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SPORTS Wednesday 11 april 2018
Colts' Luck expects to be better QB following long recovery

By MICHAEL MAROT rehab to Europe. "I feel stronger, I feel more
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An- Luck finally returned to the fit," he said. "I feel way more
drew Luck said all the right team facility in late Decem- confident in myself and I
things Monday. ber and has spent most don't look at my shoulder
He feels good, hopes to be of the past three months and say 'why are you failing
full go when training camp working out in California me?' like the guy in 'The Old
begins and believes he will with noted quarterback Man and the Sea.' I feel like
be a better overall quarter- experts Tom House and I have a bit more grasp of
back when he returns. Adam Dedeaux. the situation. There is still a
All he has to do now is The good news is Luck says bit of a journey left and I'm
prove it. he's feeling much more not going to skip any steps."
For the first time in more confident in his recovery. NOTE: The Colts have put
than three months, Luck "If I wasn't making progress, receiver Rodney Adams on
fielded questions from local it would freak me out and the reserve-retired list. Ad-
reporters about his surgical- we would have to change ams was a fifth-round draft
ly repaired right shoulder something. But I am," he pick out of South Florida in
and explained his longer- said. "I'm feeling better." 2017.q
than-expected recovery The bad news: Fans have
might have been at least heard all this before.
partially the result of his Whenever Luck gets back,
desire to come back too he will be working with a
quickly. vastly different supporting
"I think I pushed a little too cast. In this Jan. 1, 2017, file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback
hard at times. Your body, New head coach Frank Andrew Luck (12) throws against the Jacksonville Jaguars dur-
as I'm learning, will tell you Reich will be calling the ing the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis.
no at certain times and you plays. Running back Frank Associated Press
just have to listen to it," Luck Gore and receiver Donte
said as the Indianapolis Moncrief left in free agen-
Colts started their offseason cy and receiver Phillip
work. Dorsett was traded to New
"I've gone and skipped England for Jacoby Brissett,
steps before and paid for it. who started the final 15
Been in pain and not able games for Indy last season.
to help the team. Embar- Luck might have a slightly
rassed, guilty, whatever. I'm different look, too.
not going to do that again." "I wouldn't say I'm changing
Luck didn't go into specif- my throwing motion," he
ics about what he would, said. "And that's a big part
could or should have done of what I've been working
differently after initially hurt- on, making sure I'm using
ing the shoulder in Septem- my body as effectively as
ber 2015. He missed the possible to throw a football
next two games then made and not over- or under-
four straight starts before compensate in any way."
suffering a season-ending Some of the Colts' new-
liver injury in November. comers, such as recently
Luck opted against surgery signed free agent Eric
that offseason and instead Ebron, chose Indy because
wound up signing a five- they believe Luck will be
year, $140 million contract better than ever.
extension. "He was the reason I came
In 2016, he started 15 games here, to keep it honest,"
and had his best statistical said Ebron, a tight end. "It
season despite continued doesn't matter as much
pain. But he hasn't taken a where I played, I wanted
snap since having surgery a quarterback who would
for a partially torn labrum work with me the way that I
in January 2017, and he still knew I needed him to work
isn't throwing regulation- with me."
sized footballs. He's been When exactly Ebron and
limited to working only with Luck will start working out
miniature footballs this off- together remains unclear.
season. While acknowledging there
Still, it's progress. And it's a now is a timetable for his
far cry from last October progression, he's keeping it
when Luck's throwing regi- confidential for now.
men suddenly stopped be- But the biggest difference
cause of continued shoul- between this year's offsea-
der soreness. son workouts and last year's
He spent the next month is that Luck sounds more
seeking additional medical confident about himself
opinions before moving his and his shoulder.