Andrew Luck has stepped into a larger world. After experiencing life as savior of the Indianapolis Colts, he returned to the quaint alleyways and classrooms of Stanford and found them, well, small.
"Coming back from minicamp was tough," Luck told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports. "You get a little taste of it and then come back, and I was lacking the motivation to do homework. We had something due Tuesday and we were supposed to meet up, and I was like, 'Uuuuuhhhhh.' I didn't blow it off -- completely."
Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, the rookie quarterback's absence has not gone unnoticed. Colts coach Chuck Pagano is the architect of the post-Peyton Manning era. He'd like his quarterback to join him, but Luck is forbidden to do so until after June 7, when he wraps final exams to complete his degree.
"For him to be here, taking snaps, building chemistry, the timing with the offense, timing with the receivers, all those kind of things ... it's days lost," Pagano told The Indianapolis Star. "It's like money you never get back. It'd be awesome to have him here, but we're going to make do."
Luck will be a no-show for the team's 10-day OTA stretch, but is expected to report June 8 and join the team's June 12-14 mandatory minicamp, per The Star.
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One lesson Luck has not forgotten from his rookie minicamp experience with the Colts: The "R" word -- rebuilding -- has been ripped from dictionaries across town.
"You're forbidden to say the 'R' word on the team," Luck told Silver. "I think there's been a lot of chatter about that. Well, I want to win football games. And that's how I'll prepare. No one in the Colts' franchise wants to lose.
"Obviously, a huge part of me wants to be in Indianapolis now. Pretty much all of me wants to be there. I understand it was the decision I made; I understand that consequence. But I've enjoyed it here, and I'll try to finish strong."
Luck won't leave his work at Stanford unfinished, which is admirable. Colts fans can expect the same when he finally lands in Indy.