanford. He wouldn't have gone there if he didn't care about education.

 

[elcheato]

Jake Locker has always had questions about accuracy, because his accuracy is not that good... Washington isn't close to Stanford in academics and hell the Washington team isn't even close to Stanford.

 

[Elite]

Jake Locker has always had questions about accuracy, because his accuracy is not that good... Washington isn't close to Stanford in academics and hell the Washington team isn't even close to Stanford.

He was widely regarded as the top QB last season and was likely going to go number 1 overall. You're only talking shit about him now because he's fallen off, which is exactly what people will be doing if Andrew Luck falls off next year.

 

[elcheato]

Everyone knew Locker had questionable accuracy.. That didn't just pop up this year.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Sam Bradford would've been #1 last year no matter what. The Lions would've taken him over Stafford in 2009, as well.

 

[.infamous]

Luck actually cares about education though, he isnt in it just for the money if he was he wouldve declared for the draft. It takes alot for a person to do what luck has done.

 

[Elite]

Sam Bradford would've been #1 last year no matter what. The Lions would've taken him over Stafford in 2009, as well.

I can't find any mocks from before Jake Locker declared he was going back to school but I remember hearing a lot of talk about him being a potential #1 guy.

 

[.GR]

I find it funny that a Stanford student was just called retarded for deciding to stay in College longer

 

[The Edge]

I think its a quality decision. The hype around Luck is more like the hype around Peyton Manning. The kid is only a sophomore and has 2 more years of eligibility. Also this new CBA will come into effect before any team signs their rookies I feel and the question of whether the NFL steps on the field should also weigh in.

The entire Manning family is supposedly advising this kid so I'm sure he will not be led stray. Also, can you blame a kid going to Stanford for not wanting to play for the Panthers? I mean every QB they trotted out to the field looked horrible.