Stanford legend Andrew Luck is once again at the center of the program he helped elevate more than a decade ago. This time, it’s not as a quarterback — but as the general manager, where he’s now leading a new era for Cardinal football.
On Tuesday, Luck made his most consequential move yet, firing head coach Troy Taylor. The decision, which he made in concert with University leadership but ultimately was his, came just days after ESPN reported Taylor was under investigation for employee abuse — a probe that had not been publicly known prior to the story’s publication.
The news of the investigation caught much of the staff off guard. But it was Luck’s swift action to remove Taylor — particularly while the staff was away from the office while Stanford was on spring break — that truly blindsided many, sources close to the program told CBS Sports. The staff, many of them new, had been preparing for spring football.
Stanford’s org chart was already the only one in college football that had the coach reporting to the general manager. Now Stanford finds itself in further uncharted territory.
There is no interim head coach named. Spring football was about to begin. Several assistants had just relocated to Palo Alto this offseason, anticipating Taylor’s third year at the helm. They now report directly to the 35-year-old Luck, who’s mostly on his own in hiring a new coach as his boss, athletics director Bernard Muir, is retiring at the end of the semester semester. Conversations with multiple sources in and around the Stanford football program paint a true choose-your-own-adventure path for Luck in the next few weeks.
What’s next — interim or national search?
All eyes are on Luck, who is reportedly taking full control of the next steps. The most immediate question: Will Stanford promote from within on an interim basis or pursue a longer-term hire?
Among internal candidates, safeties coach Bob Gregory has interim experience — he led Washington in 2021 after Jimmy Lake was fired midseason. Co-defensive coordinator Andy Thompson also has head coaching experience, having succeeded Taylor at Sacramento State before rejoining him at Stanford.
What will Stanford become under Andrew Luck? Troy Taylor’s abrupt firing brings more questions than answers
Richard Johnson
Given the timing — post-spring break, with the transfer portal window approaching in April — a one-year interim coach could make sense, mirroring the path Northwestern took in 2023 when David Braun was elevated after Pat Fitzgerald’s dismissal and eventually earned the full-time role, or even going out of house, like when Baylor put Jim Grobe in charge of a toxic program after scrubbing away the Art Briles era before hiring Matt Rhule at the end of the season.
But Luck could also opt to begin a full national search immediately. Sources say Stanford has entertained the idea of enlisting a search firm to do so. If that’s the route, does Stanford make a hire this spring, or wait until the end of the 2025 season, when more sitting head coaches might be available without having to leave their programs mid-year?
There is precedent for a spring hiring. Kansas landed Lance Leipold from Buffalo in April 2021 under similar circumstances. But Stanford’s job is uniquely challenging in the modern landscape: strict academic standards, limited NIL infrastructure, and now a cross-country reality in the ACC. It is not nearly as desirable as when David Shaw stepped down at the end of the 2022 campaign, though names on an early Stanford coaching hot board include potential home-run types like Boise State’s Spencer Danielson and Tulane’s Jon Sumrall.
Roster ripple effects
Though Stanford’s academic reputation has traditionally helped retain players, the coaching change opens the door for potential attrition — especially among top talent. Star defensive lineman David Bailey, a coveted portal target in past cycles, has stayed loyal so far and not for a lack of interest. Tons of schools have hoped the last couple offseasons Bailey would enter. He never strayed, but with graduation on the horizon, this could be the moment that pushes him toward a transfer.
Stanford’s 2025 recruiting class could also take a hit. In-state prospects like linebacker Chase Cahoon and receiver Langdon Horace committed with Taylor at the helm, and linebacker Wassie Lugolobi recently flipped from Washington for Stanford’s academic appeal. Their status will be worth monitoring.
The bottom line
Stanford hasn’t reached a bowl game since 2018. After a decade of success under Jim Harbaugh and Shaw, the program has struggled to find its footing in the modern era of college football. Having to fire a coach in March only raises more questions and creates a rockier landscape for the Cardinal. Luck has made Stanford matter before, and he’s going to have to do it again.
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