Stanford’s Luck makes College Hall of Fame
The player who helped turn Stanford into a perennial power a decade ago is receiving his recognition.
Andrew Luck, the 2011 first-team All-American quarterback, has been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Luck was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2010 and 2011, leading the Cardinal to a 2011 Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech and appearance in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl (a loss to Oklahoma State). He also was part of a blowout win over USC in 2009 that caused an angry Pete Carroll to challenge Jim Harbaugh, asking, “What’s your deal?”
Though he never won the Pac10/12 title, Luck is second in school history with 9,430 passing yards and leads all Cardinal passers with 82 touchdowns. He has two of the top four passing yardage seasons in Stanford history and the top two seasons in touchdown passes (37 in 2011; 32 in 2010).
“Andrew Luck embodies the word excellence because he pursues excellence in everything,” Stanford coach David Shaw said in a release.
After his junior year, Luck became the first overall pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 NFL Draft, filling Peyton Manning’s shoes. In his seven seasons on the field in the NFL, Luck made the Pro Bowl four times, was NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2018 and led the Colts to the playoffs four times. He finished his Colts career with a 53-33 record as a starter, 171 touchdown passes and 23,671 passing yards.
He retired from the NFL abruptly before the 2019 season at the age of 29. Luck said the cycle of injuries and rehabilitation, which included missing the entire 2017 season because of a shoulder injury, was the primary factor in his decision.
Also voted in was the late Rashaan Salaam of Colorado, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner who had brief stays with the Raiders and 49ers.
Also selected was Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who was drafted by the 49ers and later played with the Raiders.
Former Oklahoma safety Roy Williams, who starred at Union City’s James Logan High, was also chosen. NO AGREEMENT DURING CFP EXPANSION TALKS >> College Football Playoff expansion talks remain stalled and the possibility of implementing a new format by the 2024 season dimmed after three days of meetings by the administrators who manage the postseason failed to produce an agreement.
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said it looked increasingly unlikely expansion would come before the end of the current CFP contract that expires in 2026, but it was not ruled out altogether.
“We’re going into overtime,” Executive Director Bill Hancock said.
Hancock said the management committee, comprised of 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director, are still stuck on whether some conferences should have automatic qualification into an expanded playoff, and which ones.
There was hope initially an agreement on a 12-team playoff could be reached soon enough to have it implemented for the 2024 season.
Hockey
PENGUINS’ MALKIN MAY RETURN TONIGHT >> Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin could make his season debut tonight when the Penguins face the Anaheim Ducks.
Coach Mike Sullivan said he anticipates the four-time All-Star and 2012 Hart Trophy winner will be a “gametime” decision as Pittsburgh continues its West Coast swing.
The Penguins will play the Sharks in San Jose on Saturday.
Tennis
DJOKOVIC CAN STAY IN AUSTRALIA BUT SAGA NOT OVER >> Novak Djokovic returned to the tennis court for training, having won a legal battle to stay in Australia to play in the Australian Open after his exemption from strict coronavirus vaccine rules was questioned. But the government is still threatening to cancel his visa and deport him.
The unvaccinated tennis star was released after being confined to an immigration hotel for four nights — a drama that has gripped many in Australia and beyond.
Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly reinstated Djokovic’s visa, which was pulled after his arrival last week because officials said he didn’t qualify for an exemption to a rule that all non-citizens be fully vaccinated. Djokovic’s lawyers say that since he recently recovered from COVID-19, he didn’t need to be inoculated.
The judge ruled the No. 1 player had not been given enough time to speak to his lawyers before the decision was made and ordered the government to release him from the Melbourne quarantine hotel where he was held.
The nine-time Australian Open winner and defending champion could again face deportation and could miss the tournament, which starts on Jan. 17. It could also bar him from the country for three years.
College basketball
BAYLOR, SOUTH CAROLINA STILL ATOP MEN’S, WOMEN’S POLLS >> Reigning national champion Baylor isn’t showing any sign of loosening its grip on No. 1. The Bears remained the unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the fourth time in five weeks.
No. 2 Gonzaga and No. 3 UCLA each climbed two spots after losses by Duke and Purdue, while Auburn and USC joined the top five.
The South Carolina women beat two more ranked opponents – No. 13 LSU and No. 21 Kentucky -- to maintain the No. 1 spot in The AP women’s basketball poll.
Stanford and Louisville were the next two teams in the poll.