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  • Planning: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (left) looks over a play chart with QB coach Clyde Christensen and quarterback Drew Stanton (5) in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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September 6, 2012

Luck ready to lead Colts in his NFL debut against Bears

Tom James Tribune-Star Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck says that he’s ready to face the Chicago Bears’ vaunted defense.

Of course, the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie quarterback understands that there’s a big difference between being ready to play and actually playing well. But that’s his objective heading into Sunday’s regular-season opener at Solider Field (1 p.m., CBS Sports).

“Excited. Obviously going up against a great team, great defense. It will be a great measuring stick I think for us. Just very excited to get going,” Luck said before the start of Wednesday’s practice.

The Colts’ No. 1 draft pick knows that the tempo and overall speed of the game will pick up considerably with the regular-season underway. But Luck had a strong showing over the course of four preseason games, improvement which he hopes will continue this week.

“Having the preseason games and sort of getting back there and feeling live bullets standing in the pocket, and going through that was helpful. [I’ve been] trying to think about comparing it to freshman year in college where you don’t get to scrimmage anybody else, you don’t get to play anybody else,” he pointed out.

“I’ll take these next couple practices [this week] very seriously. I think those will help prepare [me] and hopefully I’ll be ready to go.”

As a rookie in the National Football League, particularly as a first-year starting quarterback in the league, Luck is quite aware that there will be more than a few bumps and bruises along the way. After all, his predecessor with the Colts — Peyton Manning — threw 28 interceptions en route to a 3-13 season in 1998. Manning also had 26 touchdown passes that season.

“I hope I don’t have to [experience a lot of growing pains]. But yeah. I think it’s part of growing up. Part of being a rookie is, I guess, coming up to situations that you haven’t seen before,” Luck said. “I’ve got great guys to rely on all around this locker room. Just try to get to the basics when things like that happen and just run the offense.”

So what’s been the biggest transition from being the starting quarterback at Stanford to, now, being the No. 1 starter for the Colts?

“I think so far it’s been just the breadth of [pass] protections. The different types of protections. Drop back, play-action, the nakeds, the boots,” he voiced. “We didn’t have that many in college and now I’m like, ‘Okay this is a man protection, this picks up this type of blitz, this is scat, this is a slide protection.’ That’s sort of been the biggest challenge.”

And what’s it like preparing to face a defense with so many recognizable names such as middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, defensive end Julius Pepper and outside linebacker Lance Briggs?

“I think at first when you turn the film on, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that is Julius Peppers, standing up there.’ But you have to get that out of your system and you can’t go out there and stare in awe of those guys,” Luck said.

“Obviously, you watch them growing up but you’re not trying to get autographs from them, you’re trying to win a game. So it’ll be fun and I’m looking forward to it.”

• Pagano on Luck — Prior to assuming the title as the Colts’ first-year head coach, Chuck Pagano was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.

Pagano was asked Wednesday how, as a coordinator, would he approach facing a rookie quarterback who is playing in his first-ever NFL game. He was also asked if Indianapolis was prepared for what Luck might see his first time out.

“I think going in you’d like to say, ‘Ok, try to make him work. Make him execute. See how far along he is with the learning curve, so to speak.’ They’ve got enough on tape to where they’ve got to make that decision as far as looking at Andrew and where he’s at compared to most rookies,” he said.

“So I think generally speaking you would say, ‘Ok look, we’ve got us a rookie quarterback, let’s get after him.’ Some teams, that’s their [motivation], some teams that’s not their [motivation]. If they choose to rush with four guys, that’s fine. If they want to bring everybody, then we’ll be prepared for it.”

Whatever Chicago coach Lovie Smith and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli may try to come up with in order to confuse Luck, Pagano believes his quarterback will be up to the challenge.

“There will be butterflies, I’m sure. He’ll be anxious just like everybody else. [Ravens outside linebacker Terrell] Suggs threw up before every game, ten years in. That’s just how competitive guys are. Once he gets out there and he gets rolling, it’ll be business as usual for [Luck],” he said.

“You’ve seen it year-in and year-out at every level especially in the NFL. They’re going to give us something that we haven’t seen. They may save something for the second half that we haven’t seen. So you just kind of pick yourself up, make the corrections on the sideline and move forward.”

