New Indianapolis Coltsquarterback Andrew Luck admits he could never replace PeytonManning, his football idol growing up. The Stanford signal-caller was chosen with the No. 1 overallpick by the Colts in the NFL Draft on Thursday and inherits thestarting spot now that Manning has left town. “Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest ever,” Luck toldreporters at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, site of thedraft. “He was my football hero growing up. “I realize you don’t really replace a guy like that. Thoseshoes to fill are huge. I’m not going to go crazy trying to doeverything that Peyton did. I realize we’re differentpersonalities. “So I’ll put my best foot forward and try to work hard everyday. If one day I can be mentioned alongside Peyton inquarterback history, it would be a football dream come true.” No quarterback has come into the league with as much fanfare– or pressure — since Manning was taken by the Colts in the1998 draft. Manning led the Colts to the Super Bowl title in 2007 andwas a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player. But several neckoperations, a $28 million bonus payment due, and Luck’savailability made the 36-year-old quarterback expendable. Future first-ballot Hall of Famer Manning was signed as afree agent by the Denver Broncos in the offseason. Indianapolis had said earlier they would select Luck, aclassic drop-back passer. The Heisman Trophy runner-up said hehas not heard from Manning about coping with the pressure ofrunning the show in Indianapolis. “I reached out to him for advice when I came back to schoolfor my senior year, but I haven’t really talked to him sincethen,” said Luck, who led a Stanford offense that scored 40 ormore points 17 times with him as the starter. Luck’s father Oliver was a quarterback with the NFL HoustonOilers for five years in the 1980s and is now the athleticdirector at West Virginia. “He’s been great,” Luck said of his father. “He’s never beentoo overbearing in the athletic world, even though I think hewent through a lot of similar experiences. He sort of let mefigure out things for myself. “He’s been great to lean on, especially if I have a questionor getting emotionally highjacked about something. Whatever itmight be, he brings a great perspective to everything. “I feel very fortunate to have him not only as a father butsort of an encyclopedia.” Luck threw for 82 touchdowns and just 22 interceptions in 38games at Stanford. In each of his final two years, he completedmore than 70 percent of his passes. A quick turnaround is unlikely as the once-proud Colts werean NFL-worst 2-14 in 2011 with Manning sidelined the entireseason. When asked what his first purchase will be with his newfortune, Luck said, “I’m not sure.” “I’ve got to get an apartment or a house or something, soI’ll start there,” he said.