The last two losses for Stanford have been uninspiring, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around.
Stanford football fell 35-7 to Duke on the road this weekend, making it two straight weeks the program has lost without keeping the opponent particularly close.
The Cardinal were ready to surprise people this season but instead have looked more or less the same, raising questions about the direction of this season. Even at 1-2, there is still time for the Cardinal to turn things around and even make a bowl game, but not the way they have been playing these past two games.
Let's get the first and most obvious thing that needs to change out of the way. Players need to really buy in. Tavita Pritchard and the new staff need time to get things where they need to be to have success.
Coaching can only go so far, and the players need to give it everything they have whenever they get the opportunity to compete. The best way for the program to get better is for them to get a full idea of where they need to improve and that requires the players to provide full effort on every play.
A new staff also means a new scheme, and for players at certain positions, that means adjusting to new roles.
Defensive coordinator Kris Richard's scheme is much different from anything the Cardinal have run in the past, requiring positions like defensive backs to take on a bigger role. It takes time for teams to figure out a new scheme, but the Cardinal need to adjust quickly with many other tough games still to come.
The last part of it ties into the players needing to buy in, but more specifically, competitiveness. Miami and Duke were tough games, but if the scores were closer, it would have been a major tone-setter for the rest of the season.
The Miami game saw the Cardinal trail 28-6 at halftime, but coming out for the second half, the Cardinal gave up 17 unanswered points and did not get anything productive out of any of their three phases.
The game against Duke was an even more concerning sign, especially with how the second half went. After a fairly competitive first half, where the first quarter was scoreless and the Cardinal only trailed 14-7 at halftime, the second half saw the Cardinal play very flat, ultimately giving up 21 unanswered points.
Stanford faces tough tests coming up against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Notre Dame, with the latter two games being on the road. But the Cardinal can change the trajectory of their campaign if they can pull off a win, or keep it close, in one of those games. The next game for the Cardinal is Sept. 26 at home against Georgia Tech.
This season is all about building for the future while taking steps forward. Turning things around and finishing 2026 strong will go a long way towards creating a foundation to build from.
A bowl game appearance is the main (albeit lofty) goal for the Cardinal this season. But if they can just show promise each week, that is a good start. For now, the Cardinal will look to bounce back from the Duke loss and head into this week locked in for the weekend.
