Luke Yarnell

Offensive Lineman (1992-93)

Lucas Yarnell was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas, and attended Washburn Rural High School.  A three-year starter in football, he played offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker and was part of the 1989 5A State Champion football team.  Lucas was named All-State, All-City, and All-Conference both his junior and senior years.  He was team captain his senior year and was selected to play in the 1992 Kansas Shrine Bowl.  He also competed in basketball, baseball, and track, placing three times in the shot put at State.

Lucas came to Coffeyville in 1992 and was an 11-game starter at guard on an offensive line that helped running back Brian Knuckles earn 1st Team All-American honors.  The Ravens ended up second in the Jayhawk Conference and was invited to play in the Texas Shrine Bowl.

In 1993, Lucas again started every game at center or guard.  While helping Knuckles earn 1st Team All-American honors for the second time, he was voted 1st Team All-Jayhawk Conference and received the Karl Wilson Memorial Scholarship award.  The Ravens again finished second in the Jayhawk Conference and ended the season with a 60-36 pounding of Dixie Junior College at the Dixie Rotary Bowl.

Lucas continued his football career at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he started 22 straight games at center.  He was selected 1st Team All-Big West his senior year and was part of a Ragin’ Cajun offense that broke 12 offensive records during the 1995 season.  That team was co-conference champions.  He played alongside the likes of Jake Delhomme and Brandon Stokely while at USL.  Lucas was also a member of the track and field team and helped win three conference championships.  

In 1997, Lucas joined the Arena Football League.  During his ten-year career he played center and nose guard in Houston (97-99), San Jose (00), Grand Rapids (01-02), Detroit (03), Austin (04), Las Vegas (05), and Kansas City (06).  While with the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2001, he was part of the ArenaBowl XV Championship team that defeated the Nashville Kats 64-42.  In 2004, Lucas rekindled his relationship with Skip Foster, then head coach of the Austin Wranglers.  Arena Football also provided another first for Lucas.  He played a prisoner in the 2005 remake of “The Longest Yard” starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and Burt Reynolds.  

Since 2000, Lucas has been a rule-10 football coach in the Olathe School District and is currently coaching at Olathe East High School.  He is enrolled in a Masters of Arts in Teaching program through Pittsburg State University to become a Social Sciences teacher.  He graduated from McNeese State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies.

Lucas married the former Kelly Lees in 2000, and they have a daughter Kendall Jean.