The Stanford Cardinals had seen enough with Troy Taylor. After two back-to-back 3-9 seasons, the coach has finally exhausted his mercury, and the new GM, Andrew Luck, didn’t have even a second of an afterthought to make that decision. Not only was Taylor’s tenure marred with poor performances, but he also had several controversies surrounding him. Those may well have been the final nail in Taylor’s coffin. But what now for Stanford?

Mass attrition is one thing that usually follows after a head coach departs a program. In Stanford’s case, things look quite similar, too. Several players have announced their departures, and many are still in the pipeline to do so. One of the players who was one of the most crucial wide receivers in Stanford’s setup is also expected to be entered into the transfer portal.

Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports posted on X about Emmett Mosley’s departure. “Stanford wide receiver Emmett Mosley has entered the transfer portal, @chris_hummer and I have learned for @cbssports @247Sports. Ranked second on Stanford with 48 catches as a true freshman last season“.

Emmett Mosley won’t be the only player who is seeking pastures anew. So far, more than 12 players have entered the portal, and many others may follow suit. The move essentially comes because the NCAA allows a 30-day window for players to transfer after a head coach is fired from any program. This enables the players to find a better system and the requisite fit that aligns with their capabilities. However, in Stanford’s case, the departures are quite a concern since most players were regular starters.

Players like David Bailey, the junior linebacker, announced a similar move earlier. Bailey led in sacks for Stanford for back-to-back years and had garnered 7 in just the last season. Then there was Mudia Ruben, a wide receiver who wasn’t quite the starter but had immense potential to be one. In his sophomore year, the player caught for 199 yards on 15 receptions. That essentially provided a glimpse of his talent. Another player seeking a change in scenery was Jake Maikkula, a regular starter who played all games last season and was crucial for Stanford in the O-line.

Concerns mount for the new Stanford head coach

Stanford Football has since hired a new interim head coach on March 31st, who will be working in a temporary capacity for the time being. Frank Reich does bring a lot of experience with him, having coached for almost 2 decades in the NFL and also served as the head coach for the Eagles and Carolina Panthers. However, wading through the muck that the Stanford football program has become in recent years under Troy Taylor will have its own complications with Reich at the helm.

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports delved into the hiring of Reich and how the temporary fix could backfire for Stanford. “Frank Reich coming in, it’s as good as you can get right now. But, it’s like written in the thing. This is only a temporary solution. He’s not going to be there long-term, and as I said on the show, how many of the guys in that locker room are going to really feel bought in when they know that the guy telling them what to do is not going to be their long-term head coach?”

Fornelli raises an important point. The senior players who would have led from the front are looking to seek a transfer portal. That means that Reich will have to tap into the transfer portal to build his squad since recruitment is no longer an option for the 2025 season. The new players coming in would need a bigger motivation to pull through and work together. All in all, the hiring of Frank Reich by GM Andrew Luck has all the ingredients to backfire. Now, it remains to be seen how far the muck will go before a permanent hiring is made. Can Stanford rise from its ashes?