[Hank 91]

I've wondering about this for the past four or five years, and I think what we're seeing is what happens when you recruit players who have options beyond football. Except for a handful of elite players, most of these kids arrive at Stanford with twin goals of playing football at a high level and obtaining a Stanford degree. This is a broad generalization, but I don't think too many kids head to Clemson or Alabama with that in mind. They want a college education, most of them, but they probably aren't drawn by the Clemson or Alabama academic brand.

So if you've got a kid who's already thinking that way, it shouldn't be surprising when he finishes his senior of college and begins to think about other things. It also shouldn't be surprising when those thoughts change. Two of my strongest memories from my senior year involve this. I arrived on campus in late September, and I was kind of heartbroken that it would be my last September. I couldn't imagine leaving the place that had given me the best three years of my life to that date, but in the spring I couldn't have been more ready to leave. It was shocking, really, how dramatically my feelings changed in such a short time. I was tired of the academic grind (even though those who knew me then would never have described me as a grinder), and I wasn't spending four to six hours a day on football. It never surprises me when players want to graduate and move on.

Also, and here's another generalization, these intelligent players surely have a deep understanding of the risks they take each time they pull on their helmets. I'm sure all football players understand this, but if you're a Stanford player who has gotten to the level where the NFL becomes a possibility, an early departure probably says more about appreciating the narrow window of that opportunity than anything else. Bryce Love was obviously the rare exception, but he didn't stay for his senior because he loved football, he stayed because he loved education. If we compare him to Christian McCaffrey and his decision to leave early, neither choice can be viewed as a surprise. Christian remains one of my favorite Stanford players ever, but I never saw or read anything that made me think he loved being a student. He was always headed to the NFL, so he was always going to leave after his junior year.

In short, this is just the way it is, and I wouldn't have it any different.

[Hank 91]

I've wondering about this for the past four or five years, and I think what we're seeing is what happens when you recruit players who have options beyond football. Except for a handful of elite players, most of these kids arrive at Stanford with twin goals of playing football at a high level and obtaining a Stanford degree. This is a broad generalization, but I don't think too many kids head to Clemson or Alabama with that in mind. They want a college education, most of them, but they probably aren't drawn by the Clemson or Alabama academic brand.

So if you've got a kid who's already thinking that way, it shouldn't be surprising when he finishes his senior of college and begins to think about other things. It also shouldn't be surprising when those thoughts change. Two of my strongest memories from my senior year involve this. I arrived on campus in late September, and I was kind of heartbroken that it would be my last September. I couldn't imagine leaving the place that had given me the best three years of my life to that date, but in the spring I couldn't have been more ready to leave. It was shocking, really, how dramatically my feelings changed in such a short time. I was tired of the academic grind (even though those who knew me then would never have described me as a grinder), and I wasn't spending four to six hours a day on football. It never surprises me when players want to graduate and move on.

Also, and here's another generalization, these intelligent players surely have a deep understanding of the risks they take each time they pull on their helmets. I'm sure all football players understand this, but if you're a Stanford player who has gotten to the level where the NFL becomes a possibility, an early departure probably says more about appreciating the narrow window of that opportunity than anything else. Bryce Love was obviously the rare exception, but he didn't stay for his senior because he loved football, he stayed because he loved education. If we compare him to Christian McCaffrey and his decision to leave early, neither choice can be viewed as a surprise. Christian remains one of my favorite Stanford players ever, but I never saw or read anything that made me think he loved being a student. He was always headed to the NFL, so he was always going to leave after his junior year.

In short, this is just the way it is, and I wouldn't have it any different.