[CTcard]

I don't think 5th year attrition is particularly unusual. We've always had some players who do not return for a 5th year for whatever reason -- limited playing time, wanting to pursue academic ambitions, not invited back, transfer, health issues, tired of the football grind, or just graduating and wanting to get on with life.

I don't have stats to back this up, but I think the last few years we have lost a larger share of attritable players after their third or fourth years than in the past.  

attritable??

My own guess is that this falls into the category of Socrates complaining that the kids these days are making society go down the toilet (or whatever exactly Socrates was using). 
It seems each year Stanford fans are shocked by the amount of attrition, promptly forgetting about it in time to be shocked again the next year.  

From the ultra helpful personnel tracker, here are our academic senior players with a year of eligibility, and how they project next year:
Cameron Scarlett: current back-up, likely starter
Reagan Williams: current starter, likely starter (to the extent we still use a fullback)
JJ Arcega-Whiteside: current starter, declared pro (obviously would have been a starter)
Nick Wilson: current back-up, projected starter (decided not to return)
Brian Chaffin: current back-up, possible starter (but likely back-up)
Dylan Jackson: injured, but was a starter, likely starter (decided not to return)
Casey Toohill: current starter, projected starter
Sean Barton: current starter, projected starter
Ryan Beecher: former walk-on, not a projected starter
Frank Buncom: current starter, projected starter
Ben Edwards: injured, but was a starter, projected starter

As Terry noted in one case, I think you are being overly aggressive in projecting starters out of this group. 

I do worry a bit about discontent - there is always some in a group this large, particularly when by definition only about 1/4 of the roster is being used to what they feel is their full potential. From outside its always hard to tell the difference between more discontent and more of the discontented speaking up. It had always appeared to me that keeping the team's attitude on track has been a Shaw strength.

[CTcard]

I don't think 5th year attrition is particularly unusual. We've always had some players who do not return for a 5th year for whatever reason -- limited playing time, wanting to pursue academic ambitions, not invited back, transfer, health issues, tired of the football grind, or just graduating and wanting to get on with life.

I don't have stats to back this up, but I think the last few years we have lost a larger share of attritable players after their third or fourth years than in the past.  

attritable??

My own guess is that this falls into the category of Socrates complaining that the kids these days are making society go down the toilet (or whatever exactly Socrates was using). 
It seems each year Stanford fans are shocked by the amount of attrition, promptly forgetting about it in time to be shocked again the next year.  

From the ultra helpful personnel tracker, here are our academic senior players with a year of eligibility, and how they project next year:
Cameron Scarlett: current back-up, likely starter
Reagan Williams: current starter, likely starter (to the extent we still use a fullback)
JJ Arcega-Whiteside: current starter, declared pro (obviously would have been a starter)
Nick Wilson: current back-up, projected starter (decided not to return)
Brian Chaffin: current back-up, possible starter (but likely back-up)
Dylan Jackson: injured, but was a starter, likely starter (decided not to return)
Casey Toohill: current starter, projected starter
Sean Barton: current starter, projected starter
Ryan Beecher: former walk-on, not a projected starter
Frank Buncom: current starter, projected starter
Ben Edwards: injured, but was a starter, projected starter

As Terry noted in one case, I think you are being overly aggressive in projecting starters out of this group. 

I do worry a bit about discontent - there is always some in a group this large, particularly when by definition only about 1/4 of the roster is being used to what they feel is their full potential. From outside its always hard to tell the difference between more discontent and more of the discontented speaking up. It had always appeared to me that keeping the team's attitude on track has been a Shaw strength.