Tarik Luckett eager for his second go-around in the Pac-12 South

Nearly every player that Arizona State added in their 2022 class had to truly familiarize himself with the program. But when it came to Junior College cornerback Tarik Luckett that was hardly the case. The 6-3 214-pound former Colorado player not only visited Tempe while in high school but also played at Sun Devil Stadium in 2019. Those fond memories from that season are just one reason why Luckett felt that he could not pass on the opportunity that was presented to him.

“It was a close game,” Luckett recalled the 34-31 Buffaloes win. “That game was crazy and was a shootout really, with both offenses clicking and the defense not doing anything. That was my first real college game. It was really like, ‘wow.’ That was a cool game, with the stadium experience, the fireworks going…that was crazy.”

Luckett actually visited ASU unofficially a couple of years earlier with his 7x7 club, and the memories of that event were just as positive.

“They (ASU) was recruiting me pretty hard when I was in high school,” Luckett stated, “and they were recruiting me as a wide receiver. So it was different because I wasn’t talking to coaches on the defensive side there. But it was definitely a fun process, and I was offered when I visited there with Premium (his 7x7 club). It was a West Coast vibe and a cool experience, and they have great facilities. The coaches were great, and that hospitality and all that was great. We had a great time up there.”

Luckett, who prepped at San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra High School was a top-100 state prospect in the 2019 class who, in total, had five Pac-12 offers. He arrived in Boulder expecting to play wide receiver, but those plans did change shortly after his arrival on campus.

“We had a couple of DB’s go down in fall camp, and the coaches had seen my tape, and I had a couple of cornerback clips on my high school tape. I played a little DB, but I hadn’t played that my whole life. So coach (Mel) Tucker sat me down in his office and asked me if I wanted to play corner, and I saw it as an opportunity. I was going to redshirt anyways my freshman year because we had three senior receivers in front of me, who later all got drafted. So I know it wasn’t my time. So it actually worked out a little bit, and it was a great experience. I never looked back since

“I wouldn’t say it was a hard transition. It was actually fun learning a new position. Player receiver most of my life, it got a little repetitive. But you know, I always do love playing receiver but just having that switch in a new feel, and learn a new position, see how I can maximize my abilities… it’s a cool experience. I like to plan defense, and playing wide receiver in high school helped me play corner in college.”

The cornerback dressed for all 12 Colorado games in 2019, playing in six of them and starting in two contests. That season Luckett who played 161 total snaps, posted eight tackles, two pass breakups, and one quarterback hurry. An injury though, in 2020's spring practice, did change his career path.

“I had dislocated my ankle,” Luckett described. “It was it was a very bad injury for sure. It was a longer process sthan we thought it was gonna be, so I was’t able to play that (2020) season. But I was lucky that I didn't’t need surgery. I did have a good rehab process with Colorado, and I ended up getting actually (medically) cleared before I had left. So got to be able to play my JUCO season, and I personally had a good season.

“It was a pretty hard decision to go to a junior college, but it was actually a pretty quick decision too. I had some troubles getting my film over from Colorado, and that kind of was messing up my recruitment. I took a chance, because I didn't want to stay in the portal for too long, knowing how big it was getting. So I just bet on myself and go to a JUCO and try to bounce back. Going to Cisco College in Texas was my parents’ decision. They thought it was best for me to just get away from home and isolate. Have no distractions, and have this be just about football. My goal going to a junior college was getting back to playing at the DI level.”

And that mission was ultimately accomplished. ASU's first-year defensive backs coach, Aaron Fletcher, knew one of Luckett’s Cisco coaches and was able to personally visit him last month.

“We sat down and talked,” Luckett commented. “He told me that he was new at Arizona State, but that didn’t matter because I already knew a lot about the school. I respect Coach Fetcher a lot and my JUCO coach who knows him well was just letting me know how good of a coach he is. It was just a good experience for me getting to know him, listening to what he had to say about what players he had recruited out of high school. I like what he had to say and he's a good person.

“He told me that he likes my length, size and speed. He also talked about my natural ability going to play from offense to defense and how much that helped me play cornerback.”

Last season playing nine games at at Cisco Luckett recorded 22 tackles, four pass breakups, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble.

Luckett, who has two years of eligibility left, along with a redshirt year, is planning to officially visit Tempe in March, sign his paperwork at that time, and then arrive on campus in May for summer workouts.

"I'm excited to play at Arizona State, but it's not about proving everyone else wrong," Luckett explained, "it's more just proving it to myself. I had to put a bet out there on myself. It's really what it was. When I committed, I had to put my head down, crying because I'm blessed. I put my plan down and grinded for it, so when I got to commit to Arizona State,…getting to play for Herm Edwards. My pops is a big fan of him, and it was also definitely was a big factor for him. It's just an honor.

"He and Coach Fletcher seen something in me and trusted in me. They didn't offer me just to offer me. They showed how I could be used in their system. That means a lot."

Losing four starting defensive backs from last year, ASU's secondary is naturally going to be under the microscope in terms of how effectively it can minimize any potential drop-off from last season. As a transfer, Luckett is certainly someone the coaches believe can at a minimum compete for a two-deep role, let alone a starter. Luckett admitted that he does feel the sense of urgency to hit the ground running in fall camp.

"There's definitely a lot of pressure," Luckett admitted, "not just from myself, but from my family and everybody who believes in me right now. Everybody wants to go out there and be a star, and that's definitely my goal. My dream is definitely to go out there and be that instant impact. If that isn't the case, I'm going to keep on grinding and do what I do until I make that happen.

"Nothing will stop me, and that's one thing I will put in my head."

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