Luke Getsy

A Big East transfer, Getsy quickly assumed control of the Zips offense after Charlie Frye was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2005, and thrived in coach J.D. Brookhart's scheme. A student of the game, Getsy is an established veteran of the West Coast offense who put up staggering numbers in just two seasons with the Akron program. At Steel Valley High School, Getsy was named to the Associated Press Small School All-State first-team. The first four-year starting quarterback in school history, he led Steel Valley to four WPIAL playoff appearances, earning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Fabulous 22" and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" honors. He added Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Century Conference, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review All-WPIAL Class AA, McKeesport Daily News All-District and two-time first-team All-Century Conference accolades. Getsy was listed among the nation's top 40 quarterbacks by Student Sports and Rivals100.com, earning Prep Star All-Eastern Region accolades. He was also the 24th-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania by Super Prep. Getsy finished his career with 6,021 passing yards and 59 touchdowns, as he completed 51.6 percent (389-754) of his passes. Getsy hit on 100 of 172 attempts (58.1 percent) for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior while also playing cornerback. He added four letters in basketball, picking up All-Section honors. He also lettered twice in baseball and was a member of the National Honor Society. Luke was the second of Donna and Don Getsy's six children to play college football, following his older brother, Lance, who lettered at Slippery Rock University (1995-99). Getsy enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, sitting out the 2002 season as a redshirt. He appeared in six games for the Panthers in 2003, starting the season opener against Kent State when incumbent Rod Rutherford was suspended for a team rules violation. He managed to gain 32 yards on 3-of-13 passing and 34 yards on four carries (8.5 avg) while appearing in 17 plays that year. Getsy was scheduled to compete with Tyler Palko for the starting job in 2004, but decided to transfer when the Panthers changed coaching staffs and offensive philosophy. He transferred to Akron, sitting out the 2004 season under NCAA transfer rules. In his first season with the Zips, Getsy threw for 3,455 yards with 23 touchdowns while completing 278 of 525 attempts in 2005. He also rushed 56 times for minus-29 yards and a touchdown. In 2006, Getsy broke Frye's senior record of 2,623 passing yards set in 2004 by passing for 2,662. He also set a school record with his fourth career 400-yard passing game. Despite playing only two seasons for the Zips, Getsy is third in school history with 6,117 career passing yards.

positives

Has good upper body thickness with broad shoulders, good lower body muscle definition and a frame that can carry additional bulk...Shows the balance and change of direction agility to step up and stand tall in the pocket...Has some quickness to get back from center to his pass set point and is an efficient three-step stride, getting the ball out with good height and trajectory...Demonstrates an adequate push from the line of scrimmage due to his balance and body control, showing enough change of direction agility and accuracy to throw on the move...Knows where to throw and when to run with the ball, and does a good job of making checks down the line to locate his open target... His ability to check down allows him to hit the receiver coming out of the break...Is more effective on comebacks, streaks and post patterns than when going deep...Throws an easy ball for backs to catch and has the accuracy needed to put the ball where the receiver does not have to adjust for it on intermediate throws...Has the ability to lay the ball on the receiver's outside shoulder when throwing in short windows...Shows good touch on his short attempts and does a nice job of dropping the ball over the top of the defenders... Effective on swing passes, and has good timing on crossing routes, along with a good feel on timing routes...Capable of maintaining focus down field and has the vision to locate his secondary targets, as he senses pressure well.

compares to

JEFF GARCIA-More like Garcia during his days at San Francisco, Getsy is very effective at moving the chains, doing a nice job of squaring his shoulders to make the throws from the outside hashes -- ideal for a West Coast offense.

negatives

Has adequate mobility to slide and avoid pressure in the pocket, but lacks the valid speed to be a threat running with the ball into the second level...Squares his shoulders nicely getting to the left or right hashes to throw on the move, but is best when stepping up in the pocket rather than trying to create with his feet, as he can't buy time for long and the result is generally a sack because he didn't throw the ball away instead...Can do a decent job of pulling up and hitting the big play on occasion, but defenses won't lose any sleep thinking of ways to stop him on the move...Needs to add more bulk and improve his strength to better withstand punishment...Sometimes looks nimble driving back from center, but does not have the hip snap or timed speed to be a threat on the run...Has a big circle and drops the ball below his hip, causing for a long arc on his deep throws...Will hang a few of his long tosses, but does put good zip on his throws working underneath... Decent inside-the-hash thrower, but needs to show better accuracy and arm strength in a vertical attack...Too inconsistent on the deep ball, as he can air out the streaks and smoke the ball into the cornerback/safety voids, but does not have a rocket for an arm...Makes attempts to step up, elude and avoid the pass rush, but must do a better job of protecting the ball to prevent the costly fumble, as he lacks the open-field speed to be a dangerous runner who can sidestep pressure.

No injuries reported.

Campus: 4.89 in the 40-yard dash

Bench pressed 225 pounds 17 times

275-pound power clean

30-inch vertical jump

31 1/8-inch arm length

9 1/8-inch hands

Right-handed

Wears contacts

20/25 Wonderlic score.

Attended Steel Valley (Munhall, Pa.) High School, playing football for head coach Ed Wehrer

Named to the Associated Press Small School All-State first-team

The first four-year starting quarterback in school history, he led Steel Valley to four WPIAL playoff appearances, earning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Fabulous 22" and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" honors

Added Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Century Conference, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review All-WPIAL Class AA, McKeesport Daily News All-District and two-time first-team All-Century Conference accolades

Listed among the nation's top 40 quarterbacks by Student Sports and Rivals100.com, earning Prep Star All-Eastern Region accolades

Also the 24th-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania by Super Prep

Finished his career with 6,021 passing yards and 59 touchdowns, as he completed 51.6 percent (389-754) of his passes

Hit on 100 of 172 attempts (58.1 percent) for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior and also played cornerback

Added four letters in basketball, picking up All-Section honors

Also lettered twice in baseball and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Mathematics major, twice earning conference (Big East in 2003, MAC in 2005) academic honors

Maintains a 3.58 grade point average

One of six children of Donna and Don Getsy

Brother, Lance, played football at Slippery Rock University (1995-99)

Born 2/16/84

Resides in Munhall, Pennsylvania.