Stanford Cardinals went 2-6 this season and 3-9 the previous season and couldn’t quite make their mark in the ACC. A program that has been longing for something to clutch onto for many years hasn’t found success with Troy Taylor. A coach who had a tenure marred by controversies and appalling performances. After leading back-to-back 3-9 seasons at the helm. Troy’s biggest highlight would probably be that Colorado game comeback. Aside from that, it seemed to be an awful waste of time.

Taylor has since been fired by the program and is looking for a new head coach. Meanwhile, two of the players who would have been quite crucial for Stanford in 2025 have also decided to seek pastures anew. No surprise there, as there would be some form of attrition after the head coach’s departure.

According to recent reports, Stanford wide receiver Mudia Reuben and their ace linebacker David Bailey have decided to seek a transfer via the transfer portal. They will now have 30 days to search for their new program when the transfer window opens on April 16 and closes on the 25. Both players were crucial in the 2024 season and started most of the games. Now it remains to be seen where these players land eventually.

David Bailey was a crucial piece in Stanford’s setup as he earned the former Freshman-All-America. Add that he recorded 111 total tackles and 14.5 sacks throughout his stint at Stanford. His loss looks to be quite damaging. Bailey came to the Cardinals in the 2022 class, in which he was ranked 122 overall. A graduate of Mater Dei High School, California. He also had an illustrious high school name to back him up.

Then there is Mudia Reuben, who also entered the portal on Friday, as per reports. The wide receiver who is now listed as a 3-star in the transfer portal caught 24 passes for 283 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Cardinals. More players are expected to seek new programs after the departure of Taylor, and especially their linebacker Bailey. So far, 20 players have already moved to the portal within this year’s offseason. Moreover, seven players had moved to other ‘power-4’ programs in December.

Andrew Luck breaks silence on the drastic move

Andrew Luck, the newly arrived General Manager, came to Stanford in November and has started major shakeups within a short frame of time. He has fired the head coach, Troy Taylor, in a bid to start the program with a “clean slate”. Luck, a former NFL QB, had a part-time coaching stint with Palo Alto HS till 2024 after he moved to Stanford in the GM’s role. His NFL career is a testament to the legacy he brings with 4 Pro Bowl appearances. A Stanford alum, the GM, provided his reasoning behind Troy’s firing.

“In consultation with university leadership, I no longer believe that Coach Taylor is the right coach to lead our football program. Coach Taylor has been informed today and the change is effective immediately. A search for new coaching leadership in football has begun. And an acting coach may be named for the 2025 season.  Our focus remains on supporting our student-athletes and ensuring they have the best possible experience on the field, in the classroom, and on campus with their peers”.

Apart from Taylor’s failure to revamp the program on the field, some issues plagued him off the field, too. As reported by ESPN’s Xuan Thai, some documents were found that showed that Taylor had misbehaved and belittled the female staffers during his tenure. The documents contained various reports about ‘hostile’ and ‘aggressive’ behavior by the coach, as well as personal attacks. Taylor’s stint surely now ends on a sour note as he finished 6-18 overall in his two seasons.