UCLA Needs to Prepare for a Mass Exodus from Stanford

Stanford football has endured what might be their worst three-year stretch since the early days of Jim Harbaugh. Not only have they suffered from a lack of results on the field, but they have also undergone a massive transition off the field.

New general manager Andrew Luck appears to be the head man in charge of the program, but Stanford must abide by NCAA rules, and Luck's correct decision to move on from head coach Troy Taylor reopened the transfer portal for Stanford players to leave.

Stanford fired head coach Troy Taylor after accusations of Taylor bullying/ mistreating female staffers.

"I took the role of Stanford Football General Manager with a strong vision for building a new winning era for our football program," Luck said in a statement. "Stanford has always set the standard for excellence with our university’s unique leadership in both athletics and academics, and I have no doubt that our program’s best days lie ahead.

"Since beginning my role as General Manager, I have been thoroughly assessing the entire Stanford football program. It has been clear that certain aspects of the program need change. Additionally, in recent days, there has been significant attention to Stanford investigations in previous years related to Coach Taylor.

"After continued consideration it is evident to me that our program needs a reset. 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.

Luck has since put forth a new plan for how he will build his program. Luck has hired former Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich as interim head coach for the 2025 season, and then upon the conclusion of the season, Stanford will begin a national search for Taylor's permanent replacement.

Considering the lack of coaching stability at Stanford and the massive number of departures from the program in recent years, the Cardinal could be preparing for another exodus after this season. While Stanford has talent already leaving, UCLA and DeShaun Foster must prepare to snag talent from Northern California.

Players at Stanford are smart, they must be to get into the school. Their NIL expectations fit UCLA's budget, they have talented players, and keeping California kids in California would be a massive promotional opportunity for the school.

While it does suck what Stanford is going through, the game is the game and any issue spells opportunity if you're looking in the right place. That's how a program breaks through their current predicaments.

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