Harrington flips to Stanford: The backstory

2016 Connecticut tight end/jumbo athlete Scooter Harrington's flip from Boston College to Stanford was, at least in a way, nearly 20 months in the making.

Harrington made his first trip to The Farm in June of 2014, following his sophomore year of high school. He worked out as an outside linebacker at the Cardinal's camp.

Stanford liked what they saw, but did not immediately offer the Under Armour All American a scholarship. Nonetheless, he clearly made a strong impression.

"I was there for my first visit during the summer after my sophomore year," Harrington said. "I was visiting some camps. Stanford always stood really high on my list, because even going into the process I knew of Stanford's reputation, both in the classroom and on the field. So it was really high up on my list. So I made the trip across the country and went to a camp. I actually worked out at outside linebacker with Coach Anderson. That went really well. I loved the visit and he really liked me. He started a dialogue, having me call him. He told me even at that time that Stanford moves much later, but even back then he was telling me that he thought I could be a wonderful fit and that he thought they would have space for me at Stanford."

Harrington made a return trip to The Farm a few months later, to take in the Cardinal's matchup with USC in Sept. 2014.

After the conclusion of his junior season, however, Harrington decided to make a verbal commitment to Boston College. Harrington is a double legacy to the program, and his father played football there.

When Harrington called to inform Stanford of his decision, Cardinal defensive coordinator Lance Anderson emphasized that he still thought Harrington might fit in Stanford's plans down the line.

"After I committed (to Boston College), I called Coach Anderson and told him that I had committed," Harrington said. "He told me that they were going to keep recruiting me because even though they didn't have a spot for me yet he thought that they would have a spot for me. He kept on sending me mail and things like that.

"From there, after my senior year, he started writing me more often and he called me a couple of times."

And last week, Anderson informed Harrington that Stanford had extended a scholarship. After mulling his options over with his family - all the while doing his best to keep the Boston College coaching staff firmly in the loop - Harrington decided to take an official visit to The Farm.

"Talking it over with my parents, even though I hadn't had too much contact with the (Stanford) coaching staff, but Coach Anderson had always been really good to me and kept on telling me along the way that he really thought that they were going to offer me a scholarship the whole time," Harrington said. "Then when the scholarship finally came through, my family decided that the best thing for me to do would be to officially visit and then make my decision on what I wanted to do. I was really up front with the Boston College coaches. I told them that I was going to visit. I told them that I had been offered.

"I went on the visit and I just absolutely fell in love with everything from the coaches to the players to the school itself. I had a really good opportunity to talk to the athletic director, the president of the university and a bunch of the professors. They really made me feel at home and let me know that nothing is compromised at Stanford, and that's really what I want, is excellence in every facet of my life. So Stanford is the place for me."

In addition to receiving an offer from Stanford last week, Harrington also received word that he had been admitted into the university.

The application process was challenging - Harrington got a bit of a late start, and had to manage various obligations to complete it in a timely manner. Ultimately, though, Harrington's work paid off.

"(Coach Anderson) told me about probably two days after the offer that I had officially been admitted to the school, which was definitely a weight off of my back and my parents' backs," Harrington said.

Although Harrington worked out at Stanford's camp as an outside linebacker following his sophomore year, he'll actually begin his Cardinal career on the offensive side of the ball.

"I'm going to start of at tight end," Harrington said. "I honestly believe that they were trying to fit me in their class because they saw me in person and thought I was a good fit and a good athlete. So they were telling me about defense the whole time. And then I think when their tight end declared for the NFL Draft, that was the spot that opened up to get me on the team. And even though I'm starting off at tight end I understand that once you get there (things can change). But Coach Turner is coming for an in-home visit on Wednesday and I had meetings with him and (offensive coordinator) Coach Bloomgren all weekend long. They made it clear that they want me to play tight end, the 'Y' position tight end. The in-line tight end is where they envision me playing."

That's perfectly fine with Harrington.

"I would have to say that I like tight end the best," Harrington said. "I really like both of the aspects of it - blocking as well as going down the field and making plays. I think that's kind of what makes me different than a lot of tight ends, is that I'm not afraid to put my hand in the dirt and really drive block someone."

In addition to meeting with Stanford's coaches, professors and administrators, Harrington spent plenty of time with the Cardinal's current players on his visit.

"My host, Brian Chaffin, was really great to me, as well as Casey Toohill," Harrington said. "Those were the two kids that looked after me all weekend and made sure I met a lot of kids on the team and got a good feel for the campus. And they were a big part of it, just being around the kids and seeing how they all interacted together. It was different than any team I visited, and I visited a lot of high academic schools and high academic institutions. They were the most cohesive. And it just felt like everyone was kind of a similar person to me. That was the difference at the end of the day, was that it just felt right with the kids there.

"Some other highlights were obviously talking to the president of the university, that was really cool, and then the athletic director, too. Sunday morning I had a long talk with the athletic director over breakfast and we bonded pretty well. It really spoke to the type of person that Stanford attracts because of how everyone gets along so well and the athletics and academics are blended so uniquely."

Ultimately, Harrington knew that Stanford was the right fit for him before the visit concluded. He informed the Cardinal coaching staff of his thought process while still on campus and then made things official with Stanford after officially parting ways with Boston College.

"Sunday morning, I woke up that day and knew that it was the place for me," Harrington said. "So I talked to my parents before we went to breakfast. I didn't make anything official at breakfast, but I kind of told all of the coaches that I really thought it was the right place for me and I was going to wait (to officially commit) to make phone calls, though, to the Boston College coaches. I really respect them and I wanted to handle myself as a man and treat everyone with respect. So I had to make very dificult phone calls, but that's part of it.

"And I couldn't ask for a better university to accept me, and the coaches were all really excited. I told all of them at breakfast that morning and then I came back home, did what I had to do and called the Boston College coaches. And then Sunday, that day, we made a plan with all of the coaches that I was going to call Coach Anderson once I finished the process and officially give my commitment."

"I have tremendous respect for the Boston College program, school and the coaches. They're great people and I just at the end of the day had to do what I thought was right for myself and where I think that I can really succeed athletically and academically."