Standout football player Geoff Meinken decided his future is in Palo Alto, not Pullman.
Meinken, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior at Lynnwood High School, said on Dec. 12 he withdrew his verbal commitment to play for Washington State University and committed to Stanford University.
Meinken, an All-Wesco South defensive end and running back, changed his mind Tuesday after learning his application to Stanford had been accepted.
Meinken verbally committed to WSU in May. But Stanford offered him a scholarship in October, and in November he took an official recruiting trip to Stanford’s campus in Palo Alto, Calif.
Verbal commitments are non-binding. Class of 2009 prep football players can’t sign a binding NCAA National Letter of Intent until February.
Meinken said the main factor in his decision was academics. Stanford’s educational opportunities were simply too good to pass up. Meinken has a 3.45 grade-point average and carries a full load of advanced-placement and honors classes.
Meinken said the Stanford coaches told him he could play defensive tackle, middle linebacker or fullback.
“I don’t really care (which position) I play,” he said.
Meinken called WSU Tuesday night and informed the Cougars coaching staff of his decision. “It was pretty hard. I just had to get it done, though,” he said.
Next, Meinken called Stanford head football coach Jim Harbaugh and announced his new commitment.
“He was fired up. He was really excited,” Meinken said of Harbaugh. “He said I made his day.”
Asked if WSU’s miserable football season – the Cougars were 2-11 and allowed 43.8 points per game – had an effect on his college plans, Meinken said, “It’s always in the back of your mind, but not really. Education was the main factor.”
Mike Cane writes for The Herald in Everett.
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