Interview: Catching up with Cal signee CHS OL/DL Luc Bequette

Before National Signing Day 2015 came around Cal Golden Bear fans were a little nervous about potential two-way lineman Luc Bequette. The then 6’2”, 285 pound, now 290, star for Little Rock, Arkansas’ Catholic High School is the rare player who can play either guard spot, center, and line up at tackle on the defensive side of the ball. That versatility was not lost on college recruiters.

Bequette received offers from Vanderbilt, Air Force, Louisiana-Monroe, Memphis, Navy, and Army but a last second official visit to Florida and the potential for in-state powerhouse Arkansas to offer at the last second was almost too much for Cal fans.

In the end Bequette honored his early commitment to Cal signing his LOI. But before taking off for Berkeley, Luc had some unfinished business for CHS as an all-around athlete. Bequette participated in wrestling and is currently playing baseball for the Rockets.

We caught up with Luc to see how things have been going for him since NSD.

 

Luc, you’re a mountain on the football field how badly did you punish opposing wrestlers over the spring?

“I came in third in the state.”

How did the state tournament go for you?

“My first match, I think it was a pretty easy win. I had a first round bye. I was a No. 3 seed. I beat one kid, then beat a kid I beat during a conference meet, he was good and had a good record. If I remember correctly the score was close. I had a pretty good lead and then stalled it out a little bit. I didn’t want to do anything dumb and get caught.

“The next day all I had to do is win one match and be in the championship. I went up against a kid from Rodgers. He was like 6’5”, 260 pounds. He was the No. 2 seed. I lost in the first period. I was winning, but then got caught. He lost in the championship after having a huge lead and then he got pinned. That’s the way it goes.”

What is your best move on the mat?

“The Cradle move is my best move. That is my best pinning move. In the heavyweight division guys on their hands and knees will get their leg up, get the leg right up next to their neck. Then you can lock’em up and get them on their back. It’s a real effective move. In the state tournament that was one of the few times I used the move but didn’t get a pin with it.”

How is baseball going for you?

“It’s been going well. I’ve been DH-ing. We’re good. We’re second in conference behind Conway. We have Bryant this Friday. I think we can win the rest of our games. We play Van Buren and Conway. It’ll be a fun rest of the season.

“We played Bryant earlier in the season. They were No. 8 in the nation on a 40-something game winning streak and we got them going against their ace.”

How are the offseason workouts going for you?

“They’ve been going real well. I sprained my wrist sliding into home a little while back. Since then I’ve been doing some modified workouts trying to get back full strength. I’m at 90-95 percent. I’ve been doing some running and I’ve been doing what Coach (Art) Kaufman told me to do. I’m just getting ready for the summer.”

When do you report?

“My report date is June 23.”

Have you started learning the playbook yet?

“No. They did add me to the Cal Hudl page. I can watch film, so that’s good. I can see the D-line drills we will do and start learning some of that stuff.”

Do you know who you will be rooming with once on campus?

“I think I’m rooming with Ryan Gibson (OL Bay St. Louis, MS), Cameron Saffle (LB Sammamish, WA), and Carlos Strickland (WR Dallas, TX).”

Your cousin Jake Bequette is a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, any chance you met up with him during the offseason looking for pointers at defensive tackle?

“Over the spring Jake was here for 3-4 weeks, he left for vacation, and then he came back for another two weeks. I got to see him a bunch but normally we were just hanging out eating dinner or playing some golf.”

No pointers from the active professional in the family?

“Not really. We didn’t really talk football, he gets enough of that. I don’t want to bother him too much. It’s his break. I’ll ask him stuff every now and again. I ask him more questions about eating. He has 11 percent body fat and is trying to get down to 7 percent.”

 

If summer workouts and fall practices go well for Luc he will be thrust into the fire quickly. Cal opens their 2015 season at home against Grambling State on Saturday Sept. 5. In Week 2 the Golden Bears get San Diego State before traveling in Week 3 to face the Texas Longhorns. Week 4 is no easier for Cal having to hop back on a plane to face the Washington Huskies to open the Pac-12 Conference schedule.

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: Catholic High School; No. 73 Luc Bequette