Off the top of my head, I'd start by setting up two separate tracks for HS recruits and potential portal transfers. Obviously we have invested a lot of time and effort in developing a process for HS recruits, so...
1. I suspect the best ROI will come from trying to optimize our approach to the transfer portal, with both players we had previously had contact with during the HS recruiting process and with academically-oriented players where the Stanford appeal is the athletic + academic broader package.
2. The third leg of this is evolving our NIL policy and specifically how we apply that to potential transfers. I have no idea how well we stack up vs. the market, but we need to close the gap ASAP and/or take a more targeted approach to potential difference makers.
3. One area where we are seemingly always at a disadvantage is speed and specifically edge speed. We could fill a roster with possession receivers (and we often do), but we need to upgrade speed at WR, RB, CB, OLB/Edge for starters. Here you have to think that Frosh-Soph players from top 25 teams who are situational players, but not starters might love the opportunity to come to Stanford and go to the head of the line.
4. As for reinventing common knowledge with big data or some other analytical approach -- or finding the next Scott Hatteberg or Kevin Youkilis -- I don't have any insight, other than to point out that Harbaugh focused more on football-first intensity than anything else and got around the speed problem by emphasizing the power running game and featuring TEs in the passing game, filling his roster with a boatload of 6-4 245 HSers who were quick, strong and loved to hit. This also meant our target recruiting profile had less of an overlap than many other schools -- and made it easier to transition to a different type of culture with a different type of kid.
5. I'm not sure how CTT sees his offensive scheme evolving, but after watching what Leach did at Wazzu I've always thought we should consider doing something similar with a pass-first offense where once again we might be looking at slightly different skill sets coming out of HS. Again, anywhere we can be recruiting in a different supply-demand dynamic is a plus.
So who has some better ideas on how to Moneyball our roster?
1. I suspect the best ROI will come from trying to optimize our approach to the transfer portal, with both players we had previously had contact with during the HS recruiting process and with academically-oriented players where the Stanford appeal is the athletic + academic broader package.
2. The third leg of this is evolving our NIL policy and specifically how we apply that to potential transfers. I have no idea how well we stack up vs. the market, but we need to close the gap ASAP and/or take a more targeted approach to potential difference makers.
3. One area where we are seemingly always at a disadvantage is speed and specifically edge speed. We could fill a roster with possession receivers (and we often do), but we need to upgrade speed at WR, RB, CB, OLB/Edge for starters. Here you have to think that Frosh-Soph players from top 25 teams who are situational players, but not starters might love the opportunity to come to Stanford and go to the head of the line.
4. As for reinventing common knowledge with big data or some other analytical approach -- or finding the next Scott Hatteberg or Kevin Youkilis -- I don't have any insight, other than to point out that Harbaugh focused more on football-first intensity than anything else and got around the speed problem by emphasizing the power running game and featuring TEs in the passing game, filling his roster with a boatload of 6-4 245 HSers who were quick, strong and loved to hit. This also meant our target recruiting profile had less of an overlap than many other schools -- and made it easier to transition to a different type of culture with a different type of kid.
5. I'm not sure how CTT sees his offensive scheme evolving, but after watching what Leach did at Wazzu I've always thought we should consider doing something similar with a pass-first offense where once again we might be looking at slightly different skill sets coming out of HS. Again, anywhere we can be recruiting in a different supply-demand dynamic is a plus.
So who has some better ideas on how to Moneyball our roster?
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