[d4cohn]

I feel like, to some degree, Shaw et al can't win re roster management. If too many
fifth year players leave that free up spots for incoming classes, then we get threads
like the 5th year decision thread bemoaning the loss of upperclassmen. If the 
upperclassmen return, and then that means we only have so many scholarship spots for 
the incoming class, then we get criticism for roster management/not taking
enough younger players proactively.

I think another important consideration is that while this may be a math formula
in the way we are talking about this, each of these cases involve 40-year decisions,
guys getting Master's to set up their futures etc. Also add in the fact that Stanford's
pool of players is very small for academic reasons, and there may not, for example,
be 7 LB's we can reasonably get that can also play elite P5 football in any given 2 year period. 

At the end of the day, while I obviously 
want us to win, I think the individual aspect in terms of guys developing athletically and
academically is ultimately most important. And Coach Shaw seems to recognize that.

[d4cohn]

I feel like, to some degree, Shaw et al can't win re roster management. If too many
fifth year players leave that free up spots for incoming classes, then we get threads
like the 5th year decision thread bemoaning the loss of upperclassmen. If the 
upperclassmen return, and then that means we only have so many scholarship spots for 
the incoming class, then we get criticism for roster management/not taking
enough younger players proactively.

I think another important consideration is that while this may be a math formula
in the way we are talking about this, each of these cases involve 40-year decisions,
guys getting Master's to set up their futures etc. Also add in the fact that Stanford's
pool of players is very small for academic reasons, and there may not, for example,
be 7 LB's we can reasonably get that can also play elite P5 football in any given 2 year period. 

At the end of the day, while I obviously 
want us to win, I think the individual aspect in terms of guys developing athletically and
academically is ultimately most important. And Coach Shaw seems to recognize that.