Summer time Scheming ‘25: Stanford Cardinal

Stanford completed the 2024 season 3-9 with ACC wins over Syracuse and Louisville. The Cardinal have struggled recently together with solely one successful season since 2019, the 2020 COVID season the place they went 4-2.

The Troy Taylor rent was a catastrophe. Taylor received six video games in two seasons and was fired this spring by new GM Andrew Luck whereas beneath some controversy. Luck changed Taylor with an interim head coach in Frank Reich. Sure, these are that Luck and that Reich.

Stanford signed the twelfth finest class within the ACC in ‘25, good for 54th in FBS. 4-star WR JonAnthony Corridor was the cream of the crop on this low season’s class.

Stanford may need the worst schedule I’ve seen in years relating to each high quality of opponent and journey. The Cardinal aren’t simply touring to Hawaii and Provo, but in addition to face UVA, SMU, Miami, and UNC. Stanford may also host FSU, plucky San Jose State, Pitt and Notre Dame.

The Card Preseason General SP+ is 88th in FBS. The Cardinal are the bottom rated ACC staff per Invoice Connelly’s metrics. In the meantime their ST’s are twenty eighth in SP+.

The Lean ‘Canes Enterprise Mannequin

Downside: They’re within the ACC now, and that was a horrible transfer for the Cardinal. For a college that worth innovation and creativity Stanford did the least authentic factor they might by following Cal into quite a lot of cross nation flights per 12 months. I’m unsure the place groups like Stanford and Cal match within the fashionable faculty soccer world, but it surely’s absolutely not within the ACC.

Resolution: Their try at an answer was to rent Andrew Luck as GM and hearth Taylor as head coach. Stanford introduced in an NFL veteran coach in Reich (41-43-1 within the NFL) because the interim.

I do not know what that actually gives for Stanford as an answer as they’re trapped in NIL and switch portal purgatory with the price of dwelling in Palo Alto and the tutorial expectations of Stanford. Perhaps the “good guys” want their very own convention (Rice, Northwestern, Stanford, Cal, Tulane, the service academies).

Distinctive Worth Proposition: It’s Stanford they usually have a tutorial expertise that’s second to none in addition to a stupendous campus in case you can afford to stay there.

Picture by David Madison/Getty Pictures

Key Metric: Giveaways. The Cardinal QB’s have been throwing interceptions like Oprah handing out new automobiles. If the combo of Reich and Luck can do something for Brown it’s to chop down on the 10:12 TD:INT ratio that Daniels had a 12 months in the past, and the 2:3 ratio Brown had final season as nicely. Handle the soccer and issues may change for the offense and protection.

Aggressive Benefit: Stanford was once vastly forward of the sport in energy and conditioning beneath Shannon Turley. Turley has had an odd profession path since being fired from Stanford after which Colorado and he’s now a highschool energy coach in Colorado. However the level continues to be that they have been far forward of the sport beneath Turley, and the event of gamers would possibly have to be their C.A. as soon as once more.

The Achievers

The Excessive Achievers one of many excessive achievers Stanford will most likely must deal with is Clemson. The Cardinal received’t work the switch portal for a dozen, or almost two dozen new transfers like SMU and Miami have, respectively. Clemson recruits for match and character, even when it places them somewhat decrease down the 247 rankings. Stanford wants to search out gamers that match their mould and who’re searching for a chunk of paper that claims Stanford on the finish of 4 years of CFB.

The Low Achievers embody Stanford, they usually want to determine how to not be poached like they’ve been, or their fellow backside feeders in Wake Forest and UVA and Cal.

The Offense

The preseason SP+ for Stanford on offense is 82nd in all of FBS. Stanford solely scored 22.8 PPG in ‘24 (106th in FBS).

QB Ashton Daniels has left Palo Alto for The Plains which leaves Elijah Brown and Bear Bachmeier to battle over the beginning QB job. Whoever the QB is, they’ll be joined within the backfield by RB Micah Ford.

The offense added round eight switch to the two-deep. WR CJ Williams, who’s now on his third faculty soccer staff, averaged 15.5 yards per catch a 12 months in the past. Even Stanford is entering into the repeat portal offenders in ‘25.

The Movie: Stanford 26 vs. Syracuse 24

3-9 Stanford beat a Syracuse staff that upset Miami to knock the ‘Canes out of the ACC Championship Recreation and the CFB Playoff. So how did they do it? The groups have been even in penalties and shut in penalty yards.

They each turned the ball over twice, however that’s the place a deeper look matters- one Stanford INT was a defensive rating for the Cardinal. We all know how a lot that impacted the sport in favor of ‘Cuse vs. Miami on the fumble return. Not all turnovers are created equally.

Above– Offenses use shifts and movement to pressure the protection to speak and modify. Syracuse goes to have this LB transfer with the RB that’s in movement.

Above– now you’ve obtained a security rotated into the field as a LB and a LB out within the flat as a security. That’s the way you win on a bullet movement.

Above– Syracuse thinks they’re establishing the short swing display screen however in actuality it’s a “cash” name and the WR isn’t blocking, he’s faking it earlier than operating change.

Above– You may see the response of the Orange DB when he realizes he’s been tricked. That’s the cat and mouse recreation that makes soccer a lot enjoyable.

Above– After which it’s a must to end the play. Nice athletic seize from the Stanford WR.

The Protection

The defensive preseason SP+ for the Cardinal is 96th within the nation after permitting 33.7 PPG a 12 months in the past (116th in FBS). Stanford misplaced David Bailey to Texas Tech’s portal kombat (eight TFL’s seven sacks).

Nevertheless, the Cardinal return LB Tevarua Tafiti (seven TFL’s), CB Collin Wright (5 PBU’s, three INT’s), and S Mitch Leigber (two INT’s, one TD).

Stanford will depend on homegrown expertise on the defensive facet of the ball as they’ve added solely a small variety of portal transfers for that facet.

Above– Pre-snap Kyle McCord can see he’s obtained a number of potential points for the submit route he ultimately throws. 43, 35, 8, and 5 can all be potential center of subject gap drop guys.

Above– 32 leaves the center to interrupt to the facet, 5 goes to his facet parting the ocean. 8 is frozen by the play-action and 35 is a stress man.

Above– McCord does an important job of trying that security over to the sideline earlier than coming again to the submit.

Above– The WR might be lead away from that DB due to the open center of the sphere.

Stanford is an entire mess and I do not know what they’re going to do on protection, however that’s an early “what’s open” look vs. the Cardinal for Carson Beck and Miami.

2025 Prediction

Picture by Wesley Hitt/Getty Pictures

The Canyonero Keys to Victory for the ‘Canes this season over Stanford is for bully ball mode of Mario to be initiated. Don’t get cute, simply curb stomp the Cardinal and get this butt whooping over with.

Method too early prediction: Miami by 21. Stanford will end 2-10 with the Frank Reich and Andrew Luck mixture attempting to determine what to do within the NIL and switch portal period at a spot like Stanford. Stanford performs the thirty third hardest schedule which for them is much an excessive amount of firepower to beat.