When the final 53 man roster was released earlier this week, some were surprised to see Hunter Luepke’s name on the list.
One pundit declared that released tight end Sean McKeon made a “better fullback” than Luepke. Obviously, Head Coach Mike McCarthy disagrees.
If you were one of those people you shouldn’t have been. Not if you know McCarthy’s history in Green Bay, or the Cowboys’ own history.
His Name Was John Kuhn
For the majority of McCarthy’s run in Green Bay from 2006-2018 he had a fullback named John Kuhn. At an even six feet and 250 pounds, Kuhn was a wrecking ball.
He could clear the path for the running back and block for his quarterback. During his nine-year run in Green Bay he rushed for 601 yards.
Of his 196 total carries – about 22 per season – 15 ended with a touchdown. And 60 of them resulted in a first down.
He was also a threat catching passes out of the backfield. On 104 targets he caught 81 passes for 557 yards and eight touchdowns.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Kuhn’s best year came in 2010, a non-Pro Bowl season, that ended with the Packers as Super Bowl champions.
Kuhn had 281 yards on 84 carries for four touchdowns and 97 yards on 15 receptions for two more touchdowns.
McCarthy clearly sees Luepke as a Kuhn-type player in his offense. Luepke’s numbers at North Dakota State bear that out.
Kuhn and Luepke also share one other similarity. They both played for smaller schools.
While Luepke played at the FCS level at North Dakota State, Kuhn played for Division II Shippensburg University.
The former Bison standout is a formidable fullback who can run and block both in the running and passing attack.
He can also slide out and turn short checkdown passes into big gains. And, in a pinch, he can play halfback as well.
That talent should remind long-term Cowboys’ fans of another similar player in team history – Robert Newhouse.
The Man From Longview, Texas
Born in Longview, Texas in 1950, Robert Newhouse played for the Cougars at the University of Houston. The Cowboys drafted him in the second round in 1972.
At 5-10 and 209 pounds, Newhouse wasn’t the lumbering wrecking ball that Kuhn was. But his legs were carved out of Sequoia trees.
He could blast open holes in a defensive line for the halfback. He could also pound his way through those lines for needed yardage in critical situations.
Like Kuhn, he was an option to throw to out of the backfield. He even managed – in regular season and playoffs combined – to go 2-for-3 passing for two touchdowns.
He closed out Super Bowl XII with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Golden Richards to seal a 27-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
After three seasons with just eight starts as a halfback, Newhouse moved to fullback in 1975. He responded by leading the team in rushing with 930 yards on 209 carries and two touchdowns.
As part of a running back by committee approach with Preston Pearson and Doug Dennison that year and again in 1976, the Cowboys’ ground attack wore defenses down.
Upon Tony Dorsett’s arrival in 1977, Newhouse became more of a pure blocking fullback. But he still piled up impressive yardage numbers both rushing and receiving.
How impressive? Over 100 players have played running back for the Dallas Cowboys in over 60 seasons.
Newhouse – who retired after the 1983 season with 4,784 yards – ranks sixth all-time in yardage. He trails only Emmitt Smith, Dorsett, Ezekiel Elliott, Don Perkins, and Calvin Hill.
Versatility Is The Key
While Luepke is unlikely to lead the Cowboys in rushing in any given year – especially with Tony Pollard on the team – he can easily fill the Kuhn-Newhouse role.
And a backfield of Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Luepke will give opposing defenses fits.
An added bonus is that Luepke could play as the lone back in the backfield if needed. And, should Luke Schoonmaker’s plantar fasciitis flair up, Luepke could easily slide into the third tight end role.
That versatility is why Luepke made the 53-man roster to begin with. It, along with McCarthy’s offensive philosophy, will likely keep him there for some time to come.