Stanford Football

With Pac-12 football postponed until at least the spring, Stanford offensive tackle Walker Little has opted out of playing this season.

Little announced his decision on Stanford's athletic website:

"I returned to Stanford for my senior year to finish my degree and play one more season with my teammates. This fall, I will indeed graduate, but with so much uncertainty regarding the football season, the time is right to opt out of the 2020-21 season and prepare for the NFL Draft.

"The past three-plus years at Stanford have prepared me for this moment and I am ready and eager for what the future holds.

"I will always cherish the memories I have made with my teammates both on and off the field. The men in the locker room are what has made Stanford Football special for me.

"I want to thank Coach Shaw for being true to what he said in recruiting and taking care of me, guiding me and changing me into the man I am now. He has helped me reach my ultimate goal, a Stanford degree and an opportunity to play in the NFL. For that I will always be grateful."

Little is the second high-profile offensive tackle in the Pac-12 to announce he won't play if there's a season in the spring. 

Oregon's Penei Sewell announced his decision Monday on Twitter. 

B/R's Matt Miller projected Little as the No. 19 overall pick to the Green Bay Packers in his way-too-early 2021 mock draft released Monday:

"He was my top tackle on the board before the 2019 season started, but a knee injury cost him that campaign. Without a 2020 season, his stock could now be damaged by a lack of tape.

"What's out there on Little is very good, though. His sophomore tape was first-round-caliber, and as long as teams are comfortable with where his knee is at after almost two years of not playing, his technique and upside are as good as any blocker the Packers could hope to find this late in the draft."

Last season was a lost year for Little, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 against Northwestern. He announced in December he was returning to school for his senior season. 

Little has been a standout member of the Cardinal's offensive line since his arrival on campus in 2017. The 21-year-old shared the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award with Arizona running back J.J. Taylor. He followed that up by being named to the All-Pac-12 first team as a sophomore in 2018. 

Stanford is planning to cut 11 varsity sports due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne, provost Persis Drell and athletic director Bernard Muir announced the move Wednesday in an open letter.

"We now face the reality that significant change is needed to create fiscal stability for Stanford Athletics, and to provide the support we believe is essential for our student-athletes to excel," the letter read.

The 11 sports are as follows:

• men's fencing
• women's fencing
• field hockey
• lightweight rowing
• men's rowing
• co-ed sailing
• women's sailing
• squash
• synchronized swimming
• men's volleyball
• wrestling

Stanford said more than 240 student-athletes and 22 coaches made up the 11 teams. Collectively, the programs also won 20 national championships and saw their athletes win 27 Olympic medals.

The school said prior to the pandemic the athletics department was expected to run at a $12 million deficit for the 2021 fiscal year. That number had been updated to $25 million when factoring in the pandemic, and suspending any 2020-21 athletic seasons would further exacerbate the problem.

Stanford isn't the only school in a similar position. ESPN.com listed the numerous universities that have either cut certain sports or placed athletic employees on furlough to mitigate the financial ramifications. 

The pandemic already forced the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament and spring sports altogether. Universities across the country have also closed their campuses and transitioned to online learning.

The upcoming fall season could be impacted as well.

With the number of cases showing few signs of a decline, the 2020 college football campaign could be in danger. Should the season kick off as scheduled in late August, schools would almost certainly have stadium with limited capacity or no fans altogether, thus losing out on revenue from ticket and concession sales.

Stanford coach David Shaw thinks there could "potentially" be some protests during the national anthem in college football this season.

"I think we are in a different place right now as a nation than we were a few years ago with Colin Kaepernick," he told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem during the 2016 NFL season to protest racial injustice and police brutality. He was widely criticized—including by the president—and since becoming a free agent in 2017, he hasn't been signed.

Protests have emerged the past few weeks after George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. Athletes have said they will kneel when their seasons resume, including some college football players like those at Iowa.

Though Shaw said he wouldn't kneel, he would be supportive of players on his team who protest before or during games:

"I would. And this conversation came up when Colin Kaepernick started his protests. And I've been very consistent with our guys. I say I will never tell you what to do, what to think or what to say. All I tell them is if you're going to take a stand, first and foremost, do your research. Be a Stanford guy. Look things up, find facts and figures that support your argument."

In 2016, Shaw said he told his players, "If you want to stand for something, understand the history of it and be able to defend your position," via Vytas Mazeika of the Mercury News.

