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Home > Bison Media Zone > It's been a year of challenges for Bison linebacker Luke Weerts
Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

It's been a year of challenges for Bison linebacker Luke Weerts
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2022-03-23 15:02:12
Description: FARGO There’s a lot to be accomplished for North Dakota State linebacker Luke Weerts before he faces his younger brother next fall at the University of Arizona. Matt Weerts is a backup redshirt freshman linebacker for the Wildcats.

Wednesday morning, at 7:05 a.m. when the Bison opened spring practice at the indoor bubble, was a big first step. It’s going to be a day-by-day deal for Luke Weerts in his hope to be the NDSU starting middle linebacker, a huge task in the defense in not only calling the plays but in replacing departed senior Jackson Hankey.



Weerts will be in his fourth year in the program next season.



“It’s my time to step up and that’s what I’m taking it as,” he said. “I’m excited to take on that role now.”



It’s a role that’s been slated for Weerts since he was a highly recruited freshman out of Batavia, Ill. He had multiple FBS offers including Kansas State, Cincinnati and Northern Illinois.



It just hasn’t been meant to be yet. He was scheduled to start at the University of South Dakota in the spring season of 2021 in place of the injured Hankey, but that game was canceled hours before kickoff because of COVID-19 protocols.



The frustration grew last fall when he was sidelined with a back injury, an ailment that shelved him for the year after three games.



“Injuries are always tough,” Weerts said. “I’ve never really had one in my entire playing career, god forbid, but throughout this little injury I’ve learned how to appreciate football for what it is and know it can be taken from you at any time. It kind of puts everything into perspective for me and I think it does for a lot of players. It’s almost a good thing that it happened because now I’m not taking it for granted anymore and I’m ready to dominate this next fall.”



As if that wasn't enough, to add insult to injury, he wasn't able to travel with the team to Frisco, Texas, for the Division I FCS national title game because of a positive COVID-19 test.



Weerts played in 12 games as a true freshman in 2019, mostly on special teams. He continued that role in the 2021 spring season and with the injury last year where he was able to redshirt, he has three seasons of eligibility remaining.



He’ll get his degree next fall in business administration and plans on graduate school after that, most likely a masters in the business field.



Weerts will participate in spring drills on a non-contact basis. Like most positions, there is competition with junior Nick Kubitz making a lot of progress in the offseason, said head coach Matt Entz.



“Not going to cut him loose into full contact,” Entz said of Weerts, “but he’s going to get all these pictures that are going to be extremely valuable.”



All of the middle linebackers, however, have had the benefit of working under Hankey, who left as the 10th-leading tackler in Bison history.



“Jackson was the best leader,” Weerts said. “He really drove that defense. You could always count on him to make the right communication and I think that’s the main thing I’ve learned is making that communication, being on the same page and not being afraid to be a leader. I’ve really taken that into this winter camp and coming into spring ball now I’m excited to be leading that defense.”



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