The offensive lineman spent five seasons at Stanford
TAMPA, Fla. – Having joined the ACC effective the 2024 season, Stanford made three trips to the Eastern time zone: Syracuse, Clemson and North Carolina State. That made travel arrangements a little easier on Connor McLaughlin’s parents, Kevin and Daun. After all, they were accustomed to constantly crisscrossing the continent during their son’s first four seasons of collegiate competition when the Cardinal was a member of the Pac-12.
There will be no such travel concerns this season with the 6-foot-7 and 304-pound offensive lineman having transferred to USF. Indeed, the Bulls do not leave the state until and October 10 date at North Texas.
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“I played at Stanford five years and I think my parents were just about out of (frequent flyer) miles,” said the Jesuit product, laughing at that jet-setting lifestyle Kevin and Daun undertook during in the fall.
Being back in Tampa for his final season of eligibility is something McLaughlin has cherished since transferring in the winter.
“I have a very tightknit family,” said McLaughlin, who is currently in a master’s program (entrepreneurship) at USF after earning Pac-12 academic honor roll recognition on three occasions. “I have a ton of support from my family, which is reassuring for me. For my last year of eligibility, I have a lot of people I know I can count on and I am going to do my best for them.”
McLaughlin wanted to at least play his final season in the same time zone as his family. His love of his native Tampa led him to USF, mere miles by car from the family home instead roughly 2,400 nautical miles one way by air.
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“It was a pretty easy choice and it was definitely on the top of my list,” he said. “When I got around the coaches, I felt a genuine and sincere approach from them. I also welcomed the knowledge that they have, and knew I needed to get as much out of this year, ring and dry, as I could. I want to be the best player I could in this final year, and it seemed like (USF) was a perfect fit.”
McLaughlin has been a perfect fit on the offensive line, which is a veteran group of holdovers and transfers. Even coming home after five seasons and 32 games at Stanford, the tackle (left or right) has not been taking it the least bit easy on a broiling practice field.
“More credit to Connor for being a sixth-year senior who has played a lot of snaps,” said offensive line coach Tyler Hudanek. “He is not out there in coast mode riding into the sunset. He goes to work every day and asks a lot of good questions. He provides a lot of veteran leadership in that room.”
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While McLaughlin’s choice of school to complete his collegiate career is in his family’s backyard, there are still some long-distance travel arrangements being made by his parents. Their other child, daughter Bridget, who went to the Academy of Holy Names, is on the crew team at UCLA. She has spent this summer working for a law firm in Prague. So, guess where Kevin and Daun went?
“They are actually in London right now,” he said on Thursday morning. “They went to see her in Prague. My dad is a huge history buff and loves (Winston) Churchill, so he is taking my mom all around the Churchill exhibits and war rooms.”
There will be no travel effort required to see their son play against Boise State at Raymond James Stadium in two weeks.
“They are still making trip (with Bridget), but at least it’s a little easier on them,” he said.
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