Shaw also talked about Drew Brees. The New Orleans Saints quarterback said earlier this month he would "never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag" but was criticized for misunderstanding the point of the protests during the national anthem. He later offered multiple apologies. 

"I felt bad for Drew; he misunderstood," Shaw said. 

The Stanford coach added: "In a very short period of time, it wasn't just that he was backing down to the pressure. His teammates got to him."

Shaw also detailed the racism he's experienced in his own life:

"It's best to assume that every single person in this country who is not white has experienced racism. It's just best to assume that instead of assuming, 'Oh, because you're the head football coach at Stanford and you have a Stanford degree, you surely haven't had to deal with racism.' But yes, I was pulled over five blocks from my house. I don't drink, so I wasn't swerving. And I don't speed. I've never gotten a ticket. But I got pulled over, 10:30 at night, five blocks from my house."

The 47-year-old is one of 13 African American head coaches in FBS among 130 schools.

"I was told at a young age, you're going to have to be twice as good to get half as much," Shaw said. "It's just the mentality that I'm going to have to overcome things that other people are not going to have to overcome in order to achieve what I want to achieve."

Zach Hoffpauir, a former two-sport athlete at Stanford University, died Thursday at the age of 26. 

Doug Hoffpauir, Zach's father, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in a text message about his son's death. 

No cause of death was given. 

Hoffpauir played baseball for the Cardinal from 2012-15 until he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also played football from 2012-15 and again in 2016 and was an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 team as a junior in 2014. 

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, who played with Hoffpauir in college, wrote a message on Instagram about his former teammate:

"Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. He did things the right way. He taught me how to enjoy life. He taught me how to not give a f--k about what people think about me, and to do it my way. He never lost an argument, or a dance battle, and he said what he meant and meant what he said. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. He was a true friend and a great brother to anyone he knew. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul."

Hoffpauir was recently hired to be a defensive backs coach at Northern Colorado for head coach Ed McCaffrey, Christian's father.

An Arizona native, Hoffpauir played safety and outfield at Stanford. 

Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello has reportedly entered his name in the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, according to Matt Zenitz of AL.com. 

Costello was a highly touted player entering the season but injuries limited him to just five games in 2019.

The quarterback should be eligible to play immediately in 2020 with one year left in college after spending four years with the program, seeing game action in three seasons. 

Costello was at his best in 2018, totaling 3,540 passing yards and 29 touchdowns in 13 games while leading the Cardinal to a 9-4 record.

The 6'5" passer was considered a potential NFL draft prospect, even listed among the top 10 options at the position as recently as November by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller. His coach David Shaw also expected him to leave for the NFL after this season:

Man, can a college player's stock turn in a hurry. Here's what David Shaw told me about KJ Costello before the season.

(Though he was right about the "not expecting him to come back" part.) pic.twitter.com/M6WhtmKe2o

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 19, 2019

However, he was in and out of the lineup in 2019 and only played two games after September. He finished the year with just six touchdowns with three interceptions while Stanford struggled to 4-8 overall.

Despite the lost season, Costello will likely be a hot commodity in the transfer pool:

KJ Costello is a lot better QB than he showed in 2019. He’ll be popular.

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) December 19, 2019

David Mills would presumably enter 2020 as Stanford's staring quarterback if Costello does indeed leave.

Running back EJ Smith, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, will play college football at Stanford University starting next season. 

The Cardinal secured a commitment from Smith on Wednesday:

BREAKING: Jesuit RB Ej Smith is heading west to carve his own legacy. He chooses to sign with Stanford. @SportsDayHS | #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/KrxRRJ5UCn

— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) December 18, 2019

Emmitt, a graduate of the University of Florida, gave a hat tip to his alma mater before praising his son's decision to forge his own path:

Emmit Smith puts on a Florida hat at son EJ Smith's announcement and said he can wear the hat but his son didn't have to wear that hat, that he supported him to choose his own school. Pretty cool moment.

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) December 18, 2019

Smart off the field and exemplary on the field! Congrats on your pick and journey to @StanfordFball @ejsmith_22!! #SigningDay pic.twitter.com/85FlDzNLjQ

— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) December 18, 2019

He also expressed his support for EJ's decision during the announcement ceremony:

"At the end of the day, my son has his own journey. And it is his journey, not my journey."

