[SamuelMcF]

All of the following left the Stanford program after last season with eligibility remaining -
Reagan Williams
Frank Buncom
JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Sean Barton
Nick Wilson
Brian Chaffin
Dylan Jackson

Only three chose to return for a 5th year - Beecher, Toohill, Scarlett. In the past, Stanford has had more often 6 to 10 5th years.

Was this a blip or the start of a troubling trend? Shaw relies on 5th year seniors for experience and leadership. He may have to change his approach drastically if it becomes SOP to lose most of the senior class every year (and a few juniors too).

Add in Ben Edwards who could have gotten a redshirt for last year and you have 4 defensive starters opting to not return.  If those guys return, I think we beat Cal and Colorado and go bowling.  Barton especially would have been big impact. I don't remember a single starter opting to retire from football with eligibility remaining much less four in one year. Unexpectedly losing those guys really changed the outlook for our season. On offense, Wilson and Chaffin likely would have started on the OL after the injuries.  Chaffin at least didn't retire and grad transferred.

Buncom and Edwards both for medical reasons, FWIW. Not "opting not to return." They had no choice.

When the much younger Drew Dalman beat out Chaffin for the backup C spot (AND Wilson for a backup G spot when Jesse Burkett was healthy) last year, that was the nail in the coffin. Don't blame them for moving on.

Barton, a 25-year-old 5th year senior? I guess we've seen LDS 5th years before, but I kinda don't blame him for moving on either.

Jackson still somewhat of a head scratcher, but a major leg injury before our bowl game last season couldn't have helped.

Shaw never used Reagan Williams as much as I wished he had. We also stopped running as much power (and basically abandoned it this year). Not sure how much Bloom used him at Rice this season, but in the game I watched he did come in for a few plays and brutalize LBs as he always did.

Interestingly, because there are so few 5th years on the team, we actually NEED more attrition this year in order to accommodate what should be another 20+ man freshman class.

[SamuelMcF]

All of the following left the Stanford program after last season with eligibility remaining -
Reagan Williams
Frank Buncom
JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Sean Barton
Nick Wilson
Brian Chaffin
Dylan Jackson

Only three chose to return for a 5th year - Beecher, Toohill, Scarlett. In the past, Stanford has had more often 6 to 10 5th years.

Was this a blip or the start of a troubling trend? Shaw relies on 5th year seniors for experience and leadership. He may have to change his approach drastically if it becomes SOP to lose most of the senior class every year (and a few juniors too).

Add in Ben Edwards who could have gotten a redshirt for last year and you have 4 defensive starters opting to not return.  If those guys return, I think we beat Cal and Colorado and go bowling.  Barton especially would have been big impact. I don't remember a single starter opting to retire from football with eligibility remaining much less four in one year. Unexpectedly losing those guys really changed the outlook for our season. On offense, Wilson and Chaffin likely would have started on the OL after the injuries.  Chaffin at least didn't retire and grad transferred.

Buncom and Edwards both for medical reasons, FWIW. Not "opting not to return." They had no choice.

When the much younger Drew Dalman beat out Chaffin for the backup C spot (AND Wilson for a backup G spot when Jesse Burkett was healthy) last year, that was the nail in the coffin. Don't blame them for moving on.

Barton, a 25-year-old 5th year senior? I guess we've seen LDS 5th years before, but I kinda don't blame him for moving on either.

Jackson still somewhat of a head scratcher, but a major leg injury before our bowl game last season couldn't have helped.

Shaw never used Reagan Williams as much as I wished he had. We also stopped running as much power (and basically abandoned it this year). Not sure how much Bloom used him at Rice this season, but in the game I watched he did come in for a few plays and brutalize LBs as he always did.

Interestingly, because there are so few 5th years on the team, we actually NEED more attrition this year in order to accommodate what should be another 20+ man freshman class.