Stanford's coaching transition has provided an opportunity for
Stanford fans to reflect on what we expect from the football
program and from the new head coach. I've put together my
own wish list of things I hope to see as the program moves
forward. My list includes four main points:
1. Maintain and build on Stanford's traditional
strengths
Unlike many new coaches, Stanford's new coach does not take
over a losing program or a program in disarray. This is a
winning program with many strengths. I think it's important
to preserve the accomplishments of the last seven years and to
take advantage of the foundation that has been built. Some
of the strong points that we need to maintain are these:
Stanford football is characterized by discipline, both on and
off the field. For example, Stanford has been the least
penalized team in the Pac 10 for the last six years in a
row. I really like that statistic because it speaks of the
players' discipline. Only one of the last seven Stanford
teams had a negative turnover margin for the season.
Stanford's practices run like clockwork: highly structured
with no wasted time. Stanford's players are
accustomed to being held accountable and holding one another
accountable.
Stanford's players have a high degree of commitment.
Just about the entire team chooses to stay in Palo Alto for the
summer to work out together. I've heard that their
commitment to weight training has increased in recent
years. Commitment to constant improvement seems to have
become part of the culture. Younger players have commented
that they learned from watching the diligence and work habits of
the older players.
Stanford teams maintain their focus and motivation. They
know the value of persistence. They have the mindset of
winners. Stanford's 1996 team went from a 2-5 start to a
7-5 finish. The 1999 team went from a 69-17 opening day
loss to the Rose Bowl. Over the years, Stanford's teams
often have bounced back from disappointing losses with big upset
wins. Stanford teams almost always improve over the course
of the season. Six of the last seven Stanford teams have
had a winning record in November; those six teams had a combined
November record of 17-4.
Stanford has a tradition of high quality offenses, especially
passing offenses. The last few teams in particular have
been notable additions to Stanford's long history of productive,
entertaining offensive football.
Stanford has dominated the Big Game in recent years.
Stanford currently has a seven game winning streak against that
other school across the Bay. To me, this has been one of the most
satisfying accomplishments of recent years (along with the Rose
Bowl).
Stanford recently has done an excellent job of
"closing" in the recruiting process. If a high
school player is accepted by Stanford, gets an offer, and visits
the campus, it seems that he usually ends up here.
Stanford's recruiting has developed to the point where Stanford
has been in the hunt for some of the best players in the nation,
and has signed more than its fair share of talent.
Stanford's football program operates with integrity.
There have been no scandals, probation or sanctions.
Disciplinary problems are rare. Stanford does not cut corners for
athletes. Stanford's athletes are expected to be students,
to do their own work, and to find real jobs during the summer.
Stanford's players and coaches have projected a favorable
image as representatives of the university.
The football team's graduation rates in recent years have been
close to those for the student body as a whole. Academic
problems have been minimal.
Stanford players are real students, with academic and social
lives outside of football. Stanford's coaches recognize and
care about their players' lives outside of football.
All of these are strengths of Stanford football. I hope
and expect to see these strengths continue under the new coach's
leadership.
2. Improve areas of weakness
As a result of the coaching transition, I hope to see
improvement in some areas of relative weakness. Some of the
areas in which the program could improve are these:
Stanford needs to take the program to the next level on the
field. In particular, Stanford needs to improve its record
in the most important games. The last coach's record in
bowl games was 1-3. In those three bowl losses, Stanford's
otherwise high-powered offense was held to season lows. In
all three of those games, Stanford got outcoached. In some
of the most important regular season games of the last seven
years (USC in 1995, Washington in 1999, Washington in 2001),
Stanford also came up short, at least in part due to coaching and
preparation. If this program is to take the step to the
next level, we need better performances in important games.
Stanford needs to improve its team speed, especially on
defense.
Stanford needs to step up its recruiting effort by identifying
and vigorously recruiting every top-notch player in America who
can qualify academically. In the past, Stanford's record
has been "hit-or-miss" in finding and recruiting
qualified players early. There aren't so many qualified
players out there that Stanford can afford
"hit-or-miss."
Stanford needs better public relations. The last coach
was impressive in personal interaction and in small groups.
But he seemed to view the press with suspicion. He rarely
provided meaningful information in press conferences. His
answers to questions in interviews often consisted of bland
platitudes, pretty much devoid of meaningful content.
Stanford needs better marketing for the football
program. The last coach limited his participation in alumni
events to the bare minimum, sometimes leaving early from events
he attended. So far as I am aware, he did not reach out to
the student body or the surrounding communities to drum up
interest in the football program. He did not try to
generate enthusiasm for the program by touting the merits of his
team. He did not seek out media recognition or awards for
his star players.
The football program needs to be more fan-friendly. The
last coach sometimes seemed to view fans as a distraction.
For example, for many years, Stanford players would mingle with
families and fans as they made their way back to the locker room
after the game. More recently, players told us that they
couldn't linger to talk with us after the game because the coach
didn't like it. That was a mistake. The program's
biggest asset is its players. They should interact with
fans as much as possible. The coach also could take
advantage of internet fan sites, such as The Bootleg, to reach
out to the program's most passionate and devoted fans.
I would like to see the program improve in each of these
areas.
3. Address structural issues affecting the
program
There are a number of structural issues that will influence
the long-term success of the Stanford football program. The
football program's voice needs to be heard within the university
on these issues.
Many of us believe the stadium is due for renovation or
replacement. I believe it will happen, but progress has
been very slow. The university has other priorities for
fund-raising, we are told, and the stadium must wait. I
understand that the