You could detail on an almost daily basis the numerous seedy, sordid sides of the game of college football. Fortunately, thanks to the University of Oklahoma, this is not one of those times.
In February of this year, Laith Harlow officially became a member of OU’s 2012 recruiting class. Unfortunately, a back injury that resulted in surgery during midseason of Harlow’s senior year in high school -- and led to months of rehab that the player hoped would allow him to return to the playing field -- will end his collegiate playing career before it even got a chance to get started.
That’s the bad news. The good news? OU intends to honor Harlow’s scholarship and placing him on a medical hardship. Head coach Bob Stoops was one of the coaches who informed the tight end of the school’s decision Wednesday afternoon. Harlow said “it meant a lot” to hear it directly from the coaching staff, adding "[t]here is no nice way of saying that your dream is being taken away.”
“It was my dream to play at Oklahoma, and I did everything I could,” Harlow told ESPN.com. “I want those great OU fans to know I never gave up hope. I kept trying, but I have to listen to the doctors.
“As bad as I feel right now, I can’t just give up on everything. I still have a lot of things that other kids will never have.”
At least for now, Harlow intends to remain at the school because he doesn’t “want to leave the OU family.” There could also be second medical opinions and additional surgeries in his future as well.
Harlow was one of four tight ends OU signed in its most recent recruiting class, rated as a three-star recruit out of Tallahassee and the No. 25 TE in the country according to Rivals.com and 247Sports.com‘s No. 12 TE.