The Real Dual Threat - Luke Schuermann
This is the first of a series where we appreciate the real dual threats. The duality of being an Athletic All-American and an Academic All-American. Come meet a Playing On Sports Real Dual Threat
I track and report on the NCAA athletic performances of those who have graduated from Missouri and Kansas high schools. Usually that means presenting and discussing numbers and rankings. But, this is different. This series puts high school and collegiate sports into proper perspective. A well rounded quarterback can run and throw. A well rounded athlete can compete in multiple sports. A well rounded person competes on the fields and courts, and in the classroom. A select few arrive at the pinnacle of both. These are their stories.
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Meet Luke Schuermann.
Not to throw shade on all forthcoming Real Dual Threats, Luke was the catalyst for this series. I was researching my article highlighting the statistical performances and postseason awards of DIII football players. Luke was the only one from Missouri and Kansas to receive the highest award in both areas. You can find that article here.
Following his senior season at St. Louis University High (SLUH), Luke was placed on the All-District, All-Conference, All-St. Louis Metro, and Missouri All-State teams. His GPA was 4.3 on a 4.0 scale while taking all AP courses.
Luke was awarded the SLUH Dunn-Martel Award as the 2019-20 top scholar athlete. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also recognized him as SLUH’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Recognition came from beyond his metro area when Luke was one of 83 high school seniors nationwide to be named to the National Football Foundation’s Team of Distinction.
Adam Cruz, head football coach at SLUH, was Luke’s position coach during Luke’s years as a Junior Billiken. Coach Cruz has plenty to say about his former player. “We were very close, as we worked together daily in drills and as we watched film together. As his freshman coach, I got to watch him grow into the quintessential captain and leader for us. We grew very close during his recruitment.” “Quintessential captain”. That is perhaps the highest praise a coach can convey to a player.
Luke fought through the disappointment of his college freshman year being lost to the Covid-19 pandemic. But No. 8 won out over 19 as he developed into a 6’4”, 240 pound defensive end for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. Once again, he garnered attention from far beyond his campus. This year D3Football.com named Luke a First Team All-American for the second time. He was one of five Blue Jays honored, but Luke was the only one on the first team. There again, is that leadership thing. The College Sports Communicators (CSC), formerly CoSIDA, also took note. They named Luke an Academic All-American, also for the second time.
Jennifer and Chris Schuermann have six children, with Luke being the only boy. They emphasize that all are special, with no one more special than any other sibling. The only one who could possibly be disappointed in any of that is Coach Cruz, given that SLUH is an all boys school.
I asked Luke about the grind of playing collegiate football at an academically selective school such as Johns Hopkins. He replied “I attribute a lot of my personal success to my teammates. Being surrounded by a team of guys who are all struggling with the same balancing act as me helps me work through the hard times”. Folks, that’s not scripted. That’s Luke. His teammates are the reason for his success.
Luke is a junior at Johns Hopkins. He is majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in entrepreneurship and management. Given his achievements, there will be nothing minor about his future. But before that career in engineering, there is another football season. Luke will be ready. And I will be ready to track and report on Luke and every Missouri and Kansas football player competing in the NCAA.
There are more “Real Dual Threats” to come. And not just in football, but other sports, too. Please get your free subscription so you don’t miss any of these exceptional athletes.