Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
Changing Things up: Luke May Easing Into Role in Bobcat Secondary
4/6/2018 3:27:00 PM | Football
Luke May isn't new to tackling big changes and is showing that after a change of scenery led him to the Bobcat football program
Luke May isn't new to tackling big changes.
May earned an MHSA Class A State championship as a quarterback for Whitefish High School in 2015, leading the Bulldogs to the program's first state title since 1979. He accounted for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and more than 35 touchdowns for Whitefish High. But, May had another talent that he excelled at that brought attention from big athletic programs.
May was a three-time state champion for the Bulldogs' track and field team in the javelin throw.
Despite success in both sports, he decided to commit to throwing javelin for the University of Minnesota where his mother, Amy, is from.
As a freshman during the 2016-17 academic year, May competed for a nationally-known college track and field program and eventually placed 15th at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the javelin. Though he valued the training and experience he gained while at Minnesota, there was something close to May's core that was missing.
May knew he wanted to return to football.
"It was tough seeing all my friends doing football," May said. "I felt really stagnant and like I wasn't doing enough for myself and my sport. It ended up just not being for me. I love Montana. I love being home."
Playing football for a Montana school is something that he's always wanted to able to do. Even though both of his parents attended the University of Montana, his grandfather played fullback for the Bobcats, so he had ties with Montana State University as well.
After reaching out to the Bobcat coaching staff, May was offered a position as a walk-on. He jumped at the opportunity.
When asked about his own philosophies on tackling such new and significant tasks, he responded with gratitude for his teammates. "Josh Hill, Jacob Hadley, Michael Jobman, all those guys helped me. I got here a little late, so I was kind of scrambling."
May made it work, though. He found a couch to crash on for a little bit, then a permanent place to stay and began training. With four years of eligibility remaining in football, May jumped into the fold for the Bobcats during the 2017 fall camp. The high school quarterback worked with the group that mans the helm of the offense to begin his freshman season. He also found time in seven games during the 2017 Bobcat campaign in a special teams role.
This spring semester, May is undertaking another transition; retiring his throwing arm and training with the defensive secondary on a permanent basis.
Switching from offense to defense hasn't diminished May's impact on the field. Though he had never played safety before, he was easily welcomed by teammates and coaches.
"Bryson (McCabe), Khari (Garcia), and West (Wilson) were all so caring and funny. Coach Kyle (Risinger) has helped a ton with film. It was definitely hard at the start, but I'm feeling a lot more comfortable."
While he's not on the offensive side of the ball, the former state champion quarterback is back to the sport he enjoys most and sees similarities compared to the position he's focused on mastering today. May said he finds comfort in the similarities between coverages, the responsibility of relaying calls to the linebackers to make sure everyone is on the same page, and of course, hitting rather than being hit.
The Bobcats host the Sonny Holland Classic on Saturday, April 7, at Bobcat Stadium and May relays his team's mindset. "The coaches have been preaching, 'Don't waste moments.' Don't waste a practice, a play, a rep, or anything. Play every play and don't give up a single one.'"
May earned an MHSA Class A State championship as a quarterback for Whitefish High School in 2015, leading the Bulldogs to the program's first state title since 1979. He accounted for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and more than 35 touchdowns for Whitefish High. But, May had another talent that he excelled at that brought attention from big athletic programs.
May was a three-time state champion for the Bulldogs' track and field team in the javelin throw.
Despite success in both sports, he decided to commit to throwing javelin for the University of Minnesota where his mother, Amy, is from.
As a freshman during the 2016-17 academic year, May competed for a nationally-known college track and field program and eventually placed 15th at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the javelin. Though he valued the training and experience he gained while at Minnesota, there was something close to May's core that was missing.
May knew he wanted to return to football.
"It was tough seeing all my friends doing football," May said. "I felt really stagnant and like I wasn't doing enough for myself and my sport. It ended up just not being for me. I love Montana. I love being home."
Playing football for a Montana school is something that he's always wanted to able to do. Even though both of his parents attended the University of Montana, his grandfather played fullback for the Bobcats, so he had ties with Montana State University as well.
After reaching out to the Bobcat coaching staff, May was offered a position as a walk-on. He jumped at the opportunity.
When asked about his own philosophies on tackling such new and significant tasks, he responded with gratitude for his teammates. "Josh Hill, Jacob Hadley, Michael Jobman, all those guys helped me. I got here a little late, so I was kind of scrambling."
May made it work, though. He found a couch to crash on for a little bit, then a permanent place to stay and began training. With four years of eligibility remaining in football, May jumped into the fold for the Bobcats during the 2017 fall camp. The high school quarterback worked with the group that mans the helm of the offense to begin his freshman season. He also found time in seven games during the 2017 Bobcat campaign in a special teams role.
This spring semester, May is undertaking another transition; retiring his throwing arm and training with the defensive secondary on a permanent basis.
Switching from offense to defense hasn't diminished May's impact on the field. Though he had never played safety before, he was easily welcomed by teammates and coaches.
"Bryson (McCabe), Khari (Garcia), and West (Wilson) were all so caring and funny. Coach Kyle (Risinger) has helped a ton with film. It was definitely hard at the start, but I'm feeling a lot more comfortable."
While he's not on the offensive side of the ball, the former state champion quarterback is back to the sport he enjoys most and sees similarities compared to the position he's focused on mastering today. May said he finds comfort in the similarities between coverages, the responsibility of relaying calls to the linebackers to make sure everyone is on the same page, and of course, hitting rather than being hit.
The Bobcats host the Sonny Holland Classic on Saturday, April 7, at Bobcat Stadium and May relays his team's mindset. "The coaches have been preaching, 'Don't waste moments.' Don't waste a practice, a play, a rep, or anything. Play every play and don't give up a single one.'"
Players Mentioned
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