Stanford legend Andrew Luck is as soon as once more on the middle of this system he helped elevate greater than a decade in the past. This time, it is not as a quarterback — however as the final supervisor, the place he is now main a brand new period for Cardinal soccer.

On Tuesday, Luck made his most consequential transfer but, firing head coach Troy Taylor. The choice, which he made in live performance with College management however in the end was his, got here simply days after ESPN reported Taylor was below investigation for worker abuse — a probe that had not been publicly identified previous to the story’s publication. 

The information of the investigation caught a lot of the workers off guard. But it surely was Luck’s swift motion to take away Taylor — significantly whereas the workers was away from the workplace whereas Stanford was on spring break — that really blindsided many, sources near this system advised CBS Sports activities. The workers, a lot of them new, had been getting ready for spring soccer. 

Stanford’s org chart was already the one one in school soccer that had the coach reporting to the final supervisor. Now Stanford finds itself in additional uncharted territory.

There isn’t a interim head coach named. Spring soccer was about to start. A number of assistants had simply relocated to Palo Alto this offseason, anticipating Taylor’s third yr on the helm. They now report on to the 35-year-old Luck, who’s totally on his personal in hiring a brand new coach as his boss, athletics director Bernard Muir, is retiring on the finish of the semester. Conversations with a number of sources in and across the Stanford soccer program paint a real choose-your-own-adventure path for Luck within the subsequent few weeks. 

What’s subsequent — interim or nationwide search?

All eyes are on Luck, who’s reportedly taking full management of the following steps. Probably the most speedy query: Will Stanford promote from inside on an interim foundation or pursue a longer-term rent?

Amongst inside candidates, safeties coach Bob Gregory has interim expertise — he led Washington in 2021 after Jimmy Lake was fired midseason. Co-defensive coordinator Andy Thompson additionally has head teaching expertise, having succeeded Taylor at Sacramento State earlier than rejoining him at Stanford.

What is going to Stanford grow to be below Andrew Luck? Troy Taylor’s abrupt firing brings extra questions than solutions

Richard Johnson

Given the timing — post-spring break, with the switch portal window approaching in April — a one-year interim coach may make sense, mirroring the trail Northwestern took in 2023 when David Braun was elevated after Pat Fitzgerald’s dismissal and finally earned the full-time function, and even going out of home, like when Baylor put Jim Grobe accountable for a poisonous program after scrubbing away the Artwork Briles period earlier than hiring Matt Rhule on the finish of the season. 

However Luck may additionally decide to start a full nationwide search instantly. Sources say Stanford has entertained the concept of enlisting a search agency to take action. If that is the route, does Stanford make a rent this spring, or wait till the tip of the 2025 season, when extra sitting head coaches is perhaps obtainable with out having to depart their packages mid-year?

There’s precedent for a spring hiring. Kansas landed Lance Leipold from Buffalo in April 2021 below comparable circumstances. However Stanford’s job is uniquely difficult within the fashionable panorama: strict tutorial requirements, restricted NIL infrastructure, and now a cross-country actuality within the ACC. It isn’t almost as fascinating as when David Shaw stepped down on the finish of the 2022 marketing campaign, although names on an early Stanford teaching sizzling board embody potential home-run sorts like Boise State’s Spencer Danielson and Tulane’s Jon Sumrall. 

Roster ripple results

Although Stanford’s tutorial popularity has historically helped retain gamers, the teaching change opens the door for potential attrition — particularly amongst high expertise. Star defensive lineman David Bailey, a coveted portal goal in previous cycles, has stayed loyal to this point and never for an absence of curiosity. Tons of colleges have hoped the final couple offseasons Bailey would enter. He by no means strayed, however with commencement on the horizon, this may very well be the second that pushes him towards a switch.

Stanford’s 2026 recruiting class may take a success. In-state prospects like linebacker Chase Cahoon and receiver Langdon Horace dedicated with Taylor on the helm, and linebacker Wassie Lugolobi lately flipped from Washington for Stanford’s tutorial attraction. Their standing will likely be value monitoring.

The underside line

Stanford hasn’t reached a bowl recreation since 2018. After a decade of success below Jim Harbaugh and Shaw, this system has struggled to search out its footing within the fashionable period of school soccer. Having to fireside a coach in March solely raises extra questions and creates a rockier panorama for the Cardinal. Luck has made Stanford matter earlier than, and he will must do it once more.