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Experienced former NFL head coach Frank Reich will start his interim stint in charge of the Stanford Cardinal team with a trip to Hawaii to face the Rainbow Warriors. The 63-year-old was ushered in to replace Troy Taylor, who managed just two seasons in charge at Stanford Stadium.
Reich spent five seasons in charge of the Indianapolis Colts, leading them to two playoff runs, before a disastrous spell at the Carolina Panthers, during which he managed to secure just one win from eleven games of the 2023 season before being booted out.
Optimism is high in Palo Alto with Reich at the helm, and loyal Cardinal fans can put their money where their mouths are through this collection of amazing sports betting promo codes. Despite coming off a disappointing 3-9 season, the new regime is already a stark contrast to the problematic Taylor.Â
The exit of Coach Taylor was confirmed earlier this year after he was found to have bullied two female staffers, and having been confirmed as his replacement, Reich released a very enthusiastic statement.
“The unique responsibility to mentor the best student-athletes in the world, to be the absolute best in what they aspire to do, is an opportunity I will fully embrace,” Reich said.
Stanford Football General Manager Andrew Luck, who worked under Reich in his final NFL season at the Indianapolis Colts, was effusive in his praise for the new coach.
“I could not be more excited for our coaches, staff and players,” Luck said.
“I have experienced first-hand the incredible impact Frank has demonstrated as a leader and have full confidence he is the perfect steward for this season of Stanford football.
“Frank is a teacher, a winner and a coach of the highest caliber. Frank’s values align seamlessly with our vision for this program, and I firmly believe in his ability to maximize the on-field potential of our student-athletes while serving as a role model in all aspects of their personal growth.”
Regardless of the allegations leveled at Troy Taylor, Stanford did not perform well under his leadership, with the team managing a poor 6-18 record across his two disappointing seasons in charge.
He came in after David Shaw had led Stanford for twelve years, of which the second half of his tenure was something of an abject failure, especially when compared to the successes that came before, which included two Conference titles.
A lot will be expected of Reich, but he has quite a task ahead of him to turn things around at Stanford. Indeed, a recent report that outlines the uncertainty at college football programs puts the team at the top of the pile.
By all accounts, a big reason for that perceived uncertainty, along with the lean years leading to this one, is the fact that Reich has never coached at the college football level. This is somewhat surprising as an assessment, as clearly he has substantial experience at the NFL level.
If Reich can get his debut season off to a strong start, Stanford may well just be able to start to turn the corner.
