Luke August Kuechly (/ˈkikli/; born April 20, 1991) is an American football middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Panthers ninth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boston College, and was a three-time All-American. Kuechly had an immediate impact his rookie season, as he led the NFL in tackles and won the Associated Press 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In his second season, he won the 2013 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Early years
Kuechly is of German American descent. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up in Evendale, Ohio. He attended St. Xavier High School in the College Hill area of Cincinnati, where he played linebacker and safety for head coach Steve Specht. As a junior in 2007 he had 147 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and a touchdown as a linebacker. He helped his team go 15-0, winning the Division 1 Ohio state title, and finishing at the top of several national polls (Calpreps.com and Prepnation.com) as the best high school team in America. As a senior in 2008 he had 130 tackles, a sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Kuechly was a two-time All Greater Catholic League selection at St. Xavier, gaining first-team honors in 2008.
Regarded as a three-star recruit, Kuechly was listed as the No. 44 outside linebacker prospect in the class of 2009, which was headed by Jelani Jenkins and Nico Johnson. After official visits to Boston College, Virginia, Duke, and Stanford, Kuechly committed to the Eagles in January 2009.
Professional career
2013
SEASON NOTES: Started 16 games at middle linebacker for Carolina...Paced the team with 176 tackles (based on coaches' film review), the second-highest total in franchise history behind his record 205 tackles in 2012...Tied for the team lead with four interceptions to go along with five passes defensed...Posted two sacks and two quarterback pressures...Compiled 10 or more tackles in a game eight times and led or tied for the team high in tackles 10 times...Leads the NFL with 320 tackles (based on press box statistics) since entering the league in 2012...Key member of unit that ranked second in the NFL in total defense and points allowed and led the league in sacks while finishing second in rushing defense and sixth in passing defense...POSTSEASON: Started at middle linebacker in NFC Divisional Playoff versus San Francisco (1/12)...Recorded a team-high 15 tackles, one sack and two passes defensed...Sacked 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for a seven-yard loss.
HONORS: Selected to first career Pro Bowl and started at middle linebacker...AP Defensive Player of the Year...Became the first player to earn AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and AP Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive years since Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants in 1981 and 1982...AP All-Pro First Team...PFWA All-NFL...PFWA All-NFC...NFL 101 NFC Defensive Player of the Year...Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year...Sporting News All-Pro...Sports Illustrated All-Pro...PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Twice named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for performances in Week 10 at San Francisco (11/10) and Week 16 versus New Orleans (12/22)...Produced 13 tackles, one sack and one pass defensed in Panthers' 10-9 win against 49ers...Amassed a team-record 26 tackles, one interception and one pass defensed in Panthers' 17-13 playoff-clinching win against Saints.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS - At Buffalo (9/15): Intercepted a pass by Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel...Takeaway resulted in a field goal...At Arizona (10/6): Stepped in front of pass by Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer for an interception...Vs. Atlanta (11/3): Picked off a pass by Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan...Panthers converted turnover into a touchdown...At San Francisco (11/10): Took down 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for a nine-yard sack...Part of defense that limited 49ers to 151 total net yards and 46 net passing yards, recorded six sacks and forced two turnovers...Vs. New York Jets (12/15): Wrapped up Jets quarterback Geno Smith for a six-yard sack...Vs. New Orleans (12/22): Set a team single-game record with 26 tackles (based on coaches' film review)...Bettered the previous mark of 20 by James Anderson versus the New York Giants (9/20/12)...Tied NFL single-game record with 24 tackles (based on press box statistics), previously accomplished by David Harris for the New York Jets (11/4/07)...Swiped a pass by Saints quarterback Drew Brees for an interception...Marked the first time a player recorded at least 20 tackles and an interception in the same game since Derrick Brooks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9/30/01).
2012
SEASON NOTES: Selected in the first round (ninth overall) of the NFL Draft by Carolina...Started 16 games, opening the first four games at weakside linebacker before moving to middle linebacker for the last 12 following a season-ending injury to Jon Beason...Led the NFL with 164 tackles (based on press box statistics), becoming the first rookie since Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers in 2007 to top the league in tackles...Set a team record with 205 tackles (based on coaches' film review), breaking the previous mark of 174 by James Anderson in 2011...Set a team record for tackles by a rookie, surpassing the previous mark of 160 by Jon Beason in 2007...Produced 10 or more tackles in a game 12 times and led or tied for the team high in tackles 10 times...Finished first on the team with three fumble recoveries and tied for first with two interceptions to go along with one sack and five passes defensed...After shift to middle linebacker in Week 5, keyed defensive improvement from 24th in the league to 10th at the end of the season...In 12 games at middle linebacker, played all 769 defensive snaps and averaged 14.4 tackles per game, helping the Panthers rank sixth in total defense, eighth rushing defense and 11th in passing defense over that period.
