Sallisaw's Gladd Changes Commitment from Stanford to Tulsa

Originally Published: Jan 11, 2011 11:10 AM CDT

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Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

SALLISAW, Oklahoma – Sallisaw offensive lineman Garrett Gladd, one of Oklahoma Sports’s Top 30 players in the state, has changed his college commitment from Stanford to Tulsa.

Gladd committed to Stanford before his senior season began, and in an interview with Oklahoma Sports last year said his visit to the Stanford campus blew him away.

“I got to meet a lot of great coaches and I got to meet a lot of great players,” Gladd said at the time. “I fell in love with (Stanford). It’s been a fun time for me. When I went out there, everything clicked for me.”

Stanford capped its season with a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin and finished ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll released Tuesday. Head coach Jim Harbaugh became a hot commodity for open coaching jobs across college and the NFL, and eventually signed a contract with the San Francisco 49ers last week.

Gladd’s decision to switch from Stanford to Tulsa came the day after Harbaugh’s announced departure from the Cardinal, but Sallisaw head coach Craig Benson said the two were not associated.

“I don’t think that had anything to do with Garrett’s decision,” Benson said. “You choose the school, not the coach. TU did its due diligence in recruiting.”

Tulsa will also undergo major coaching changes next season after losing its head coach and offensive coordinator in the same day. Todd Graham took the head coaching position at Pittsburgh, while Chad Morris became the new offensive coordinator at Clemson.

“It’s just an unusual year; there’s several jobs in the nation that caused a domino effect,” Benson said. “Is it a shock with all the musical chairs? Not really.”

Benson said it is his job to make sure his players are ready for the next level, and he takes that job very seriously. He said he does push players in any direction, but gives guidance once it is requested.

“I wait for [the players] to ask; it’s not about coaches, it’s about these young men to me,” Benson said. “When they leave our flock, they’re on their own.”

Oklahoma Sports will conduct an interview with Gladd at 2 p.m. Tuesday, so check back for more updates to this story.