[OutsiderFan]

This is what I mean.  What can Stanford do to highlight the message Mandel is making, without calling out ND specifically, but allowing recruits and their parents to draw the conclusion themselves?

Notre Dame football is sort of like Duke basketball when it comes to the academic prestige facade, with way less on-field success.  Coach K's stability and the fact he has had no scandals on his watch probably explains a lot about how a similar facade in his hoops program has never been breached.  Any Stanford fan bristles whenever Duke and Stanford are compared as hoops programs of similar academic repute.

[OutsiderFan]

This is what I mean.  What can Stanford do to highlight the message Mandel is making, without calling out ND specifically, but allowing recruits and their parents to draw the conclusion themselves?

Notre Dame football is sort of like Duke basketball when it comes to the academic prestige facade, with way less on-field success.  Coach K's stability and the fact he has had no scandals on his watch probably explains a lot about how a similar facade in his hoops program has never been breached.  Any Stanford fan bristles whenever Duke and Stanford are compared as hoops programs of similar academic repute.