Andrew Luck: “I’m 100% More Comfortable This Season”

January 27, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; AFC quarterback Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts (12) and AFC quarterback Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos (18) pass the ball during warm ups before the 2013 Pro Bowl against the NFC at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The picture above this article gives me chills. Two quarterbacks who are almost identical when it comes to their style of play on the field. Andrew just being a little quicker and having the ability to turn into a ball carrier if his pocket happens to collapse. Pretty much a mirrored image of what was the past and what is the future.

With Peyton Manning being released by the Indianapolis Colts and heading to the Denver Bronco’s shortly after, the front office of the Colts were already set on the picking Andrew Luck #1 overall in last years draft. Having to come into a city, who had just recently let go of the face of their franchise the pressure was all on Luck. They had so many fresh faces on the roster last season, I don’t think anybody but their own faithful fan-base, had them going as far as they did.

But after getting a brutal welcome to the league by my Chicago Bears, things started to slowly turn around for Andrew Luck and this almost new born Indianapolis Colts team. Come back after come back, this team scratched and clawed it’s way to an 11-5 season, clinched a wild card berth and back into the playoffs once again after a 2-14 season in its previous year.

I was very impressed and started to become a believer in this team as time went on. It seemed like the world was against this team and after Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and the way this team responded, that is when they really pulled me into their fan base. Don’t get me wrong, I will always be a Chicago Bears fan through and through, but you can’t help but root for a team who were underdogs going into pre-season.

Now with last season behind them and a few new additions to this roster, this team is ready make another playoff run once again. One thing on the sideline will look different to the rest of this team, but not Andrew Luck. Last season Bruce Arians was the offensive coordinator of this team, but after the season the Colts had last year, the Arizona Cardinals who were looking for a new head coach, hired Bruce Arians. So with Bruce Arians being the new head coach of the Cardinals, the Indianapolis Colts decided to bring in a piece of Andrew Luck from Stanford in Wide-Receiver (2010), Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback (2011-2012) coach Pep Hamilton.

Hamilton was on Stanford’s coaching staff for Luck’s final 2 years with the team. There are expected to be some changes to the offense, but nothing to big and Andrew Luck is feeling more at home than he did around this time last season.

"“I am 100% more comfortable. On this day last year I was probably sitting in class. It is nice to be able to have the full off-season with the team. We have changed (offensive) coordinators, but I have had a great relationship with Pep Hamilton from before. To be around him and talk his style of offense has been great. It is just nice to be around the guys.” – Andrew Luck on Pep Hamilton"

With the additions they made on both sides of the ball, either free agency or the draft, including LaRon Landry who will play Safety and the addition of 2 offensive linemen and 2 more drafted. The protection for Luck will be better than he received when he was a rookie. Who wouldn’t like and be comfortable with that? After recently trading their Center A.Q. Shipley to the Baltimore Ravens, they now have Samson Satele starting at that position with rookie Khaled Holmes out of USC backing him up. But I don’t think Luck and Hamilton or anybody on this team are too worried about the changes that came this off-season and I don’t think their fans should either. This team will be perfectly fine and could easily compete for the AFC South, being Houston’s only competition.

But in all honesty, am I the only one who actually forgot that Peyton Manning was out of Indianapolis and that Luck was the new quarterback? I can’t wait to see what Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts do this season.