[Austroturf]

My point was Little really only meaningfully contributed to Stanford for that one season. His Soph season he was injured in the first game and missed the season. Then he opted out of Covid year to prepare for draft. He could have been great for Stanford but he didn't even play one full season.

Anyway, nobody commented on David Shaw's signing day press event, so I will.  

Shaw did a fantastic job. The reporters did not cover themselves in glory, however.

In his opening remarks Shaw said all the typical stuff about the players in the class, notably claiming he believes Stanford signed the best TE class in the country, regardless of rankings.  Also thinks David Bailey should be ranked higher. Speaking of Bailey, he's the only guy for whom there was no individual introduction video. Kind of odd considering he is the headliner of the class.

Shaw also said this season was not them and it won't happen again. He didn't make any excuses. Just said "that is all behind us and we won't see that again." I'm guessing he probably has said the same thing to his bosses.

The most interesting things discussed IMO, were a product of Troy Clardy's questions. Specifically, he asked about transfer portal and early entries. Shaw then took that question and added early visits on to his answer.  It was the most insightful part of the event, IMO.

Basically Shaw said early entries had to be addressed, not just for football, but other sports. So all the campus constituencies got together, studied how it could be done, and agreed on a framework for allowing them. Part of the rationale is if you've over achieved in High School, why shouldn't you be welcomed to Stanford early? So while at football factories, your ability to play the game drives your ability to enroll early, at Stanford, its that, plus your scholastic achievement, as it is for regular admittance as an athlete.

Then, as it comes to earlier official visits - which I believe is the most critical factor in Stanford being able to compete in recruiting - the school also decided that they would allow early official visits only to recruits who had "made enough academic progress that they would have a realistic shot to be admitted" were they to apply. Reading between the lines, I think this might mean also having to have requested an application and maybe even started it to some degree. So now the recruit is told about the Stanford process, knowing that they can come for a free official visit before they commit, but they must have checked off a few academic prerequisites to show serious Stanford interest before they do. I think this is smart, fair, and will lead to more recruiting success, including better alignment between Stanford recruits. I have always thought there were a few players each year who would have signed with Stanford had they been able to visit before committing/signing. This new visit approach won't miss them.

On the transfer portal, Shaw sees disaster this coming year as a result of the extra year of eligibility for Covid year. He believes there are a lot of guys in the portal who won't be playing football due to the squeeze of early enrollees, or won't be playing at the level they prefer.

Where the reporters failed was nobody asked Shaw a single solitary question about what went wrong this year or anything about how he intends to change anything to turn things around.  I mean he made some pretty bold statements about this not happening again, and not a single question about how it won't. It was almost like they were afraid to ask. And no reporter from Chronicle or Merc, from what I could tell. Not even Wilner, who probably would have been the only one to ask the tough questions.

One observation after looking at all the videos. LB Matt Rose is my favorite recruit in the class. He has the fire to be that "Skov type" y'all have been clamoring to see. He is a 4-year starter type that you can build your program on, IMO.

Great post, OF.  Very much appreciate the summary.  

And, yes, I like the fiery determination of Coach Shaw insisting that 2021 will not happen again.  But a few details might have been nice.  Of course, if he has any staff changes planned, he would not be divulging them at such an event.  Nonetheless, just saying 3-9 is in the past and will not occur again is only words.  And of course the journalists did not challenge him.  He appears to have cowed them long ago so that nobody dares ask a nasty question.  

Nice to hear about your expectations regarding Rose.  My fear is that Skov-types are a thing of the past at Stanford (and elsewhere for that matter).  A really good linebacker will probably check out after 3 seasons and head for the NFL; and if he spends one of those as a redshirt, he plays 2 seasons.  Let's see.   Skov started immediately in 2009 and started all 13 games, was injured early in 2011 vs. Arizona and used his medical redshirt to play out his entire eligibility (through 2013).  Who does that anymore?

Gotta get as many of their best athletes on the field as possible. From day one.  That means playing freshman and accepting there  will be some mistakes.  Also should mean cutting the playbook down.  Considerably.  The days of breaking guys in slowly are done.  Cause they might be gone quickly.

As we have seen recently.

