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Stanford has been amazing and fun to watch the last couple of years. I am not expecting the success to be just as good every year, but things are still looking good. I see that currently their recruiting class is rated mid teens. I wrote before that Stanford is easy to root for, and I meant it. I hope they keep being competitive at the top.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 02:11 AM ET  01.16 by JPax

Stanford has been amazing and fun to watch the last couple of years. I am not expecting the success to be just as good every year, but things are still looking good. I see that currently their recruiting class is rated mid teens. I wrote before that Stanford is easy to root for, and I meant it. I hope they keep being competitive at the top.

They're easy to root for, in that, even though they're in an AQ and are great in most other sports, they feel like the underdog in football. And, when you look at those players, and you realize, "all these guys are twice as smart as I am", it really hits you, that these kids are more than just football players. I think Andrew Luck is the most obvious piece of evidence for that.

I hope they can continue this success for years to come as well. Hopefully, the team's success will one day catch on with the surrounding area so we can draw more than 28,000 per game.

Huge loss to CFB.

Probably the best coach in America, and he goes over to the dark side.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 10:19 AM ET  01.16 by GrandTheftHarley

I thought it was customary for a new coach to purge the existing staff and bring in his own coaches anyway. It saves Coach Shaw the trouble of having to let Harbaugh's assistants go.That said, it'll probably be another decade before we see a really competitive Stanford Cardinal (I still think they should be named the Sequoias) again.

It is customary for coaches to do this, but I'm not use to it. Stanford hasn't had a coaching staff this good, possibly ever.

How soon we forget Bill Walsh and the amazing coaches he had on his staff.

This hurts but as I've said elsewhere, Stanford is a desirable job. Good assistants will jump to work there. Give it time. This season was exceptional. But most Stanford fans will be happy with winning seasons and bowl games. I think that's still possible for next year. Maybe not another BCS bowl but a bowl game.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 02:30 PM ET  01.16 by Orac

How soon we forget Bill Walsh and the amazing coaches he had on his staff.

Bill Walsh was a great 49ers coach. He wasn't spectacular at Stanford. Harbaugh's record at Stanford is only a little bit better than Walsh's but when you consider he inherited a 1-11 team, it's all the more impressive.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 02:30 PM ET  01.16 by Orac

This hurts but as I've said elsewhere, Stanford is a desirable job. Good assistants will jump to work there. Give it time. This season was exceptional. But most Stanford fans will be happy with winning seasons and bowl games. I think that's still possible for next year. Maybe not another BCS bowl but a bowl game.

And I agree, Stanford will likely be okay. Harbaugh has really put this program on the map, and I think in the future, we will be seeing some more good coaches come out of here.

And even though I don't expect another BCS bowl game/win, I do at the least expect us to make a bowl game.

I think another Sun Bowl appearance, or Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, would be a success. Or who knows, maybe we'll be smelling Roses come January.

QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 03:57 PM ET  01.16 by OM: 2010 Champs

Bill Walsh was a great 49ers coach. He wasn't spectacular at Stanford. Harbaugh's record at Stanford is only a little bit better than Walsh's but when you consider he inherited a 1-11 team, it's all the more impressive.

Walsh won his share at Stanford, but I'm really talking the assistant coaches who worked for him there. Wasn't that what you originally started the thread about? Harbaugh's assistants are good. But so was, for example, Dennis Green.

Go back far enough and you'll find better examples. Pop Warner still has the record for most victories after all.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 03:59 PM ET  01.16 by OM: 2010 Champs

And I agree, Stanford will likely be okay. Harbaugh has really put this program on the map, and I think in the future, we will be seeing some more good coaches come out of here.And even though I don't expect another BCS bowl game/win, I do at the least expect us to make a bowl game.I think another Sun Bowl appearance, or Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, would be a success. Or who knows, maybe we'll be smelling Roses come January.

I agree. I think the Pac 12 bowl lineup will be different next year. And if Oregon doesn't go to the Rose Bowl I'll be very very surprised.

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 04:40 PM ET  01.16 by Orac

Walsh won his share at Stanford, but I'm really talking the assistant coaches who worked for him there. Wasn't that what you originally started the thread about? Harbaugh's assistants are good. But so was, for example, Dennis Green.Go back far enough and you'll find better examples. Pop Warner still has the record for most victories after all.

That's true, from what we know at the moment, Walsh's assistants were better. But who knows, maybe Shaw will make a name for himself at Stanford. And maybe Greg Roman will become to the greatest OC in 49ers history.... ok, so I'm getting ahead of myself here again.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 03:59 PM ET  01.16 by OM: 2010 Champs

And I agree, Stanford will likely be okay. Harbaugh has really put this program on the map, and I think in the future, we will be seeing some more good coaches come out of here.

Sometimes these really successful seasons can boost recruiting.

Of course with Stanford's tough academic standards the recruiting may stay about the same (which was pretty good under Harbaugh - #26 nationally last year, and #20 in 2009 [rivals.com]).

So it will have to come down to coaching to keep The (mascotless) Cardinal at the highest level football-wise.


Since 2004, Stanford has accepted about 13% of all applicants.
- Stanford accepted just under 10% for the 2007-2008 year.
- For the upcoming 2011-2012 year they are predicting about 7%.

To put those #'s in perspective over the same time period:
- Oregon and Auburn both have had an acceptance rate of 84%.
- For the 2011-2012 year both are predicting about 80%.


Interesting fact:
Stanford's 13% acceptance rate is the 4th lowest out of 857 four-year Colleges with over 1000 students.

The other 3 were Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

Auburn is 722/857.
Oregon is 726/857.

C'est la vie, c'est la guerre ....