Stanford Cardinal Football Offseason Preview

In the early part of the past decade, Stanford football was as reliable as any program in the Pac-12, with the possible exception of Oregon. David Shaw had a powerhouse national program with Andrew Luck at quarterback and a bone-crushing defensive line with elite linebackers to shut down opponents’ rushing games. Stanford had a bruising offensive line which created holes for elite running backs. When defenses loaded up the tackle box to stop the run, a play-action pass with Luck or Kevin Hogan would be able to strike deep down the field and gain big yardage. Stanford had the toughness and depth of an elite program. The Cardinal battled the Oregon Ducks for Pac-12 supremacy. Stanford made the Fiesta Bowl in the 2011 season, the Rose Bowl in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Stanford won two Rose Bowls in that period of time and established itself as one of the best programs in college football, a team everyone else in the Pac-12 had to contend with in order to be great. As late as 2017, Stanford was still at the top of the conference, appearing in the Pac-12 Championship Game and showing what it was capable of.

In the five years since 2017, the Cardinal have fallen on very hard times. Stanford has won a total of 20 games in the last four seasons, only 11 in the last three. The level of talent within the program has plummeted. Any injuries to key players at key positions have had a dramatically more significant effect on the program, since the level of depth Stanford used to possess no longer exists. Shaw is in rebuilding mode, and that’s not where the program wants to be. Yet, that’s the process this team must endure if it wants to return to the high standard established a decade ago on The Farm in Palo Alto.

Key Personnel Lost

Defensive tackle Thomas Booker and running back Austin Jones were very important players on last year’s team. The Cardinal need to find high-quality replacements for them in order to restore what has been lost within this program.

Important Incoming Freshmen

Defensive end Ernest Cooper IV, linebacker David Bailey, running back Arlen Harris, linebacker Tevarua Tafiti, offensive tackle Fisher Anderson, and defensive tackle Jaxson Moi are some of the best recruits in what is being viewed as one of Stanford’s best recruiting classes of the past several years. These faces will try to upgrade the 2022 roster, but the real hope is that they will become elite players when they become sophomores in 2023 and juniors in 2024.  

Key Position Battles

Stanford’s offensive line is at the heart of the David Shaw philosophy. Stanford has to be able to dictate play with its offensive front so that opposing teams can’t control the ball or the clock. If Stanford can’t keep the ball away from its opponents, the Cardinal will suffer. Therefore, getting a developed sense of which offensive linemen are the best of the bunch will be important for Shaw and his staff.

Biggest Offseason Goal(s)

Stanford’s defensive front was the cornerstone of the great Shaw teams of 10 years ago. Getting the defense back to a level where it sets the tone for this team, and reduces the burden on the offense to score, is the main goal for the Cardinal entering the start of the new season.