Luck supporters say rookie QB will be fine

• Pagano is expected to miss the rest of the season while fighting leukemia
• Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has been named interim head coach
• Luck has thrown 5 TDs and 4 INTs over the first three games

How will Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano's indefinite absence in his battle with leukemia, and the subsequent elevation of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to interim coach, affect rookie quarterback Andrew Luck's development?

While it's natural to assume there will be some disruption, those who know Luck best insist the No. 1 overall selection in the April has maturity beyond his years and an innate internal guidance system to cope with an unexpected challenge.

One of Luck's quarterback gurus, George Whitfield Jr. told USA TODAY Sports Tuesday that his star pupil won't be derailed by the revelation that Pagano faces a long battle with a treatable form of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

"Certainly, the news impacts Andrew, like every other player on that team, when you find out that someone you love and trust is battling a very serious condition,'' Whitfield said. "It'll affect Andrew from a personal standpoint.

"But in terms of Andrew's ability to come to work every day with his diligent mindset of always making progress? Coach Arians and Andrew will apply as much effort and dedication as possible to get those wins for Chuck Pagano.''

Many called Luck the best prospect to come into the NFL since fellow Stanford alumni John Elway became the first overall selection in 1983. But Elway never faced such an early test of his leadership.

"I don't think this will derail Andrew in any way,'' said former Colts general manager Bill Polian, whose son, Brian is an assistant coach at Stanford. "He's going to have his ups and downs, as all rookies do. But it won't be because of this.

"Andrew Luck is like a young Peyton Manning and was described by someone who knows them both well to me as 'Very, very similar in outlook and temperament.'"

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, another of Luck's mentors, believes there might have been a problem with another young quarterback.

"There's no question you'd rather have Bruce Arians having his total focus on the quarterback position and the offense,'' Moon said. "But being a head coach now, he's going to distracted and have other responsibilities, where he can't spend as much one on one time as he could before with Andrew.

"But Andrew's a different bird. Because of his maturity level, if this was another quarterback, I might think differently. But just because of who Andrew is, how mature and talented he is, he'll be able to handle this and still do well. But it doeshurt him not having that same one-on-one relationship he had with Bruce.''

THE BAD NEWS:Pagano has cancer

Luck has completed 53.3% of his passes, with five touchdowns and four interceptions for the 1-2 Colts, who face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Whitfield said Luck adapted to a difficult coaching transition when former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh left The Cardinal in 2011 to become San Francisco 49ers coach. Luck's offensive coordinator David Shaw was elevated to head coach.

"That was a difficult transition, and Andrew only got better because he takes full ownership of his responsibilities, he's fully prepared, an incredibly athletic quarterback and a fierce competitor,'' Whitfield said. "You add those up, he's going to be a tough out each week.''

Luck is more committed than ever to justifying Pagano's draft-night faith, saying, "It's an obligation to perform well for coach Pagano.'' Luck and his teammates say the best way to help Pagano through his chemotherapy sessions is by elevating individual preparation in rallying around him as a team.

"The foundation he's laid so far, it's now on our end to hold up that end of the bargain," Luck said. "I don't want to disappoint him.''

Arians is a cancer survivor himself and a highly respected mentor of young quarterbacks who included Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.

If anything, the news of Pagano's serious prognosis forces a rookie face of the franchise and his organization to focus and live more in the present rather than leaving anything undone.

"Andrew is a terrific kid," Polian said. "I don't think they'll miss a beat on the offensive side of the ball."