With Tavita Pritchard now at the helm, the Cardinal enter 2026 with a new quarterback, a new defensive scheme and no shortage of things to prove.
Stanford football is set to begin training camp in less than a week, meaning the road to the 2026 college football season officially begins. Coming off a 4-8 season and going 3-9 every year from 2021-24, the Cardinal are looking to begin their climb back to the national spotlight, with an eye toward competing for a conference title and a CFP spot.
This offseason, the Cardinal went through an extensive revamp in order to make that happen, hiring a new head coach in Tavita Pritchard and coaching staff, bringing in several new players via recruiting and the portal, and resetting the overall culture.
Things are looking up for the Cardinal, and it's only a matter of time before they reach their first bowl game since 2018.
But with a tough slate of games and a team with a lot of unproven players, there are still several questions that the program needs answers to ahead of the season.
Can Davis Warren Fix the Program's Recent QB Issues?
After several seasons of injury issues and inconsistent play at quarterback, the Cardinal went all-in on locking in that position for this season, landing Warren from Michigan in the transfer portal.
Spending five seasons at Michigan — with two redshirt years — and starting for the team for most of the 2024 season, Warren's experience will likely land him the starting job at Stanford for this year.
Success for a team starts with the quarterback, and the Cardinal brought Warren in to elevate the offense and bring it to its full potential.
But Warren has been somewhat inconsistent in the past, throwing seven touchdowns to nine interceptions in nine games played in that 2024 season. The Cardinal need Warren to be good, and potentially even shine under center. If he's not, the program has a real problem on its hands.
How Will the Defense Adjust to the New System?
The record may suggest otherwise, but the Cardinal's defense has had some very good moments in recent seasons. From Matt Rose recording over 100 tackles last season, to Collin Wright cementing himself as an NFL-caliber player, the Cardinal have shown some promise.
This year, with Kris Richard taking over, the defense will need to quickly turn things up a level. Relying heavily on physicality, toughness and high football IQ from the defensive backs especially, everybody on defense will need to fly to the ball and make plays in what will be a very pro-style defense.
The Cardinal will face some of the best offenses in college football this season, and in order to win — or at least be competitive — the defense will need to step up and make plays.
If it doesn't, there will be very little chance of winning, especially against teams like Miami, Notre Dame, Cal and others.
Can Pritchard Turn the Offense Into a Powerhouse?
New head coach Tavita Pritchard enjoyed a very successful tenure as the Washington Commanders' quarterbacks coach, where he helped develop Jayden Daniels into the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024.
He now comes back to The Farm on a mission to use his offensive expertise and NFL experience to revamp the Cardinal football program into an offensive powerhouse.
In the ACC, a good offense can separate you from the pack, and if Pritchard can bring the Cardinal to that next level, they will be on their way down the path of eventually competing for titles.
Players such as Warren and Micah Ford will be crucial forces who need to really step up this season, and if Pritchard works his magic and gets the best out of those guys, good things will happen.
