STANFORD, Calif. – Dan Priestley didn’t have a position, so coach Jim Harbaugh gave it his best guess: At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Priestley would be a defensive end for Stanford.
You see, Priestley didn’t have a spot because when he stepped on the field for the Cardinal halfway through spring ball, just a couple of weeks after competing in his final swim meet for Stanford, he hadn’t played football since eighth grade.
It’s certainly not the most natural of transitions at a school with a tradition of two-sport athletes, say the way it is for star running back Toby Gerhart when he switches gears to play baseball.
In Priestley’s case, this opportunity came together by chance.
He still had remaining eligibility and had always wanted to play football again. All he did was ask if he could.
orked out with the timing of things and here I am today.”
Priestley’s persistence through letters and, eventually, a meeting with Harbaugh earned the fifth-year senior a spot as a walk-on while he finishes up his double-major in mechanical engineering and computer science.
“What a story. It’s a great story,” Harbaugh said.
Not quite another Rudy Ruettiger – the undersized player who’d always dreamed of suiting up for Notre Dame and finally got his chance in 1975 – but Priestley’s loving this opportunity nonetheless.
Not that it’s been easy to make up for all the years away from football. He counts on the help from his coaches and teammates as he catches up for lost time.
As much time as Priestley has spent in the water, it’s even been a change sweating through a workout. He typically trained three to four hours in the pool most days.
“I was kind of water logged, so to speak,” Priestley said. “I loved every minute of it, but it’s a nice change of pace.”
And so far he’s managed to stay injury-free, aside from “the normal bumps and bruises that come with football.”
“The one thing that swimming probably did benefit me is I never had impact injuries,” Priestley said. “Swimming also lends itself to good supportive structure of joints and muscles.”
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The All-American swimmer even earned some captain votes from his new teammates. He isn’t at all worried about if or when he ever plays in a game – though that would be a nice reward, and Harbaugh figures it will happen at some point.
Priestley knows if he helps his teammates prepare for game day and they have success, then he’s doing his part.
He is thrilled Harbaugh went for the plan, knowing many coaches at high-profile programs might not have created a spot for him.
Harbaugh said swim coach Skip Kenney’s strong recommendation weighed heavily in his decision. Priestley said he and Harbaugh talked for all of about five minutes, then the coach had someone take him to the compliance office so he could be added to the roster.
Then it was full speed ahead.
“From the first meeting I was just really impressed that he had this vision that he wanted to play football and wanted to help the football team,” Harbaugh said. “His motivation and his attitude was in the right place. He’s a tremendously hard worker. The thing I didn’t expect which he brought is leadership. For somebody who’s not a starter or backup, it just really speaks to the kind of impact he’s had.”
Priestley’s position way back when: quarterback and punter.
“So, very different from what I’m doing now,” he said with a smile.
ded. That’s been a struggle.
On the field, he becomes more at ease with Harbaugh’s system and schemes with each practice and by paying close attention while observing games. He appreciates the patience and guidance from teammates, who welcomed and accepted Priestley from the start.
“It’s great. He helps the team so much,” quarterback Andrew Luck said. “He shows it in practice. I can’t imagine that (walking on to a different sport). It’s incredible. I’m sure he feels a lot more comfortable now, and it shows. He runs around with a lot of energy.”
Priestley’s list of accolades in the water is long.
He finished fourth as a member of the 400-meter freestyle relay at the 2008 NCAA swim meet. He raced the 100 free at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and competed in the national championships.
At Michigan’s Birmingham Seaholm High School, Priestley was a 15-time All-American and a four-year letter-winner in swimming and water polo, swim team MVP all four years and captain for both sports. An eight-time Michigan state champion and a three-time member of state champion relays, he also was Michigan High School Swimmer of the Year in 2004 and ’05.
Sports aren’t his only thing, either. Aside from his hard work in the classroom toward two degrees, he’s the public address announcer for sporting events all over campus.
He’s worked in jobs related to the auto industry in recent years, too.
some point I would love to return and work with cars. That’s a real passion of mine,” Priestley said.
For now, it’s football.
“It’s been a great ride,” he said. “Football’s always something I’ve loved and something I was sad that I had to have to give up to pursue swimming at the level I wanted to. This is really the chance I saw as my last opportunity to play. It’s been a really awesome experience.”
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