Before they became teammates at Toledo, quarterback Tucker Gleason and defensive tackle Judge Culpepper played at Plant High School in Tampa, Florida. They were two years apart, so Culpepper was off to Penn State by the time Gleason transferred in from East Lake High in nearby Tarpon Springs.
They had the same coach, though, and Robert Weiner would play a key role in uniting them.
Gleason spent his first semester of college at Georgia Tech. In December 2020, he entered the transfer portal. So did Culpepper after three seasons with the Nittany Lions.
By this point, Weiner had become the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Toledo. He reached out to Gleason after the QB popped up in the portal. Rockets coach Jason Candle had offered Gleason out of high school, so those two had a relationship as well.
But there was a catch.
“Coach Candle was telling me that I would have to live in the dorm unless Judge Culpepper committed,” Gleason said. “So when I heard that, I got on the phone with him and I was like, ‘Hey, Judge, you gotta come here.’ ”
Gleason committed to Toledo on Jan. 4, 2021. Culpepper followed suit three days later.
About 1,100 miles from home, they would reunite with their high school coach. They would become roommates.
“And then we became great friends,” Culpepper said.
The two will take the field together one last time when Toledo faces Wyoming in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium. At least that’s the plan.
Gleason is slated to make his third career start after the transfer of Mid-American Conference MVP Dequan Finn to Baylor. Culpepper is angling to play, but it’s not a 100% certainty after an unexpected medical procedure earlier this month.
If he feels as good as he did Thursday after Toledo’s practice at Salpointe Catholic, Culpepper will be in the starting lineup alongside his buddy. They took decidedly different paths to arrive at the same destination.
Patience rewarded
Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason, shown passing against San Diego State in 2022, is slated to start for the Rockets in Saturday’s Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium.
Two quarterbacks took meaningful snaps for Toledo early in the 2021 season, and neither was Gleason.
Carter Bradley began the campaign as the starter. Finn platooned with him before eventually overtaking him and becoming a star.
So Gleason had to bide his time.
Gleason filled in for Finn when he was injured and performed well. But it wasn’t until Finn entered the transfer portal on Dec. 4 of this year — one day after the bowl pairings were announced — that Gleason became The Guy.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Gleason, a fourth-year sophomore. “I just feel like this is my shot, my opportunity, and just ready to take advantage of it.”
Gleason took note of a backup-turned-starter’s performance earlier in the week. Miller Moss threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns to lead USC over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl and possibly establish himself as the Trojans’ starter in 2024.
“You saw it last night with the kid at USC,” Gleason said Thursday. “He made a great case for himself there to be the starting quarterback next year. So it’s just that mindset that you come out there, you have a good game and just see what happens.”
Gleason isn’t an unknown quantity. He started twice in 2022, against Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green, accounting for eight touchdowns. Gleason has appeared in 16 games overall, passing for 1,152 yards and posting a 12-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Those experiences matter.
“He’s played at a high level when he’s had his opportunities,” Candle said. “Do yesterday’s home runs win today’s games? They do not. But it gives you the confidence leading into the game that he should play well.”
“You build some confidence when you start a football game and you play well,” Gleason said. “And I know that everybody on the team has my back.”
Culpepper described his roommate as “ice cold” — which seemed like a strange thing to say on a sunny, 60-degree afternoon. What Culpepper meant: Gleason is a cool customer.
“No moment’s too big,” Culpepper said. “He’s played really well for us in clutch situations this year and last year. I don’t expect anything less from him but clutch play. He’s mature and ready and can handle this. I’m just excited for him.”
Survival story
Culpepper was a hot commodity in the class of 2018. The son of former NFL defensive tackle Brad Culpepper was a top-500 national recruit who had 34 college offers.
The younger Culpepper was a big get for Toledo, and he became an instant starter. He made his last season his best, recording a career-high nine sacks.
He did it despite having testicular cancer, a diagnosis he learned a few days after the Dec. 2 MAC Championship Game.
Culpepper had been feeling fatigued all season, according to a story on ToledoBlade.com, and had a doctor’s appointment the Monday after the game. The official diagnosis came Wednesday. Culpepper flew home the next day and had surgery that Friday.
Toledo defensive tackle Judge Culpepper, right, shown sacking Central Michigan quarterback Jase Bauer in November, is hoping to play in Saturday's Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl after recently recovering from testicular cancer.
He’s now cancer-free and determined to beat the common recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks.
“It’s really been a whirlwind,” said Culpepper, whose older brother, Rex, a former quarterback at Syracuse, also survived testicular cancer. “Went in for a doctor’s appointment, and they found something that was totally unexpected.
“I feel really good, and I’m in a good spot mentally. ... I’ve been real vigilant with taking care of my body.”
Culpepper said his doctor cleared him to play but that it’s up to him and how he feels. While others across college football bow out of bowl games for various reasons, Culpepper is desperate to suit up for the Rockets one last time — especially after he was ejected from the MAC title game in the first half for targeting.
“It means the world to me, man,” Culpepper said. “My guys have been with me through all this and really helped me out. It’s just really great having a team that’s so close like this team. I’m excited. I got an opportunity to play one more.”
Whether he plays or not, Culpepper’s courageousness and selflessness have left an indelible impression on his coaches and teammates.
“I’m not a doctor, I’m not a surgeon and I’m certainly not a cancer specialist. But my gosh, the human being and the person that he is, and the mental makeup of that man, is really something,” Candle said. “He wants to come out and play with his guys one more time. He’s going to do everything in his power to make sure that happens.”
“You talk about toughness,” said Gleason, Culpepper’s teammate, roommate and friend, “that’s the absolute sign of toughness right there. That is just an awesome story. I’m really glad that he’s OK.”
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