[lex24]

Lex, you’re too defeatist about the transfer portal. Georgia, Clemson, and Iowa don’t shop at the transfer window either. The difference is the combination of recruiting, retention, coaching, and culture works for them. Some version of that, like the Iowa version, could be us. Our problem is we don’t get transfers AND we don’t retain key players AND we don’t coach well. Until we’ve fixed those other things and still failed in the new environment I won’t buy all the talk that we can’t compete in the new environment.

Well, I’m not going to compare Stanford to either Clemson or Georgia.  In any aspect.  Iowa, sure.  Unfortunately Iowa still does what Stanford used to be.  Control ball, win in trenches.  Not exciting. And Iowa is never going to challenge for a spit in the Championship series.  But they are generally always in the 8-10 win range.

The transfer portal is a big negative relative to every other PAC 12 team.  I don’t see how there is any argument to the contrary.

Whether it's a negative relative to "every other PAC 12 team" remains to be seen and depends not just on our ability to shop for transfers but in our ability to retain our own best talent. If we can have a fun and fulfilling football experience or rebuild a culture of commitment and camaraderie rather than a culture of leaving, we very well could be less adversely affected by the transfer portal than several other conference foes. There's a world in which Stanford is less affected, for good or for ill, by the portal than other teams. You can only see the downside vis-a-vis other teams that "shop." But there are winners and losers and some of the losers will be in the Pac-12. To the extent it's a conference in decline the Pac-12 could actually be systematically more of a loser than winner, especially once USC is gone.

This is not theoretical, just look at this past off-season. Arizona State and Colorado were two of the biggest losers to the portal nationally. Heck, many categorized Oregon as a loser too.

Simply put, I’d rather have the option to recruit again through the portal than be in a position where I can only lose players through the portal.    I don’t think that’s debatable.

[lex24]

Lex, you’re too defeatist about the transfer portal. Georgia, Clemson, and Iowa don’t shop at the transfer window either. The difference is the combination of recruiting, retention, coaching, and culture works for them. Some version of that, like the Iowa version, could be us. Our problem is we don’t get transfers AND we don’t retain key players AND we don’t coach well. Until we’ve fixed those other things and still failed in the new environment I won’t buy all the talk that we can’t compete in the new environment.

Well, I’m not going to compare Stanford to either Clemson or Georgia.  In any aspect.  Iowa, sure.  Unfortunately Iowa still does what Stanford used to be.  Control ball, win in trenches.  Not exciting. And Iowa is never going to challenge for a spit in the Championship series.  But they are generally always in the 8-10 win range.

The transfer portal is a big negative relative to every other PAC 12 team.  I don’t see how there is any argument to the contrary.

Whether it's a negative relative to "every other PAC 12 team" remains to be seen and depends not just on our ability to shop for transfers but in our ability to retain our own best talent. If we can have a fun and fulfilling football experience or rebuild a culture of commitment and camaraderie rather than a culture of leaving, we very well could be less adversely affected by the transfer portal than several other conference foes. There's a world in which Stanford is less affected, for good or for ill, by the portal than other teams. You can only see the downside vis-a-vis other teams that "shop." But there are winners and losers and some of the losers will be in the Pac-12. To the extent it's a conference in decline the Pac-12 could actually be systematically more of a loser than winner, especially once USC is gone.

This is not theoretical, just look at this past off-season. Arizona State and Colorado were two of the biggest losers to the portal nationally. Heck, many categorized Oregon as a loser too.

Simply put, I’d rather have the option to recruit again through the portal than be in a position where I can only lose players through the portal.    I don’t think that’s debatable.