[Austroturf]

My point was Little really only meaningfully contributed to Stanford for that one season. His Soph season he was injured in the first game and missed the season. Then he opted out of Covid year to prepare for draft. He could have been great for Stanford but he didn't even play one full season.

Anyway, nobody commented on David Shaw's signing day press event, so I will.  

Shaw did a fantastic job. The reporters did not cover themselves in glory, however.

In his opening remarks Shaw said all the typical stuff about the players in the class, notably claiming he believes Stanford signed the best TE class in the country, regardless of rankings.  Also thinks David Bailey should be ranked higher. Speaking of Bailey, he's the only guy for whom there was no individual introduction video. Kind of odd considering he is the headliner of the class.

Shaw also said this season was not them and it won't happen again. He didn't make any excuses. Just said "that is all behind us and we won't see that again." I'm guessing he probably has said the same thing to his bosses.

The most interesting things discussed IMO, were a product of Troy Clardy's questions. Specifically, he asked about transfer portal and early entries. Shaw then took that question and added early visits on to his answer.  It was the most insightful part of the event, IMO.

Basically Shaw said early entries had to be addressed, not just for football, but other sports. So all the campus constituencies got together, studied how it could be done, and agreed on a framework for allowing them. Part of the rationale is if you've over achieved in High School, why shouldn't you be welcomed to Stanford early? So while at football factories, your ability to play the game drives your ability to enroll early, at Stanford, its that, plus your scholastic achievement, as it is for regular admittance as an athlete.

Then, as it comes to earlier official visits - which I believe is the most critical factor in Stanford being able to compete in recruiting - the school also decided that they would allow early official visits only to recruits who had "made enough academic progress that they would have a realistic shot to be admitted" were they to apply. Reading between the lines, I think this might mean also having to have requested an application and maybe even started it to some degree. So now the recruit is told about the Stanford process, knowing that they can come for a free official visit before they commit, but they must have checked off a few academic prerequisites to show serious Stanford interest before they do. I think this is smart, fair, and will lead to more recruiting success, including better alignment between Stanford recruits. I have always thought there were a few players each year who would have signed with Stanford had they been able to visit before committing/signing. This new visit approach won't miss them.

On the transfer portal, Shaw sees disaster this coming year as a result of the extra year of eligibility for Covid year. He believes there are a lot of guys in the portal who won't be playing football due to the squeeze of early enrollees, or won't be playing at the level they prefer.

Where the reporters failed was nobody asked Shaw a single solitary question about what went wrong this year or anything about how he intends to change anything to turn things around.  I mean he made some pretty bold statements about this not happening again, and not a single question about how it won't. It was almost like they were afraid to ask. And no reporter from Chronicle or Merc, from what I could tell. Not even Wilner, who probably would have been the only one to ask the tough questions.

One observation after looking at all the videos. LB Matt Rose is my favorite recruit in the class. He has the fire to be that "Skov type" y'all have been clamoring to see. He is a 4-year starter type that you can build your program on, IMO.

Great post, OF.  Very much appreciate the summary.  

And, yes, I like the fiery determination of Coach Shaw insisting that 2021 will not happen again.  But a few details might have been nice.  Of course, if he has any staff changes planned, he would not be divulging them at such an event.  Nonetheless, just saying 3-9 is in the past and will not occur again is only words.  And of course the journalists did not challenge him.  He appears to have cowed them long ago so that nobody dares ask a nasty question.  

Nice to hear about your expectations regarding Rose.  My fear is that Skov-types are a thing of the past at Stanford (and elsewhere for that matter).  A really good linebacker will probably check out after 3 seasons and head for the NFL; and if he spends one of those as a redshirt, he plays 2 seasons.  Let's see.   Skov started immediately in 2009 and started all 13 games, was injured early in 2011 vs. Arizona and used his medical redshirt to play out his entire eligibility (through 2013).  Who does that anymore?

Gotta get as many of their best athletes on the field as possible. From day one.  That means playing freshman and accepting there  will be some mistakes.  Also should mean cutting the playbook down.  Considerably.  The days of breaking guys in slowly are done.  Cause they might be gone quickly.

As we have seen recently.