Black and Blue Review
Luke Kuechly took a couple of steps away from his locker Thursday and faced the circle of cameras and reporters. By now, they are familiar to the Panthers linebacker. He does this every week.
Nine years ago, though, speaking was anything but natural. He was a freshman at St. Xavier High School in his hometown of Cincinnati, and one day during an oral communications class, he was called upon to give a presentation. He stood up and walked to the front and stared out into a room full of unfamiliar faces. One of them was Steve Specht, who was more than just the class’s teacher.
“He was the varsity football coach, and you were always nervous because you didn’t want to mess up in there,” Kuechly said Thursday.