[2006alum]

Stanford appears to have a real problem on its hands, and is fighting a ridiculous up-hill battle in college football, making it harder on itself than frankly makes any sense at all. Consider these Stanford realities:

- Make recruits complete application process far more arduous than any other school
- Entrance requirements are higher than any other school 
- No early enrollment
- No JC players allowed
- Grad transfers out are common, Grad transfers in are virtually non-existent
- More guys retire and forego last year of eligibility than other schools
- Making matters even worse, Stanford employs a complicated offense that takes a long time to learn and get players producing

All of the bolded have nothing to do with the football program and everything to do with the university. Clemson and Alabama have 50% acceptance rates; Stanford's is 5% with a far more competitive applicant pool. In recent years, Stanford has taken between 0 and 40 transfers, almost all of whom are hard-scrabble success stories, military, or community college all-stars. Almost all of Stanford's grad programs are close to as competitive as the undergrad admissions, and it's probable the average desirable football player simply wouldn't have hit the academic metrics necessary to be admitted. 

I think (a) we drastically underestimate how well the football program has done given these hurdles, and (b) personally, would prefer the status quo to the alternative. OK, we'll never be Alabama or Clemson. In literally any other context, that's a virtue, not a flaw.

[2006alum]

Stanford appears to have a real problem on its hands, and is fighting a ridiculous up-hill battle in college football, making it harder on itself than frankly makes any sense at all. Consider these Stanford realities:

- Make recruits complete application process far more arduous than any other school
- Entrance requirements are higher than any other school 
- No early enrollment
- No JC players allowed
- Grad transfers out are common, Grad transfers in are virtually non-existent
- More guys retire and forego last year of eligibility than other schools
- Making matters even worse, Stanford employs a complicated offense that takes a long time to learn and get players producing

All of the bolded have nothing to do with the football program and everything to do with the university. Clemson and Alabama have 50% acceptance rates; Stanford's is 5% with a far more competitive applicant pool. In recent years, Stanford has taken between 0 and 40 transfers, almost all of whom are hard-scrabble success stories, military, or community college all-stars. Almost all of Stanford's grad programs are close to as competitive as the undergrad admissions, and it's probable the average desirable football player simply wouldn't have hit the academic metrics necessary to be admitted. 

I think (a) we drastically underestimate how well the football program has done given these hurdles, and (b) personally, would prefer the status quo to the alternative. OK, we'll never be Alabama or Clemson. In literally any other context, that's a virtue, not a flaw.