![\"Can](\"https:\/\/insidethestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/rpaolinelli_cowboys-news_can-hunter-luepke-be-the-game-changing-fullback-the-cowboys-need.jpg\" "\\"Cowboys'")
<\/p>\nA little over 10 months ago, Hunter Luepke\u2019s football world was dark. His future, at least in Dallas, was looking grim.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys were playing the Dolphins in Miami.<\/p>\n
The opening series was proving to be the high point of Luepke\u2019s rookie season.<\/p>\n
The undrafted free agent from North Dakota State had two carries on third down plays for three yards on the drive. Both carries were for first downs.<\/p>\n
Two plays later, he had an eight-yard catch on a second-and-10 pass from Dak Prescott.<\/p>\n
Just four plays later, the Cowboys had a first and goal and the Dolphins\u2019 one-yard line.<\/p>\n
Prescott took the snap and appeared to hand the ball off to Luepke. Luepke surged into the endzone.<\/p>\n
Touchdown, Cowboys!<\/p>\n
Only one problem, the football was sitting on the turf on the two-yard line and Miami\u2019s Brandon Jones fell on it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Prescott was credited with the fumble, as he was the last player with possession. Replays showed Luepke\u2019s arms pinned against his chest as the ball struck his elbow.<\/p>\n
No one has ever asked if he thought it was supposed to go to him, or if he thought Prescott was keeping the ball. In the end, it doesn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys went away with zero points on the board in an eventual 22-20 loss to Miami.<\/p>\n
In the end, the play didn\u2019t cost Dallas the game. They had a 20-19 lead late in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
But the damage to Luepke quickly became apparent.<\/p>\n
He never touched the ball again in the final two regular season game. Nor did he do so in the playoff loss to Green Bay.<\/p>\n
Fast-forward to\u00a0training camp\u00a0in Oxnard six months later.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys brought in several new faces at running back, including the return of a familiar face in Ezekiel Elliott.<\/p>\n
![\"Jun](\"https:\/\/insidethestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/USATSI_23477254-scaled-1-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Cowboys'")
<\/p>\n
Which put a huge question mark over Luepke\u2019s head as the final cuts neared. Would Luepke remain on the final 53-man roster?<\/p>\n
When the final roster was released, Luepke was indeed still there.<\/p>\n
In his second season, he\u2019s showing the Cowboys coaching staff that they made the right call in keeping him.<\/p>\n
In his rookie year, prior to the Miami mishap, Luepke had six carries for 19 yards. Five of the carries resulted in a first down.<\/p>\n
He scored his first career touchdown in a blowout over the Patriots.<\/p>\n
![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/insidethestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/rpaolinelli_cowboys-news_cowboys-undrafted-rookies-continue-to-shine.jpg\" "\\"Cowboys'")
<\/p>\n
Luepke also caught three passes, in four targets, for 18 yards with one catch netting a first down.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s already exceeded his numbers as a receiver this year over last year.<\/p>\n
In five games, Luepke has seven catches on eight targets for 91 yards with five first downs resulting for his receiving efforts. He has four carries for 14 yards for three first downs.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s still looking for his second career touchdown.<\/p>\n
Lueke\u2019s also stepping up on special teams. He\u2019s already matched his four\u00a0total tackles\u00a0from 2023 and there\u2019s still 12 more games to go.<\/p>\n
But his most important contribution comes as a blocking back.<\/p>\n
Luepke is getting much better as a blocker. In fact, had Rico Dowdle followed Luepke he likely scores the game-winning touchdown.<\/p>\n
Instead, Dowdle tried to leap and very nearly fumbled away the win against the Steelers on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Dowdle had his best game in his career on Sunday. But for the first four games, Dallas\u2019\u00a0running attack\u00a0was nearly non-existent.<\/p>\n
If Dowdle\u2019s game was a run-off, and Elliott apparently cannot be a workhorse back based on his output so far, Luepke could prove to be an option to turn to for Dallas.<\/p>\n
Luepke was the RB1 for the Bison at North Dakota State. He could handle the load for Dallas if something happens to Dowdle, or if Dowdle\u2019s production slips back.<\/p>\n
![\"Undrafted](\"https:\/\/insidethestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/05\/rpaolinelli_cowboys-news_undrafted-hunter-luepke-has-huge-potential-in-dallas.jpg\" "\\"Cowboys'")
<\/p>\n
Even if Luepke isn\u2019t called on to carry that workload, he is clearly having a much better sophomore season in the NFL.<\/p>\n
Coming off\u00a0a second-team, All-Pro selection at fullback by Pro Football Focus, he could be looking at earning even more individual hardware at the end of this season.<\/p>\n
That possibility was about as unlikely on that miserable afternoon in Miami as Troy Aikman coming back from the announcers\u2019 booth to play quarterback for Dallas this year.<\/p>\n
Today, the only uncertainty about Luepke is what will the fanbase come up with for a nickname for him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A little over 10 months ago, Hunter Luepke\u2019s football world was dark. His future, at least in Dallas, was looking grim. The Cowboys were playing the Dolphins… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":10283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n