Iceland12
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2008
- Messages
- 24,485
- Reaction score
- 2,296
- Points
- 113
They disagree on where he ranked among the Washington State quarterbacks when he arrived in Pullman four years ago.
“I stepped on campus and had six quarterbacks in front of me, so I was No. 7,” Luke Falk said.
“He wasn’t really No. 7,” Washington State coach Mike Leach said. “He was more like No. 4.”
One by one, the line of QBs ahead of Falk got shorter.
Some players, like Austin Apodaca and Tyler Bruggman, transferred. It was a season-ending injury to starter Connor Halliday that finally moved Falk to the front of the line...
Leach agreed to take him as a walk-on.
“I thought he was a Division I player, and I thought he had been overlooked,” Leach said. “So we were excited to get him.”
“I thought he would play at some point. I didn’t think it would be as early as he did.”
What Leach discovered working with Falk everyday is that he worked harder than most, perhaps because that perseverance was necessary if he ever was going to find his way to the field.
“He is extremely focused, very even-tempered and level-headed,” Leach said. “Over the course of a game, whether something great happens or something bad happens, and I think that rubs off on the others. It’s helped us be a steadier team.”
Falk said his experience as a walk-on was invaluable and will be something he never forgets.
The biggest thing?
“When all your teammates are getting things for free,” said Falk, who, as a walk-on, had to pay for everything like any other student. “I use the food example all the time. They got the dinner. I’d ask my buddy, (offensive lineman) Cole Madison, to get me some mac and cheese from inside, or some food that they had bring it out to me because I couldn’t get in there.
“I had to stand in like a 40-minute line for books and it cost me $300 while all my friends were getting up to the front of the line and getting all their books for free. That was tough. Had the chip on my shoulder.”
Falk keeps an eye out for the walk-ons now...
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/college/sd-sp-holiday-1226-story.html
“I stepped on campus and had six quarterbacks in front of me, so I was No. 7,” Luke Falk said.
“He wasn’t really No. 7,” Washington State coach Mike Leach said. “He was more like No. 4.”
One by one, the line of QBs ahead of Falk got shorter.
Some players, like Austin Apodaca and Tyler Bruggman, transferred. It was a season-ending injury to starter Connor Halliday that finally moved Falk to the front of the line...
Leach agreed to take him as a walk-on.
“I thought he was a Division I player, and I thought he had been overlooked,” Leach said. “So we were excited to get him.”
“I thought he would play at some point. I didn’t think it would be as early as he did.”
What Leach discovered working with Falk everyday is that he worked harder than most, perhaps because that perseverance was necessary if he ever was going to find his way to the field.
“He is extremely focused, very even-tempered and level-headed,” Leach said. “Over the course of a game, whether something great happens or something bad happens, and I think that rubs off on the others. It’s helped us be a steadier team.”
Falk said his experience as a walk-on was invaluable and will be something he never forgets.
The biggest thing?
“When all your teammates are getting things for free,” said Falk, who, as a walk-on, had to pay for everything like any other student. “I use the food example all the time. They got the dinner. I’d ask my buddy, (offensive lineman) Cole Madison, to get me some mac and cheese from inside, or some food that they had bring it out to me because I couldn’t get in there.
“I had to stand in like a 40-minute line for books and it cost me $300 while all my friends were getting up to the front of the line and getting all their books for free. That was tough. Had the chip on my shoulder.”
Falk keeps an eye out for the walk-ons now...
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/college/sd-sp-holiday-1226-story.html
