Tavita Pritchard's Biggest Advantage Coming to Stanford

He's back. Over two years after leaving his role as the Stanford football offensive coordinator to become the quarterbacks coach for the NFL's Washington Commanders, Tavita Pritchard is finally back on The Farm in a new and improved role, as the 37th head football coach in Stanford history.

Tasked with bringing the program back into the national spotlight, Pritchard will have his work cut out for him, but is eager to take on the challenge.

A first-time head coach leading a program that has not put together a winning record in a full season since 2018, the chips could be stacked against Pritchard despite all of the potential he brings. But, regardless of how he is viewed his time in the NFL, that time could prove to be his most valuable asset when taking on his new role.

Prior to joining the Commanders' staff, Pritchard's only coaching jobs had come at Stanford, where from 2010-22, he ascended the ranks as an assistant coach. He started from his days as a graduate assistant in 2010 all the way through his years as the program's offensive coordinator from 2018-22.

While Pritchard received some valuable coaching experience, his years as the offensive coordinator were marked by years of mediocrity, bringing some scrutiny to his tenure. Despite not being the one calling the plays, people still look at Pritchard as being part of the problem during those years of Stanford's struggles.

When he took the job in Washington, suddenly everything changed. The Commanders drafted Jayden Daniels No. 2 overall in 2024, and excitement set in that the team had taken their franchise quarterback.

Thanks in large part to Pritchard, Daniels not only proved that he has what it takes to be Washington's franchise quarterback, but he also showed that he has what it takes to be a top quarterback in the entire league, guiding the Commanders to their first appearance in a conference title game since 1991 while earning Pro Bowl and offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

With Daniels and the Commanders experiencing the success they did, it showed that Pritchard is not only an elite talent developer, but it also magnified the notion that during his years at Stanford as a coach, he was not the problem in terms of offensive production.

The head coach, David Shaw was the one calling plays, even while Pritchard suggested a different offensive approach, Shaw still had the final say. But now that Pritchard is the head coach, even announcing in his introductory press conference that he would call the plays on offense, this is his chance to prove just how much better he has become as a coach.

In terms of recruiting, Pritchard can use his NFL experience as leverage for landing recruits. Many players that play college football long for a shot at the NFL.

Knowing that their head coach not only coached at that level and knows what it takes to get there, but he also developed a guy like Daniels into the elite talent he is, and that could help attract prospects to The Farm. If that happens, Stanford football could soon find themselves fielding an elite roster capable of competing for championships.