Recruiting Report: Luke Kubesh (2019)

Brian Jerzak

January 4, 2017 @ 07:00 AM

Totino-Grace sophomore Luke Kubesh made his first start for the Eagles against one of the best programs in the state – Eden Prairie. Lining up at nose tackle in TG's 3-4 defense against run happy Eden Prairie was a great way for a sophomore to have nerves get the best of him. Although Kubesh felt his and his team's play improved after their opening day victory – he was not intimidated with his opening starting assignment. "I played in a few varsity games as a freshman, so I knew about the pace," Kubesh said. "That helped me and pushed me through. I wasn't too nervous. I thought if I read my blocks right and held up in the middle I thought I would do alright." Despite the opening day win, Kubesh felt the team started slowly. "Some of the new players were joining the squad – including me. We were decent against Eden Prairie, but we kept getting better, growing as a team and growing as a family." The first-year starter felt the defense was the strength of the team, but as the season progressed and the offense found their groove, the offense became the strength of the team in the playoffs. "Our front seven was pretty decent," Kubesh said. "Teams couldn't run on us. They couldn't run their power, belly and trap plays because we held up up front." Kubesh feels he did what he had to do to help the defense have success. "The season went pretty well. I got thirty-eight tackles, and that is pretty hard to do as a nose guard," said Kubesh who also was on the punt team, the extra point team and the goal line offense. "I feel like I held up my end and didn't let any of my teammates down." As any good nose guard will say, stopping the run was job number one. "I can stop the run pretty well," Kubesh – who moved to Fridley from Wisconsin before his freshman year - said. "I can hold my position and read where the run is going." This winter Kubesh – who likes to trap, fish and hunt - has been lifting weights four times a week. His workouts focus on working opposite muscle groups during a workout. One day he will focus on biceps and triceps. The next day he might focus on chest and deltoids. This spring he will be on the track and field team. As in the past, he plans on throwing the shot put and running the 100. This offseason the 5'11" 280-pound sophomore is focused on improving his pass rushing techniques. As a nose guard, he sees a lot of double and triple teams but has been working on different pass rushing moves and is working on reacting to the offensive lineman's pass set so he can use the most efficient technique for the situation. This summer he thinks he will do one of the Minnesota Gophers' camps and might go to a few more, but he doesn't have anything set at this early date. As of right now, he has Minnesota and Michigan State expressing initial interest. If lining up in his first varsity start against perennial power Eden Prairie didn't phase Kubesh – I doubt anything on the football field will phase him. That is good news for TG fans and bad news for offenses across the state.