Stanford has brought in experienced NFL head coach Frank Reich as an interim replacement for fired boss Troy Taylor, albeit the 63-year-old is only being brought in for a single season at the helm at Stanford Stadium.
Taylor’s time was brought to an end amid accusations of bullying, while Stanford has also promoted Nate Byham from his position as tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in moves they hope will result in an improved campaign in 2025.
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Reich will be expected to achieve a measure of improvement following Stanford Cardinal finishes of 3-9 in each of their last four seasons, and he will hope to get more out of his charges than both Taylor and David Shaw before him.
He appears raring to go and is certainly more than capable of helping Stanford arrest their slide,
“The unique responsibility to mentor the best student-athletes in the world, to be the absolute best in what they aspire to do, is an opportunity I will fully embrace,” Reich added.
He’ll be teaming up with general manager Andrew Luck, whom he knows well, having coached him in the NFL at the Indianapolis Colts.
The appointment certainly excites Luck, who commented,
“I could not be more excited for our coaches, staff and players,”
“I have experienced first-hand the incredible impact Frank has demonstrated as a leader and have full confidence he is the perfect steward for this season of Stanford football.”
“Frank is a teacher, a winner, and a coach of the highest caliber. Frank’s values align seamlessly with our vision for this program, and I firmly believe in his ability to maximize the on-field potential of our student-athletes while serving as a role model in all aspects of their personal growth.”
Reich spent thirteen years as a player in the NFL, running out for the Buffalo Bills for nine of those. The quarterback then went on to spend short stints with the Carolina Panthers, the New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions.
He then became a coaching intern at the Colts and served in backroom roles at a number of other franchises before scoring his first head coach role back in Indianapolis between 2018 and 2022. Over the course of those four years, he completed a 40-33 regular season record, helping the Colts to the playoffs on two occasions before he was fired.
A disastrous spell at the Carolina Panthers followed, with his 1-10 record leading to a dismissal midway through the 2023 season. That made his spell the fourth shortest for a head coach in NFL history.
One imagines Reich hopes to stick around a little longer at Stanford, albeit his position is only interim in nature.
Stanford has not played in a Bowl game since 2018, which perhaps indicates just how tough of a task Reich has on his hands.
