Can Anyone Guess What School This Is??

[anomander]

Private University
59% All Time Win Percentage
1 National Titel
1 Heisman
30 All - Americans
50,000 Stadium Capacity
4 Different coaches since 2002
1-11 record in 2006

Any guesses? Hint, it's not Syracuse

 

[Timonen]

Stanford

 

[Alsacs]

It is Stanford because that 1-11 is from when Walt Harris was their HC in 2006 before they hired John Harbaugh. The Heisman winner was not John Elway who finished 2nd to Hershel Walker I believe their Heisman was won by Jim Pluckett. Stanford had the runnerup for the Heisman Trophy the 3 years in a row from 2009 till 2011 before this past one Toby Gernhart and Andrew Luck.

 

[rocklloyd]

Yep, and then they went 4-8, 5-7, 8-5, and then 12-1. I'll take that

 

[anomander]

Stanford it is. My question is why can't we attain the same success that they have found? I know most will say they are located in talent rich California. Well if you look at their year to year recruiting classes they only bring in a handful of Cali kids each year. Not to mention their admission standards are so much higher it should help negate the built in advantage. They recruit nationally, and have done a solid job the past 5 years, but nothing earth shattering. Sure they got lucky with John Hardbaugh, who then brought in Andrew Luck, and then the rest is history. I guess I can dream that the same sort of scenario could happen here. Stanford has made nice upgrades to their facilities, but again, nothing that much better then what we recently did (once the IPF is completed). Plus they have the same fan base issue we have, if not worse. Recruits aren't picking them because of the top notch facilities, or the rabid fan base. They pick Stanford for an elite education, and elite football. Sure a Syracuse degree isn't on the same level as Stanford, but it's a damn good degree to have. I am sure some people will say i'm nuts, but in 2006 when Stanford was going 1-11 I wonder how many of their fans would have though just 5 years later they would be going to back to back bcs bowls, and a pre season ranking of #3 in the country

 

[Rocco]

Yep, and then they went 4-8, 5-7, 8-5, and then 12-1. I'll take that

For all of the impatient Syracuse fans "on the fence"... HAVE SOME FAITH. Takes time to repair a sunken ship.

 

[anomander]

For all of the impatient Syracuse fans "on the fence"... HAVE SOME FAITH. Takes time to repair a sunken ship.

exactly my point, i think we got the right guy in their, now just need a little luck

 

[orangeinohio]

Stanford it is. My question is why can't we attain the same success that they have found? I know most will say they are located in talent rich California. Well if you look at their year to year recruiting classes they only bring in a handful of Cali kids each year. Not to mention their admission standards are so much higher it should help negate the built in advantage. They recruit nationally, and have done a solid job the past 5 years, but nothing earth shattering. Sure they got lucky with John Hardbaugh, who then brought in Andrew Luck, and then the rest is history. I guess I can dream that the same sort of scenario could happen here. Stanford has made nice upgrades to their facilities, but again, nothing that much better then what we recently did (once the IPF is completed). Plus they have the same fan base issue we have, if not worse. Recruits aren't picking them because of the top notch facilities, or the rabid fan base. They pick Stanford for an elite education, and elite football. Sure a Syracuse degree isn't on the same level as Stanford, but it's a damn good degree to have. I am sure some people will say i'm nuts, but in 2006 when Stanford was going 1-11 I wonder how many of their fans would have though just 5 years later they would be going to back to back bcs bowls, and a pre season ranking of #3 in the country

Location is probably a factor.
If you put sunny Palo Alto up against Syracuse, Palo Alto is going to win a majority of times.

With our talented head coach and some big recruits, we could get that same momentum going.

 

[All4SU]

Good post. Stanford is a great model for SU. Yes their academics surpass ours (as well as almost everyone else's). But they do a lot of things right. And their non revenue sports are always good.

And we blow their doors away in basketball.

 

[anomander]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciaj...stanfords-emergence-as-a-football-powerhouse/

 

[florange44]

exactly my point, i think we got the right guy in their, now just need a little luck

Pun intended, I presume? Andrew Luck had a lot to do with that programs ressurection. Let's hope Hunt or Wilson or Kimble or long is our "luck".

Florange44

 

[Cuse'91]

Their alumni base can also not be underestimated.
When you get an alum who contributes $100million for a new football stadium AND donates his own personal construction company to work 3 shifts around the clock to build it in less than 8 months...
That's some pull...

 

[Full_Rebar]

Good thread. SI had a nice story on the Stanford approach recently. I think their coaches are really forced to narrow down their recruiting targets and as a result they end up chasing kids with a higher chance of panning out in college (due to their work ethic).

 

[anomander]

Their alumni base can also not be underestimated.
When you get an alum who contributes $100million for a new football stadium AND donates his own personal construction company to work 3 shifts around the clock to build it in less than 8 months...
That's some pull...

But wasn't that done to reduce their stadium capacity from 85k to 50k? Sure they renovated the stadium, but in a time when most people are exapanding they scaled back. Mostly because it hurt them with a half empty stadium.

 

[Cuse'91]

But wasn't that done to reduce their stadium capacity from 85k to 50k? Sure they renovated the stadium, but in a time when most people are exapanding they scaled back. Mostly because it hurt them with a half empty stadium.

Probably done to reduce capacity too...
But not renovation, old stadium was imploded and new stadium built next door from end of last game to start of next season...