ANDERSON, Ind. – Moving into a college campus on Tuesday morning, Andrew Luck sure sounded like a giddy student away from home.
The kid in the 26-year-old Luck was quite evident at Anderson University, where after four professional camps, the joy of a "ball all day" lifestyle still has No. 12 smiling.
"Camp's awesome," Luck exclaimed on Tuesday. "I had a coach once explain camp is like a second Christmas and it certainly feels that way.
"It's ball all day. You don't have to think about anything. You can wear the same clothes two weeks in a row and no one's going to judge you…until you start smelling and someone tells you that you smell."
While mothers having dealt with collegiate sons might cringe at Luck's final statement, they can probably also relate.
It's the side of Luck that makes him a teammate guys truly appreciate.
This man just signed the most lucrative contract in NFL history, but outside of some extra directives that come with being a five-year vet, Luck is still the same guy hauling his own luggage into the Anderson University dorms on Tuesday morning.
"He has taken that leadership role over really well and I think that's going to show this camp," sixth-year left tackle Anthony Castonzo says of the man he blocks for at quarterback.
"He's going to expect greatness from those around him, because he expects greatness out of himself."
Luck knows what comes with signing a contract in the realm of six years and $140 million.
Having been around the business of sports his entire life, Luck isn't naïve to how people view the return on such a deal.
"I've always thought this about pressure and expectation---I've always had very high expectations for myself. Probably higher than what other people expect.
"As far as pressure, I think pressure is a privilege and pressure from a coach, from your teammates, from your close friends and family is what's important to me. You can't control what folks are going say good or bad, so I've never got too caught up in that."
The Colts return to Anderson University for their 2016 Training Camp.
New Colts quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer had heard all the praise for Luck before arriving to Indy earlier this offseason.
When Schottenheimer started dissecting film of No. 12, "the competitive side and spirit" was easily noticed.
Then the face-to-face meetings came.
"You hear how smart he is, but you really don't realize until you're in the room and you're around him how truly smart he is," Schottenheimer says of Luck. "I don't mean just smart in terms of knowing plays, but how he sees things. He's got unbelievable football IQ."
Schottenheimer is now coaching a quarterback that admits the motivation level has ticked upwards in 2016.
Luck wasn't pleased with his individual play in 2015, and how that snowballed into the team missing out on the postseason for the first time in his four NFL seasons.
Last year on move-in day to Anderson, the term "Super Bowl" was heard in every direction.
To hear it this year, you have to get behind closed doors.
"As far as expectations internally, it's been the same since I've been a rookie here," Luck said. "This is a winning franchise. You find a way to win the playoffs and give yourself a chance to win the Super Bowl.
"That's always been the expectation, no matter if you're picked 1st, 32nd, or anywhere in between."
