Stanford football is in a hole. Losing 35-7 to Duke, the Cardinal fell to 1-2 on the season and are in desperate need of a win to get their season back on track. For the Cardinal to get the most out of this season, everyone needs to execute their job in all three phases. But there are some players who have more riding on their shoulders than others.

From established veterans to new players trying to prove themselves, Stanford has a lot to figure out as it plays through the season.

With a new head coach in Tavita Pritchard and a whole new staff during the offseason, change is everywhere this year, especially with new schemes being implemented and roles for returning players. There is still some adjustment happening, but things need to click quickly if the Cardinal want to see the results they're after.

Here are three Stanford players who need to step things up this season if the goal is to turn things around and compete for a bowl game appearance, which has not been the case for the program since 2018.

Warren has not played badly at all, completing 57% (61-of-107) of his passes for 675 yards and a pair of touchdowns without throwing an interception. But in a pass-heavy ACC, Warren needs to show that he can be the star of the offense and continuously move the ball down the field. 

Granted, Warren has not gotten a lot of help, but with a lot of tough games still left on Stanford's schedule, he will need to put his leadership skills on full display. The Cardinal won't win many games scoring just one touchdown. 

Cooper is one of the most experienced players in the program, and with that comes greater leadership responsibility, especially on a rebuilding team like Stanford. The Cardinal also need Cooper to fill more of a pass rusher role this season, seeing major turnover on the defensive line in recent seasons.

But so far, the Cardinal have gotten nothing out of him — no sacks and only seven total tackles across three games. Stanford's defense has struggled the last two weeks, especially at stopping the run and getting to the quarterback. With games against strong offenses still to come, Cooper needs to really become a force.

A leader in the locker room, Green is a focal point on defense and has a lot of experience in college football after spending the first two seasons of his career at Washington. Entering this season, Green was seen as a potential breakout candidate. But so far, even with 12 tackles in three games, he has not really been a huge factor in the passing game.

Teams are going to test Stanford when it comes to the passing game, and being a strong and physical player, Green has all the tools to mitigate the damage. These next three games especially, against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Notre Dame, are perfect opportunities for him to get it going.