With the unfortunate timing of needing a new football coach while most schools are already in Spring camp, Stanford is choosing the short-term fix. The Cardinal are announcing Monday that veteran NFL coach Frank Reich is going to be the new head coach, on an interim basis.
Stanford general manager Andrew Luck is hiring Reich for just one season after firing Cardinal head coach Troy Taylor last week.
Stanford Is Choosing the Short-Term Fix
The New Guy For Now
Reich, who is 63, has spent the entirety of his coaching career in the NFL. He was the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-2022. Luck was the Colts’ quarterback in 2018, his last year in the NFL before retiring. Luck had missed the entire 2017 season with a shoulder injury. In his one season playing for Reich, he threw for more than 4,000 yards, made the Pro Bowl team, and was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year. Reich was fired midway through the 2022 season.
His last head coaching job was with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. He was fired 11 games into the season after Carolina went 1-10 to begin quarterback Bryce Young’s career. In his six years as a head coach in the NFL, Reich compiled a record of 41-43-1. He also has 13 years as an assistant coach in the NFL with stops in Indianapolis, Arizona, San Diego, and Philadelphia.
The Changes
Stanford fired Taylor last week following an investigation into allegations of female employees in the athletic department. The investigation into his behavior also revealed that he attempted to have the school’s NCAA compliance officer removed from the job.
The Cardinal are also promoting tight ends coach Nate Byham to offensive coordinator and the primary play caller for the season.
The Future
Stanford opens Spring camp on Tuesday, and most programs are already in camp. That made getting a college football coach who is currently employed a precarious endeavor. As it is, with the coaching change, Stanford players have a new 30-day window (going back to March 27th) to enter the transfer portal. That will overlap the nationwide portal window of April 16 to April 25th. Stanford’s Spring camp ends on April 26th.
Luck is expected to utilize the services of a firm to launch a nationwide search for a new permanent head coach closer to the end of the 2025 season.
Main Image: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
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