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Valley’s Luklan set for Fiesta Bowl
By Greg Gulas
BOARDMAN
In 27 seasons as a college football official, Boardman resident Rob Luklan has enjoyed a field-level view of some of the nation’s best players, coaches and teams.
A back judge, Luklan has earned 11 postseason assignments and will soon complete his 20th season on the Division I level, drawing top assignments from the two Power-5 conferences of which he has been affiliated, the Big Ten Conference and currently as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
He’ll add his 12th postseason assignment to an ever-expanding resume on Jan. 1 when he works the Fiesta Bowl between No. 8 Central Florida and No. 11 LSU from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
The game will be telecast on ESPN at 1 p.m.
“At the end of the season you hope that you are chosen for a bowl game or conference championship,” Luklan said. “It’s an official’s reward for having a pretty good season and you’re always grateful if selected.”
Luklan last worked the Florida-Florida State rivalry on Nov. 24, won by No. 10 Florida in Tallahassee, 41-14.
“In addition to a bowl or conference championship game, you had better be at your very best in rivalry games,” Luklan said. “It’s a game played with such high intensity and between players who used to be high school teammates but are now arch-rivals. It’s not a conference game yet a lot is on the line, especially with recruiting. It’s the biggest stage those players will be playing on since their high school days.”
A Cardinal Mooney High and Youngstown State graduate, Luklan began his officiating career at age 23 and for the next seven years worked area high school games as a member of the Youngstown Football Officials Association.
At age 28 he gravitated to the college ranks and became a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference officiating staff.
“I cannot say thank you enough to my mentor and OAC supervisor of officials, Dr. Larry Glass,” he stated. “He took a chance on me and for that I am most grateful.”
Luklan spent seven years in the OAC, moving over to the Mid-American Conference from 2002-11. He worked four conference championship games.
It was during his time in the MAC that he earned his first bowl assignment.
“You always remember your first anything and I’ll never forget my first bowl game,” Luklan said. “It was the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl between Colorado State and Navy. The bowl was originally an armed forces football championship played from 1952-55 and marked the first game that they returned to the bowl lineup.
“Notre Dame’s Rudy Reuttiger was the guest speaker at our luncheon, which was held on a docked aircraft carrier. Everything was just so very special to me because it was my first time working a bowl game.”
In six seasons as an ACC official, Luklan has also worked two championship games as well as the Cactus Bowl, Citrus Bowl and famed Army-Navy game, which is considered a bowl assignment.
“The emotion you experience at an Army-Navy game is second to none,” he said.
According to Luklan, working under the radar is the ultimate compliment for an official. When his crew is singled out, it becomes memorable because it doesn’t happen that often.”
“We worked the 2017 Cactus Bowl between Kansas State and UCLA at Chase Field in Phoenix,” he said. “Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder sent our bosses and every official working the game a personal note thanking us for a well-officiated game. He complimented the crew on our communication with both the coaches and players. Coach Snyder didn’t have to do that, which is why it was so appreciated by all of us.”
In addition to Glass, he credits former NFL official Dick Creed, fellow OAC officials Brian Meenachan and crew chief Ken Swanson, MAC and ACC replay official Jim Visingardi, Big Ten officials Tom Krispinsky and Julius Livas, former Big Ten and NFL supervisor of officials Bob Walker and area high school heads of officials Fred Vicarel, Mike Butch, Dutch Miller and John Mang as those instrumental in advancing his career.
“I am grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way and am especially appreciative of my ACC crew,” Luklan said. “I get to coordinate officials for the University of Pittsburgh’s pre-season and in-season practices and have worked Notre Dame and Cleveland Browns practices with Tom Krispinsky, so it really has been a lot of fun.”
Luklan will work with the game with his crew chief, Stuart Mullins, along with six other ACC members and two replay officials who will round out the bowl’s game-day officiating crew.