Could Frank Reich Lead Stanford Football to a Bowl Game?

A new era of Stanford football has officially begun, with interim head coach Frank Reich taking the reins for this season in hopes of bringing the Stanford Cardinal back to national relevance on the football field. And while the agreement is only for one-year while Stanford prepares to hire a permanent replacement for next season, could this season under Reich be one for the ages?

Not making a bowl game since 2018, the Cardinal are facing a pivotal season. For the last four years, the Cardinal have finished 3-9 and have failed to earn any sort of postseason game, including during the previous two seasons under Troy Taylor.

But with a big-name former NFL head coach like Reich coming in, someone who has a strong track record of success, could this be the year that the Cardinal break that streak?

In the introductory press conference on Tuesday, one of the main points that general manager Andrew Luck said was that the hiring of Reich is meant to move the program forward and continue on the trajectory of building the team back up to achieve glory.

Reich, who found success as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, has shown that he is capable of turning a team into a winner in year one, leading the Colts to the playoffs in 2018-- his first season in charge. They finished at 10-6 that season after a 4-12 mark the previous year.

But one area that Reich really shines in is as an offensive mind. Previously an offensive coordinator before becoming a head coach, Reich won a Super Bowl while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Stanford, who will have an up-and-coming sophomore at quarterback in Elijah Brown, will be determined to develop him into a star and have him be the foundation for this season's team. Reich, who is a former quarterback himself, has done well at developing quarterbacks in his career.

While Reich has never coached college, the structure that the Cardinal will have during this season will allow Reich to enjoy a smooth transition into the college game. With Luck expected to handle all of the day-to-day operations that come with being in charge of college program, such as recruiting, NIL and alumni relations, Reich will be able to focus solely on coaching and developing the players.

Nothing will come easy for the Cardinal this season, but in dealing with adversity, the focus and energy may reach a new high. And in having someone in charge who has coached in the NFL and knows what it takes to get there, the players will be able to learn from some of the best and take the next steps in their own development, with their own eyes on the NFL.

Making a bowl game may seem like a longshot, but if the vision that Luck has for Reich's hiring goes as planned, then we could very well see the Cardinal surprise a lot of people.