7. We are hopefully going to be scouring the transfer portal to hope we can do better at the QB position in 2026 than we did this year. Yesterday was a typical performance for our QB year. Some good to be sure but generally too low of a level for competitive power conference offensive play. Brown was #77 of 120 in Total QBR this week. Among 13 Gulbranson and Brown performances this year, Brown's Total QBR showings rank fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. Remarkable consistency. He's been bad but not awful in literally every game he's played this year. But that adds up to pretty awful over a season, relatively speaking. If he had enough action to qualify, Brown would be #115 of 134 QBs nationally (Gulbranson is #125). In PFF grades on the year, among 163 QBs nationally Brown is #154 and Gulbranson is #155. It's clear we need a new QB via the transfer portal.
8. For the moment I want post-Big Game vibes to mostly focus on celebration and thanking Reich for what he did this year. Great capstone and that locker room scene of Luck and Reich is off-the-charts good feeling inducing for Stanford fans. Let's bask in that. but very soon we need to focus on the roster construction for 2026 and there are some players who I think are genuinely good. This roster is not good but we have some guys. On offense, what Ford has done behind our line is impressive. If he gets 26 yards rushing next week he will have our most rushing yards in a season since Cameron Scarlett in 2019 (though Austin Jones' pandemic-shortened season was more dominant, albeit behind a massively better line). Ford is eighth in the ACC in yards from scrimmage per game. I think he would be a superstar behind a real line. The Notre Dame game could decide our offensive MVP between him and Williams. While Williams is not relevant for 2026 roster construction, a few words on him: by PFF's lights, Ford and Williams are our best offensive players since Drake Nugent in 2022 and Drew Dalman and Davis Mills in 2020. Literally no one had "arguably better than Elic Ayomanor" on the bingo card for CJ Williams in 2025. Magical year for him and I think he has salvaged an NFL career. [Big Game moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (8), Williams (4, also drew a pass interference), Blackburn, Elijah Brown, Roush] But back to star guys we need to retain (leaving aside OL for now because I've said so much about that elsewhere): Rose, Green, Galvan, and Patterson (not an option to retain as a seventh year guy), in that order, are the highest graded non-David Bailey defenders we have had since Paulson Adebo in 2019. Given Bailey's usage saga it is arguable that Rose and Green are having our best defensive seasons in over half a decade (though I did love all those Bailey sacks). These guys may be good enough to cost us a real chunk of change unless they give us a discount.
9. It is crazy to think we scored two defensive touchdowns and neither guy is going to get my game ball but Rose just had too special of a night. He had not previously had a chance to play in Big Game and came out inspired. Really one of the best games I can recall. I counted a beyond astounding 13 positive box score plays. Between his tackles and fumble recovery he was the proximate cause for the ball turning over to our offense's hands four times (three third down stops forcing punts and the fumble recovery), and is garbage time sacks provided the perfect emotional cherry on top for his game and the team's broader humiliation of the Golden Bears. That was such a special performance. But for that we'd be talking about Jay Green as having one of the classic Big Game performances (I guess we can talk about both), with the signature play of the game of Luck cheering him on racing down the sideline for the pivotal touchdown, being in the mix to cause several tackles for loss, and like Rose not taking the foot off the pedal a lick in garbage time. All gas no breaks for our defense in this one. Among others, Galvan had another really good game, starring on third and fourth downs in addition to forcing the Darrius Davis scoop and score. Wright had a very big first half impact but judging by snaps I'm wondering if he reaggravated an injury. In any case, Nicholson then really stepped up with a brobdingnagian six positive box score plays, and doing it in various ways (tackling, pass breakup, punctuating sack); he has become a top ten retention priority for me. Staples, Cooper, Tafiti, Leigber, Patterson, and Rowell (needed garbage time) all had multiple plays show up.
10. Terrible day by special teams and frankly a terrible season. FEI has us #91 (will definitely fall after yesterday) and SP+ says #126. I hope our next coach takes this phase seriously (not saying Reich doesn't but Taylor showed some neglect and this season has gone sideways in that realm). It was hard to fathom yesterday how disastrous the kicking game was for a previously reliable Kenney and that operation. Getting a chip shot field goal blocked and missing another one resulted in two red zone trips with zero points - unacceptable - before making the 36 yarder to make his day slightly less terrible. Flintoft had net punts of 39 to the 22 (bad), 69 when tacking on the Cal penalties (out-kicked coverage to allow a big return but Cal getting flagged made it an incredible result), 13 to our own 45 (completely disastrous), and 46 to the 14 (solid). After Thorpe didn't give us a lot of yardage this season High got more action, but punt returns of two and zero yards and a bad penalty for the unit's equipment violation for having two number 0 players on the field was not a productive switch. At least Pulsipher's kick coverage tackle on the opening kick got us off to a good start. I've noticed him in other games so maybe he gets the hold your nose game ball this week.
11. Game balls: Ford, Rose, Pulsipher, Reich
12. This felt like the right cap to the season and it's almost too bad we still have to play another week. I am sure the players and coaches will have a better attitude about it than I will. For my part, I am already essentially checked out on the 2025 season and will be focused this week on the seemingly soon-to-be-announced next Stanford coach, especially if it's announced early this week. I predicted/recommended earlier this season on Talking Trees that this week would be the time in light of the need to seize narrative and end the year on a positive note in spite of an almost assured blood bath at the hands of the Irish. And now we have rumblings the announcement is coming. It will be hard to focus on Notre Dame if that's true. However, now that yesterday has happened maybe Big Game going so well will make us want to give Reich a few days to bask and then we'll do the new coach announcement after Thanksgiving. I could dig that. As for the remaining game on our schedule, I imagine I will go and want to find good tailgates but I don't think we have any chance and would rather the season ended on yesterday's fantastic note. And what a note it was. Thank you Frank Reich! Thank you Matt Rose! Thank you Jay Green! Thank you Micah Ford! Thank you CJ Williams!