College career
Kuechly attended Boston College, where he played for the Boston College Eagles football team from 2009 to 2011.
2009
See also: 2009 Boston College Eagles football team
As a true freshman in 2009, Kuechly became the Eagles starting outside linebacker after Mark Herzlich announced that he would miss the season after being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He finished the season with 158 tackles (87 solo), which led the team and conference, as well as being second nationally (first among freshmen). He was the first true freshman in team history to lead the team in tackles and almost broke the freshman tackle record set by Stephen Boyd in 1991. He also had a sack and returned an interception for a touchdown. For his play he was named the 2009 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and was on the 2009 CFN All-Freshman Defensive Team. CFN went even further and named the true freshman Kuechly to its All-America team. In the Emerald Bowl, Kuechly was named the defensive MVP, registering 16 tackles in a losing effort.
2010
See also: 2010 Boston College Eagles football team
He moved to middle linebacker at the beginning of his sophomore season. He went on to lead the country with 183 tackles (110 solo) and had an ongoing streak of 21 straight games with at least 10 tackles at the end of the season. Kuechly was named a finalist for the Butkus Award and the Nagurski Award. He broke BC's single season record for tackles, topping the previous record of 165, held since 1991 by Tom McManus. After the season, Kuechly was named a unanimous first-team All-American. He was the first consensus All-American for the Eagles since Jamie Silva in 2007. Boston College played in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (the same bowl as the Emerald Bowl from the previous season with a change of corporate sponsorship) at the end of the season and Kuechly was named the defensive MVP for a second time.
2011
See also: 2011 Boston College Eagles football team and List of NCAA football records § Tackles
Kuechly led the nation with 191 tackles (102 solo) during the season, averaging nearly 16 tackles per game. Kuechly compiled his stats in the 12-game regular season, as the team finished with a 4-8 record and was ineligible for post-season play. He still almost broke the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) single-season tackle record (193, set by Lawrence Flugence in a 14-game season) and did break the single season tackles-per-game record with 15.9 (previously held by Rick Sherrod with a 15.6 average over a 10-game season). He broke the team and conference single-season tackle records, records that he had set the year before.
In only three seasons of play, Kuechly set the BC and ACC career tackle records with 532 tackles, eclipsing the previous record of 524 held by Stephen Boyd and only 13 short of the NCAA FBS record held by Tim McGarigle. On December 4, Dick Butkus personally presented the 2011 Butkus Award to Kuechly at the Boston College team banquet a week before the expected formal announcement of the recipient. Kuechly went on to win the Lombardi Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American for the second consecutive year.
HONORS: AP Defensive Rookie of the Year...Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year...Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie...ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for December...Totaled 74 tackles, one sack, one interception and two passes defensed as Panthers went 4-1 during month...Gathered 15 or more tackles in four games...Contributed to defense that held two opponents to less than 200 total net yards...PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week for performance in Week 14 versus Atlanta (12/9)...Posted 19 tackles in Panthers' 30-20 win...Part of defensive effort that limited Falcons to 35 rushing yards as Carolina became just the second team in 2012 to hold Atlanta to 20 points or less.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS - At Tampa Bay (9/9): Joined fellow rookies Josh Norman and Amini Silatolu as opening day starters...Vs. Seattle (10/7): Made first start at middle linebacker...Notched first career interception, snagging a pass by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson out of midair that had bounced off the hands of running back Marshawn Lynch...Vs. Dallas (10/21): Compiled 18 tackles, equaling the third most in team history...Fell on a fumble by Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin...Takeaway led to a touchdown...Vs. Tampa Bay (11/18): Ended a Buccaneers' scoring threat with a recovery of a fumble by running back Doug Martin in the end zone for a touchback...Panthers converted takeaway into a touchdown...At Philadelphia (11/26): Recovered a fumble by Eagles running back Bryce Brown...At Kansas City (12/2): Victimized Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn for first career sack, dropping him for a four-yard loss...Vs. Atlanta (12/9): Established a career high with 19 tackles, the second-highest single-game total in team history...Vs. Oakland (12/23): Intercepted a pass by Raiders quarterback Matt Leinart and returned it 25 yards to set up a touchdown.
PERSONAL
Attended St. Xavier HS in Cincinnati, Ohio...Majored in marketing at Boston College...Last name is pronounced KEEK-lee.
No comments:
Post a Comment