Could this be the new version of parental influence/40 year decision, grown-ups who know the value of money in America and want the best for their children by not getting drawn to the prestige of a Stanford or Michigan when more life-changing money is available at Auburn? Would be wild if so but a place my mind went a few weeks ago reading speculation about Babaloa mom dynamics.
This s is EXACTLY why Canady went to Texas freaking Tech over staying at Stanford.
This is why I have been harping about how Stanford's greatest value proposition doesn't matter much anymore. And I believe I said a few months ago if Stanford can't land Babaloa - a guy who is the seeming prototype for a Stanford guy - it indicates that if it wants to compete in the market for top talent, Stanford must adapt and be willing to pay recruits like Babaloa a lot of money. It is all about money for those who offer the value for it to be. But it always was about money. I mean what was the 40-year decision about in the first place? It was about how you can make more money going to Stanford if Football doesn't work out. Well, if you are making a lot of money to play football in college, you really don't need a Stanford degree that much to make it later.
And about Babaloa specifically, I said Stanford has to compete and act like Oregon if it wants players like him. It IS a market where the service providers will go where they can get paid the most or otherwise have the best compensation package. If Auburn will pay Babaloa $1M, and Oregon wants him, they will pay him $1.5M. Is Stanford willing to pay more than Oregon? If not, why put effort into recruiting him?
Stanford's entire strategy should be to recruit players they believe are diamonds in the rough, offer them some money plus the 40 year decision potential, and make the program all about player development. This is the land of 3 and even 2 star recruits.
stanford.rivals.com