– Emmitt Smith after his son, EJ, committed to Stanford pic.twitter.com/50gEfkyB4R

— ESPN (@espn) December 18, 2019

EJ is a significant addition for head coach David Shaw and his coaching staff for 2020. The Jesuit High School standout is a 4-star prospect, No. 3 all-purpose back and No. 144 overall player in next year's class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Smith was a highly coveted player and was picking from a group of finalists that included Florida, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas A&M before picking Stanford. 

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports raved about Smith's ability in March during the Dallas regional of The Opening: "Smith proved consistently good in 1-on-1's, winning vertical reps, then closer-quarters matchups in red-zone work. Smith owns a build perhaps a bit more reminiscent of a back, but regularly showed Sunday that he possesses impressive receiver acumen and the requisite athleticism to thrive on the perimeter." 

Stanford can use Smith as a receiver or running back. He ran for 905 yards and 22 touchdowns on 165 carries and caught 34 passes for 513 yards during his senior season, per Garrett Stepien of 247Sports. 

The Cardinal have done a terrific job of developing running backs throughout Shaw's tenure as head coach. Bryce Love won the Doak Walker Award and was the runner-up in Heisman voting in 2017. Christian McCaffrey finished second in Heisman voting in 2015 and a first-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers two years later. 

Smith will be the next in line to carry that torch previously held by Love and McCaffrey to get Stanford back on track following a disappointing 4-8 record in 2019.

Heading into the 2019 college football season, Stanford received a No. 25 ranking in the initial Associated Press poll. The Cardinal kicked off the campaign with a seemingly quality win over Northwestern, the reigning Big Ten West champions, and moved up to No. 23.

However, that was basically the highlight of the year.

USC and UCF both smashed David Shaw's club, which managed to upset Washington but otherwise trudged to a very un-Stanford-like 4-8 finish. The team battled injury issues while trotting out a subpar offense and unimpressive defense.

Stanford's 10-year bowl streak came to a screeching halt. The program had a losing record at home for the first time in 12 years, had its nine-game winning streak over rival Cal snapped and finished last in the Pac-12's North Division.

And as the season ended, the exodus began. In December alone, a head-turning 12 players entered the transfer portal.

On offense, that includes quarterback Jack Richardson, wideout Donald Stewart, tight end Scooter Harrington and linemen Devery Hamilton, Henry Hattis and Dylan Powell. Defensively, the list contains linemen Jovan Swann, Michael Williams and Bo Peek, plus linebacker Anthony Trinh and cornerback Obi Eboh. Kicker Collin Riccitelli completes the dozen.

The simple reaction: That isn't a good sign!

But context and nuance are important, too. Exactly how bad is it?

From a numerical perspective, 12 transfers is among the worst nationally. Connecticut has 18 players in the portal, per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, but it is readying to leave the AAC and has 20 total victories over the last seven years. Coastal Carolina—which is new to the FBS—had 10 players decide to transfer on the same day.

Being mentioned in the same discussion as either program isn't great for Stanford. While transfers will always happen, no school wants to have its depth depleted so rapidly.

That's also where nuance is valuable. So far, the Cardinal are about to lose only a few likely contributors.

Hamilton tallied 27 career appearances on the offensive line, while Hattis entered 21 games and Powell played 20. They were all potential starters in 2020, along with Swann and Williams. They combined to provide 55 tackles with 13.5 stops for loss and five sacks in 2019 and will be missed.

The other six either recently dropped on the depth chart (Eboh and Riccitelli) or haven't yet made a significant impact (Stewart, Harrington, Peek and Trinh).

In fairness to the transfers, some of them may return—except for Powell, who has committed to Indiana. Harrington, for example, could be a larger factor in 2020 if tight end Colby Parkinson declares for the NFL draft. Some may need another offseason to develop, which could be a reflection of coaching.

The rumors connecting Shaw to the NFL might have contributed to the players' decision to enter the transfer portal as well.

Lastly, this isn't a matter of deciding to chase playing time because it isn't going their way immediately.

"All of the players who would be leaving are seniors who would be immediately eligible as graduate transfers," according to Daniel Martinez-Krams of the Stanford Daily.

Let's be clear: There is typically nothing wrong with a player seeking a place where he can earn more snaps. It's fine if a freshman wants to leave, but that decision shouldn't be rushed. As someone nears the end of his eligibility, though, making an honest assessment of opportunities—both athletically and academically—is imperative.

Unless there are some underlying culture worries—and there's no evidence of that—this is largely a depth problem.

