Andrew Luck’s favorite target during his historic rookie campaign with the Indianapolis Colts last season was NFL veteran and All-Pro wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
Luck, who shattered several all-time rookie-season passing records last fall, said it was nice to see that blue and white No. 87 Colts jersey on the receiving end of a few light throws Monday morning, even if it wasn’t to the same 6-foot, 200-pound frame who usually hauls in his passes on Sunday afternoons.
Luck served as a guest instructor during the second session of the 20th annual William and Mary Colonial All-Pro football camp Monday, and spent roughly 90 minutes talking with campers and throwing them passes at Zable Stadium.
A few campers wore Luck’s No. 12 Colts jersey, while another wore the jersey of Luck’s No. 1 target.
“Reggie Wayne!” Luck shouted to one youngster wearing a Wayne jersey as he walked onto the field.
“It’s always nice to see that blue No. 87 jersey,” Luck said, laughing during a brief question-and-answer session with the media Monday.
In its 20th year, the All-Pro camp continues to attract some of football’s most prominent figures to Williamsburg.
Luck is one of three of the NFL’s rising quarterback stars to participaite in the camp. Richmond native Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks helped kick things off Sunday evening, and Matt Ryan, who guided the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC Championship this past season, will drop by today.
Previously, the camp has attracted the likes of Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Jerome Bettis and Tim Tebow, to name only a few.
Luck said he remembers growing up attending prestigious camps like William and Mary’s, most notably the Manning Passing Academy, where he watched guys like Hall of Fame wide out Chris Carter run routes, which he described as a “beautiful orchestra or symphony.”
“That had a huge impression on me,” Luck said. “I remember going to 10 to 15 camps as a kid and how much fun I had, so to give back and help out with these kids and hopefully have a positive impact is important.”
Luck was taken as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft roughly a month before graduating from Stanford University with a degree in architectural design. He was thrust into the unenviable position of replacing future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who was the face of the Colts’ franchise for nearly a decade before the organization released him prior to the 2012 season after missing a year following neck surgery.
Luck exceeded the expectations of most when he led the Colts to an 11-5 regular-season record and playoff berth. He performed admirably along the way, especially for a rookie, setting records for most passing yards (4,374) and passing attempts (627) by a first-year player.
On Monday, he elaborated on his days as a two-time Heisman trophy runner-up in college as well as his experiences playing in the NFL in front of a large crowd of campers, who ranged from age 8 to rising high school seniors.
Luck was predicted by many NFL scouts as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft following an outstanding junior year at Stanford,, but he instead elected to return for his senior year and finish up his degree.
He preached the importance of education to campers, reminding them to keep a healthy balance between sports and academics and not to put too much emphasis on one, but said the most important message he offered them was to have fun.