8. For the moment I want post-Big Game vibes to mostly focus on celebration and thanking Reich for what he did this year. Great capstone and that locker room scene of Luck and Reich is off-the-charts good feeling inducing for Stanford fans. Let's bask in that. but very soon we need to focus on the roster construction for 2026 and there are some players who I think are genuinely good. This roster is not good but we have some guys. On offense, what Ford has done behind our line is impressive. If he gets 26 yards rushing next week he will have our most rushing yards in a season since Cameron Scarlett in 2019 (though Austin Jones' pandemic-shortened season was more dominant, albeit behind a massively better line). Ford is eighth in the ACC in yards from scrimmage per game. I think he would be a superstar behind a real line. The Notre Dame game could decide our offensive MVP between him and Williams. While Williams is not relevant for 2026 roster construction, a few words on him: by PFF's lights, Ford and Williams are our best offensive players since Drake Nugent in 2022 and Drew Dalman and Davis Mills in 2020. Literally no one had "arguably better than Elic Ayomanor" on the bingo card for CJ Williams in 2025. Magical year for him and I think he has salvaged an NFL career. [Big Game moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (8), Williams (4, also drew a pass interference), Blackburn, Elijah Brown, Roush] But back to star guys we need to retain (leaving aside OL for now because I've said so much about that elsewhere): Rose, Green, Galvan, and Patterson (not an option to retain as a seventh year guy), in that order, are the highest graded non-David Bailey defenders we have had since Paulson Adebo in 2019. Given Bailey's usage saga it is arguable that Rose and Green are having our best defensive seasons in over half a decade (though I did love all those Bailey sacks). These guys may be good enough to cost us a real chunk of change unless they give us a discount.
9. It is crazy to think we scored two defensive touchdowns and neither guy is going to get my game ball but Rose just had too special of a night. He had not previously had a chance to play in Big Game and came out inspired. Really one of the best games I can recall. I counted a beyond astounding 13 positive box score plays. Between his tackles and fumble recovery he was the proximate cause for the ball turning over to our offense's hands four times (three third down stops forcing punts and the fumble recovery), and is garbage time sacks provided the perfect emotional cherry on top for his game and the team's broader humiliation of the Golden Bears. That was such a special performance. But for that we'd be talking about Jay Green as having one of the classic Big Game performances (I guess we can talk about both), with the signature play of the game of Luck cheering him on racing down the sideline for the pivotal touchdown, being in the mix to cause several tackles for loss, and like Rose not taking the foot off the pedal a lick in garbage time. All gas no breaks for our defense in this one. Among others, Galvan had another really good game, starring on third and fourth downs in addition to forcing the Darrius Davis scoop and score. Wright had a very big first half impact but judging by snaps I'm wondering if he reaggravated an injury. In any case, Nicholson then really stepped up with a brobdingnagian six positive box score plays, and doing it in various ways (tackling, pass breakup, punctuating sack); he has become a top ten retention priority for me. Staples, Cooper, Tafiti, Leigber, Patterson, and Rowell (needed garbage time) all had multiple plays show up.
10. Terrible day by special teams and frankly a terrible season. FEI has us #91 (will definitely fall after yesterday) and SP+ says #126. I hope our next coach takes this phase seriously (not saying Reich doesn't but Taylor showed some neglect and this season has gone sideways in that realm). It was hard to fathom yesterday how disastrous the kicking game was for a previously reliable Kenney and that operation. Getting a chip shot field goal blocked and missing another one resulted in two red zone trips with zero points - unacceptable - before making the 36 yarder to make his day slightly less terrible. Flintoft had net punts of 39 to the 22 (bad), 69 when tacking on the Cal penalties (out-kicked coverage to allow a big return but Cal getting flagged made it an incredible result), 13 to our own 45 (completely disastrous), and 46 to the 14 (solid). After Thorpe didn't give us a lot of yardage this season High got more action, but punt returns of two and zero yards and a bad penalty for the unit's equipment violation for having two number 0 players on the field was not a productive switch. At least Pulsipher's kick coverage tackle on the opening kick got us off to a good start. I've noticed him in other games so maybe he gets the hold your nose game ball this week.
11. Game balls: Ford, Rose, Pulsipher, Reich
12. This felt like the right cap to the season and it's almost too bad we still have to play another week. I am sure the players and coaches will have a better attitude about it than I will. For my part, I am already essentially checked out on the 2025 season and will be focused this week on the seemingly soon-to-be-announced next Stanford coach, especially if it's announced early this week. I predicted/recommended earlier this season on Talking Trees that this week would be the time in light of the need to seize narrative and end the year on a positive note in spite of an almost assured blood bath at the hands of the Irish. And now we have rumblings the announcement is coming. It will be hard to focus on Notre Dame if that's true. However, now that yesterday has happened maybe Big Game going so well will make us want to give Reich a few days to bask and then we'll do the new coach announcement after Thanksgiving. I could dig that. As for the remaining game on our schedule, I imagine I will go and want to find good tailgates but I don't think we have any chance and would rather the season ended on yesterday's fantastic note. And what a note it was. Thank you Frank Reich! Thank you Matt Rose! Thank you Jay Green! Thank you Micah Ford! Thank you CJ Williams!