After taking only 14 players in the 2018 recruiting class, the Cardinal added 23 in 2019. Entering the early signing period for the 2020 cycle, they hold 19 verbal pledges. The program will likely be a fair number below the 85-scholarship limit.

The deficit might be problematic if injuries wreak havoc on the roster, much like they did this year. Given that Stanford already had depth deficiencies in 2019, seeing a crowd of potential starters and backups head for the door is a major concern.

Yet because all 12 players are graduate transfers anyway, it's an issue basically limited to 2020. Other than a few with two years of eligibility left, they'd be leaving "The Farm" next year.

Stanford has a problem, yes. But if Shaw and Co. address the roster shortage properly with better recruiting and improved development of young players, this is more of a short-term dilemma than the origin of a future meltdown.

          

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Stanford Cardinal quarterback K.J. Costello has been ruled out Saturday's showdown with the USC Trojans due to a head injury. 

Junior Davis Mills is expected to start for the first time in his career in place of Costello.

Costello led Stanford to a 17-7 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in Week 1, as he completed 16 of 20 pass attempts for 152 yards and one touchdown. However, he left the game at the end of the first half after taking a late hit to the helmet from Northwestern defensive end Earnest Brown IV.

Mills replaced Costello and completed seven of 14 pass attempts for 81 yards.

"We'll see how his injury progresses during the course of the week," Stanford coach David Shaw said Tuesday, per the Mercury News' Vytas Mazeika. "Should hopefully make a decision by Thursday or Friday."

Costello has served as the Cardinal's starting quarterback since the middle of the 2017 season. He has made  21 starts over the past two-plus seasons. The senior was named to the preseason Davey O'Brien Award watch list.

With Costello entrenched as the starting quarterback, Mills has seen very limited action during his time at Stanford. Including his relief appearance against Northwestern, the 6'4", 214-pound signal-caller has played in just two games for the Cardinal.

He has just 16 career pass attempts and has yet to throw a touchdown pass.

Even though Mills does not have much experience at the collegiate level, Shaw will not water down the game plan.

"Whoever starts at quarterback, it’s not going to change our philosophy, it’s not going to change our scheme," Shaw said Tuesday, per Mazeika. "All of our quarterbacks know our offense and now it’s just about getting ready to play."

Saturday's clash at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum will feature a pair of backups, as the Trojans will also be without their starter. J.T. Daniels is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus in a season-opening win over Fresno State on Saturday, elevating true freshman Kedon Slovis to starter.

Stanford landed a potential cornerstone offensive lineman Wednesday, as offensive tackle Myles Hinton committed to the school.

He announced as much on his Twitter page:

Committed!!👀👀〽️🔵or 🔴🌲? pic.twitter.com/HK6ilBpKmv

— Myles Hinton (@myles_hint75) January 10, 2019

According to 247Sports, Hinton is a 5-star prospect who ranks as the No. 12 overall player, No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 2 player from the state of Georgia in the 2020 class.

The Norcross, Georgia, native was a highly sought-after commodity on the recruiting trail, as the likes of Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma made him scholarship offers.

Michigan seemingly had a leg up on the competition since his brother, Chris Hinton, committed to play under head coach Jim Harbaugh for the Wolverines, but the Wolverines were unable to hold off the Cardinal.

Hinton has good size at 6'6" and 308 pounds to the point that he is unlikely to get manhandled at the next level, but he also has enough quickness and enthusiasm to handle speed rushers effectively.

Given Hinton's combination of size, strength and agility, it comes as little surprise that he excels in other sports as well.

According to the official Twitter account of Greater Atlanta Christian School, Hinton was a state champion in the discus throw in 2018:

ICYMI: Myles Hinton, nationally-ranked football O-lineman and incredible sketch artist, adds another notable accomplishment to the list. This weekend, Myles claimed the State Champion title for the discus throw in the Track & Field tournament. GAC Boys team placed 8th overall. pic.twitter.com/6fMF9lqb85

— GACSpartans (@GACSpartans) May 15, 2018

That level of power will come in handy against the top schools and pass-rushers in college football, and it suggests that he may be able to contribute immediately as a freshman.

It is difficult to envision Hinton sitting for long, and it may even behoove Stanford to start him off as a right tackle before transitioning him to the left side when he is ready.

Regardless of how he is utilized, Hinton has all the makings of a stud offensive tackle, and securing a commitment from him is a huge score for the Pac-12 program as it relates to the 2020 recruiting class.