With a new coaching staff emphasizing speed and physicality, the Cardinal are optimistic they can compete in the ACC despite a rebuilding phase.
Stanford football's training camp is off and running. Coming off a 4-8 season last year, the Cardinal are back at it and are ready to prove that their offseason full of change was worth it and they have what it takes to compete for conference titles.
While the expectations surrounding the program are low, the Cardinal believe that they have the pieces to surprise people. Even though the program is committed to the rebuild, they hope to turn heads throughout the campaign.
Since taking over as the head coach, Tavita Pritchard has transformed the culture on The Farm and is getting players to buy in very quickly.
Speaking to the media after practice, Pritchard discussed how things are looking heading into the regular season opener on August 29 against Hawaii.
Speed is the Name of the Game
From the moment Pritchard took over, his emphasis has been clear — play fast, physical, and tough. And so far in camp, Pritchard is emphasizing urgency — in any scenario, the team needs to respond and make a play.
"As you're learning our systems, you're learning your techniques, you're learning the calls and the adjustments, there can be more of a sense of feeling through and we've got to go," Pritchard said.
"We've got to fix it with violence and speed and so that's the encouragement to the guys. Learning it in the classroom, you crawl, you walk, we walk it in the in walk-throughs but then when you get to practice, if you don't know, the response has to be to go and fix it with speed and violence."
The ACC is a loaded conference filled with teams that are capable of making the College Football Playoff. And while it may be tough for a rebuilding program like Stanford to consistently beat those top teams, playing fast and physical at all times can at least keep them competitive and force opponents to really dig deep.
Transfer Aidan Kilstrom Will Have a Big Role
In a season with a lot of change, the Cardinal also need to rely on veterans who can lead the charge when times get tough. This offseason, the Cardinal brought in veterans from the transfer portal to go along with the returning veterans, notably offensive lineman Aidan Kilstrom.
A four-year standout at Harvard who earned multiple Ivy League awards, Kilstrom will be relied upon immediately by the Cardinal. Luckily, Kilstrom has displayed all the vitals that the Cardinal are looking for, providing a positive outlook for the offensive line this season.
"As a veteran, one of the things that he certainly has right now is, he's a leader, he's assertive at the line," Pritchard said. "There are so many correlations between what you look for in a center and what you look for in a quarterback in terms of mental makeup and affect. And he's got it.
"He fixes problems and he's clearly seen and played a lot of football. And so [the program is] really pleased from that standpoint with where Aidan is in terms of being able to get the point and get us adjusted and get the five guys playing as one because that's one of the main jobs for the center."
The line has been an area of inconsistency for the Cardinal in recent seasons and this year they need it all to come together in order for the offense to reach its full potential. And if Kilstrom can provide stability at center, the team will be in much better shape.
Quarterback Competition?
Since coming from Michigan, Davis Warren has headlined the quarterback room and figures to be the starter this season. But from the looks of things early on, the quarterback room could be very deep this season, with each signal caller showing a lot of promise in each situation throughout camp.
"I think those guys are taking advantage of the reps that they're getting," Pritchard said. "We're moving them around. They're getting reps with different groups and focusing on what's the situation.
"Because so much for the quarterback is being able to zoom into that situation. 1st and 10, second down, third down, two-minute third down, fourth down, and I think for those guys, so much has to be poured into this play, what's right in front of them.
"I think the quarterbacks have done a really good job of that, of really keeping their focus right where it should be."
Aside from Warren, the Cardinal have quarterbacks Dylan Rizk, Mike Mitchell Jr. and Charlie Mirer, each of whom is hoping to earn some sort of playing time in 2026. The Cardinal hope that Warren can stay healthy and perform at a high level, but if something happens, it helps knowing that any of the other quarterbacks can step up and deliver as well.
Stanford's Defense is Coming
Other than hiring Pritchard, the biggest offseason coaching hire that the Cardinal made was bringing in Kris Richard to serve as the defensive coordinator. Richard is a longtime NFL assistant who was the mastermind behind the Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom.
Richard comes to The Farm to resurrect a Cardinal defense that has struggled in recent seasons, and the expectation is that the unit will play with a much different flair. Early in camp, it is evident that the defense could inflict some serious damage.
"Our defensive staff is outstanding," Pritchard said. "The leadership on the defensive side of the ball is outstanding. Those guys picked up right where they left off in the spring. And as you saw those guys go through the spring and really start to grasp our defensive concepts, you can tell they came out here from day one and they're playing our scheme really fast, and that's what is exciting.
"And not that there are no mistakes, because again, we're getting stuff cleaned up, but they're setting the tone with regard to the type of energy and speed that we want to play with."
If the Cardinal want to win games, they need to play good defense. Having a lot of veterans returning, that side of the ball could be the program's backbone.