It’s safe to say, though, that Pagano has a lot of faith and confidence in his young quarterback.

“The kid expects a lot from himself, so he would be the first one to tell you that he expects high standards. Obviously he expects to play well. He knows his teammates are expecting him to do that. He also understands that there’s going to be mistakes just like any other position out there,” the Colts coach said.

“He’s no different than some of the other guys that are here. We’ve got a ton of youth out there, obviously, that are going to make mistakes. Just make them full speed, go on to the next play and forget it.”

• Injury update — The first official game-week injury report for the Colts was released late Wednesday afternoon.

Inside linebacker Pat Angerer (foot) is out indefinitely. He has not practiced since he was hurt against St. Louis in the team’s first preseason game. Offensive guard Joe Reitz (knee) also didn’t practice on Wednesday. Reitz was inadvertently kicked in the knee during practice last week.

Running back Delone Carter (chest/ribs) and rookie wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (shoulder) both saw limited work Wednesday.

Running back Mewelde Moore (chest/ribs), wide receiver Austin Collie (head/concussion), cornerback Jerraud Powers (knee) and defensive end Cory Redding (knee) all fully participated in Wednesday’s workout.

Pagano said that Collie is still slated to start Sunday against the Bears. Prior to returning to practice on Monday, he had missed the final two preseason games.

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Ethan Page is the race director for the Terre Haute Triathlon.

  • TILL IT'S OVER: Terre Haute Triathlon's new race director seeks more events for his hometown

    Today is the day for the Thunder in the Valley, and the Terre Haute Triathlon is under new leadership in 2013, the 28th year for the event at Hawthorn Park.
    A former Terre Haute North track and cross country standout, Ethan Page is the race director as the race falls under the reign of Page’s new company, Crossroads Events.

    May 18, 2013 2 Photos

  • SPT0502113BB olds.jpg Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title

    Friday night, winning the second game 5-0 and earning a share of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title.
    Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout.

    May 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • South wins first half of doubleheader against Lawrence North

    Host Terre Haute South kept its Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title hopes alive — and clinched no worse than second place in the process — by downing Lawrence North 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
    The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline.

    May 18, 2013

  • Bradley ends 16-game MVC losing streak against ISU

    Momentum was the only thing riding on Indiana State’s baseball game against Bradley on Friday. With a five-game winning streak going, ISU wanted to keep the good vibes going into next week’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
    ISU couldn’t do it.

    May 18, 2013

  • PREP ROUNDUP: Calleja pitches West Vigo past South Vermillion

    Brandon Calleja had 13 strikeouts to lead West Vigo to a 5-1 victory against South Vermillion in high school baseball Friday.
    Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
    Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC.

    May 18, 2013

  • SPT0511613track keller.jpg Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown

    His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
    When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot.

    May 17, 2013 4 Photos

  • SPT 051613 CAMP VOLLEY.jpg South switches up lineup to defeat North in tennis sectional

    Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker said two weeks ago that he would change the Braves’ lineup after the 3-2 dual-meet loss to Terre Haute North.
    The Patriots knew it was coming, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it.

    May 17, 2013 2 Photos

  • SPT0511613manaea4.jpg Behind 16 hits and Manaea's pitching, ISU beats Bradley

    Indiana State’s baseball team rode a wild ride of emotion on Thursday.
    First came the public announcement that Bob Warn Field would host the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Later, Sean Manaea’s availability to pitch ISU’s series opener against Bradley was in doubt.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Indiana State women add five transfers, including experienced D-I point guard

    Indiana State coach Teri Moren believes the addition of five more newcomers to the program — in addition to the five who had already joined the program earlier this calendar year — will provide her coaching staff the athleticism and depth it needs to play a successful, up-tempo brand of basketball next season.

    May 17, 2013

  • PREP ROUNDUP: North slips past Northview in eight-inning baseball game

    Colton Pittman drew a bases-loaded walk to score Zach Milam with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as host Terre Haute North edged Northview 8-7 in high school baseball Thursday at Jennings Field.

    May 17, 2013

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Ethan Page is the race director for the Terre Haute Triathlon.

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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)

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