Photo by Jimmy Mitchell
Though Luke Percer (12) has served as a running back the past two years, he is open to filling other roles on the field, such as quarterback and wide receiver.
Christian McCaffrey is listed at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds. During his time at Stanford University, the star running back piled up nearly 7,000 all-purpose yards.
So when Luke Percer — also 5-11 — hears the comparisons to McCaffrey, he’s flattered.
“It’s funny. Most people, when they see me at running back, they compare me to Christian McCaffrey,” said Percer, a senior at Oak Mountain High School.
McCaffrey, now with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, is known for his elusiveness, acceleration and toughness, even for a running back who is shorter than most high-level players at the position.
There is also McCaffrey’s versatility. He can line up in an array of positions on offense and be productive in all of them. He has the ability to carry the ball out of the backfield and catch the ball on the inside with equal aptitude.
Percer does the same for Oak Mountain.
“Luke has that kind of skillset,” Oak Mountain head coach Cris Bell said. “He can be a tailback, he can be a slot [receiver], he can be a wideout, he could play safety on defense. If we were a small school, he’d never come off the field.”
Percer played some safety as a freshman and primarily running back during his sophomore and junior seasons. In his final year, there’s no telling where he’ll end up on the field. And he’s fine with that.
“I’m an athlete, that’s first off. I love to play everything,” Percer said.
His willingness to play a variety of positions is a big help to Bell, who may need Percer to play some quarterback this fall. Despite Percer’s lack of extended experience under center, Bell is confident Percer could handle it.
Oak Mountain’s triple-option offense is not typically dependent on a quarterback throwing the ball 25-30 times a game, and it utilizes the quarterback running game more than most offenses.
“If he’s got to play quarterback, he will,” Bell said, “But we would like for him to be able to stay at that running back spot for us because we’ve got a bunch of ways we can get him the ball there.”
Percer would also prefer to play running back, but for him, winning is the ultimate objective.
“I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do,” he said. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
It’s that mindset that has endeared Percer to his teammates. The senior was voted as one of the Eagles’ four captains for the season, in a vote Bell said “wasn’t close.”
“He’s got that personality,” Bell said. “He’s not a rah-rah guy from the sense that he’s a cheerleader, but he’s extremely intense and passionate about what he does. The kids acknowledge that. He’s not afraid to do the dirty work.”
Percer said he is a “lead-by-example person” but is trying to increase his vocal leadership this year.
“The leaders are usually leading by example and are also vocal,” he said. “That’s what I’ve worked on every year: trying to focus not so much on myself but on my teammates and help them get better.”
If there is a drawback to being compared to McCaffrey, it’s that Percer’s build certainly doesn’t make him stand out from the rest of the pack. Percer also plays baseball at Oak Mountain, but his goal is to play football in college.
Entering his senior season, he had yet to receive a scholarship offer but was hopeful that his numerous camp invites would lead to something down the road. Percer is interested in the sports psychology field of study, primarily because it’s a career that would allow him to remain involved in athletics.
“My parents have always told me just be patient, God will take care of you,” Percer said.
“He’s going to be successful in whatever he does,” Bell said. “He’s got a great work ethic. He’s one of those guys that acts on his faith. There’s nothing he won’t be able to accomplish.”
Percer is attempting to lead the Eagles back to the playoffs after they missed out last season. In order for Oak Mountain to reach its potential, he said it would take “100 percent buy-in” from the players.
He said, “We’re not the most talented, and we know that. We’re not the biggest, not the strongest, not the fastest. We get that. But we want to be the team that executes the best and outworks everybody.”
For him personally, he wants to end on a high note.
“This is my last chance,” he said.
