[stupac2]

Is the pool of Stanford kids pretty much the same in terms of size every year?  I mean is there some population ratio where for every 100 high school football players, one is a Stanford kid, and therefore, the pool is pretty much the same size every year?

I think that the overall pool is probably consistent within error, but what's going to fluctuate wildly is how the pool lines up with needs and available roster spots. Could we have replicated last year's lineman haul this year if we had wanted to? Seems unlikely, that was a nice confluence of need and availability. Etc.

Does Stanford have the ability to increase the size of its pool by cultivating and guiding more kids early?  I mean is a Stanford kid born and Stanford just has to find them, or can Stanford produce more than would exist if they didn't cultivate them?

It certainly sounds like Stanford has to get involved fairly early, but I'm sure a good number of these kids would get in without that help.

Is the success Stanford is having on the football field naturally increasing the size of the pool without regard to whether Stanford is cultivating more kids or not?

You have to believe that it is. There were always going to be some kids with smarts and talent who would love Stanford for the opportunity to play DI ball, even if the team wouldn't be in the top 25 every year, but there are necessarily kids who want both. And now that Stanford can offer that, the pool of kids who can be convinced to come here has to have grown, my guess is that it has grown significantly.

[stupac2]

Is the pool of Stanford kids pretty much the same in terms of size every year?  I mean is there some population ratio where for every 100 high school football players, one is a Stanford kid, and therefore, the pool is pretty much the same size every year?

I think that the overall pool is probably consistent within error, but what's going to fluctuate wildly is how the pool lines up with needs and available roster spots. Could we have replicated last year's lineman haul this year if we had wanted to? Seems unlikely, that was a nice confluence of need and availability. Etc.

Does Stanford have the ability to increase the size of its pool by cultivating and guiding more kids early?  I mean is a Stanford kid born and Stanford just has to find them, or can Stanford produce more than would exist if they didn't cultivate them?

It certainly sounds like Stanford has to get involved fairly early, but I'm sure a good number of these kids would get in without that help.

Is the success Stanford is having on the football field naturally increasing the size of the pool without regard to whether Stanford is cultivating more kids or not?

You have to believe that it is. There were always going to be some kids with smarts and talent who would love Stanford for the opportunity to play DI ball, even if the team wouldn't be in the top 25 every year, but there are necessarily kids who want both. And now that Stanford can offer that, the pool of kids who can be convinced to come here has to have grown, my guess is that it has grown significantly.