[Beeg_Dawg]

What would be the reason to keep people on football scholarships if they aren't providing the value expected of those on scholarship. If players aren't good enough or are injured, why can't they be put on some other scholarship, but not a football one?

The reason is that we make a pact with these kids: if you commit to devoting your time to the sport, we'll pay for your college. 

If they turn out to not be good enough, that doesn't mean they broke any commitment. 

As far as I know, Stanford has not generally "encouraged" lesser performing athletes to discover reasons they want to transfer or find different pursuits. I am sure it has happened from time to time individually, and have heard of some possible iffy cases, but that appears to be the exception. I believe that for the head-count sports Stanford now officially offers four year scholarships (though I don't remember that ever being publicly stated). This was a big issue nationally a few years back. 

If players are injured such that they can no longer play, they can medically retire; Stanford can still pay their education costs and it does not count against the scholarship limit. As far as I know, Stanford always does so.  

The rules do not allow for Stanford to give players full scholarships (or at least scholarships not available to all students) to athletes leaving the team and have that not count against scholarship limits.

A small caveat on medical retirement- Stanford honors the scholarship as long as the student athlete is in good academic standing AND stays on track to graduate on schedule.

[Beeg_Dawg]

What would be the reason to keep people on football scholarships if they aren't providing the value expected of those on scholarship. If players aren't good enough or are injured, why can't they be put on some other scholarship, but not a football one?

The reason is that we make a pact with these kids: if you commit to devoting your time to the sport, we'll pay for your college. 

If they turn out to not be good enough, that doesn't mean they broke any commitment. 

As far as I know, Stanford has not generally "encouraged" lesser performing athletes to discover reasons they want to transfer or find different pursuits. I am sure it has happened from time to time individually, and have heard of some possible iffy cases, but that appears to be the exception. I believe that for the head-count sports Stanford now officially offers four year scholarships (though I don't remember that ever being publicly stated). This was a big issue nationally a few years back. 

If players are injured such that they can no longer play, they can medically retire; Stanford can still pay their education costs and it does not count against the scholarship limit. As far as I know, Stanford always does so.  

The rules do not allow for Stanford to give players full scholarships (or at least scholarships not available to all students) to athletes leaving the team and have that not count against scholarship limits.

A small caveat on medical retirement- Stanford honors the scholarship as long as the student athlete is in good academic standing AND stays on track to graduate on schedule.