Pat RickFri, November 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM UTC·18 min readAlrighty folks, we’ve finally made it to the regular season finale of the college football season for our Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
With a 9-2 record, a #9 ranking in the College Football Playoff rankings, and plenty of fun discussions happening on who deserves the at-large spots this year, it’s imperative that Marcus Freeman and the fellas put forth another style points-focused performance this weekend, just like they did last Saturday in that 70-7 shellacking of the Syracuse Orange.
Now, Notre Dame travels across the country for its annual California trip to end the season, facing off against the 4-7 Stanford Cardinal with a potential Playoff bid hanging in the balance. So with it being so important that ND comes out and has a strong showing to cap off a potential 10-game winning streak following their 0-2 start, what should we as Irish fans know about this Cardinal team and program to prepare for such a punctuation mark on this regular season?
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo answer all the big questions related to that question, we reached out to our good friends over at Channel Tree Sports, who’ve been fielding all sorts of serious and non-serious questions from us for at least half a decade now. We touched on the Cardinal’s current head coaching search and QB situation, key names to know on offense and defense, US Presidents and Super Bowl-winning QBs switching jobs, what the Stanford Tree would bring to the Thanksgiving gathering, and more.
I won’t blather on any more than I already have, considering we’re all just trying to recover from yesterday and scarf down some leftovers today — so let’s jump right into the good stuff.
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1. For anyone unaware, what exactly happened with Troy Taylor at the helm of this program, and after seeing Frank Reich as the interim head coach, is there any chance he’s offered the job permanently, or is he just doing Andy Luck a favor? If just a favor, who’s Stanford rumored to be looking at for the role long-term? I’ve heard Brian Kelly is #LookingForWork.
Channel Tree Sports: Stanford hired Troy Taylor to re-build the program but we had to let him go after ESPN exposed his bullying of female staffers. This scandal made international headlines. With so much bad press, the administration decided to let Taylor go.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFrank Reich came in on a last minute interim basis to stabilize the program. Even without his own assistants, Reich successfully held the program together. The win column might not be much but the players are genuinely motivated to fight until the end. Guys love playing for Reich and his message of getting “1% better everyday.” We continue to fight hard despite the odds – for example the SMU game. After SMU scored an 87 yard rushing touchdown with 35 seconds remaining in the first half, our players did not give up. Instead, the offense went down the field to respond with a touchdown before the first half expired. That’s our entire season in a nutshell. Yes, we want to win but we also continue to fight and fight and fight. That’s incredible!
We’d love to have Reich continue as a permanent head coach but he will definitely only be a one year interim head coach. The 63 year old grandfather re-iterated that “I love Andrew, but not more than my grandkids”. He’s doing Luck a favor and will be stepping down after the end of this season.
As for our new permanent head coach, the whole entire hiring process has been secretive.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWe’ve heard rumors about former longtime assistant and now Washington Commanders QB Coach Tavita Pritchard and Jon Gruden but I do not think we are targeting either one.
I love Pritchard. He’s passionate about Stanford through and through. He has a lot of good will as the starting quarterback of the 2007 USC upset and a coach during our golden years. He knows the university well and can navigate the idiosyncrasies of Stanford. But I think he needs more experience before we trust him with a program especially with realignment looming.
Gruden won a Super Bowl as head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He has the NFL experience that Stanford is always looking for and he’s shown he can win big games. However, I do not know if he can navigate the new world of college athletics at Stanford. I also do not think that the administration will be okay with his problematic past.
Sean Lewis is an up-and-coming head coach of San Diego State we have considered. He’s already in my good book for blowing out Cal 34-0 earlier in the year. Sure, his 24–31 record at Kent State seems mediocre on paper with his best seasons being only seven wins. But Kent State only has had five other 7+ win seasons in their 64 year history. He also led the Golden Flashes their only bowl game victory ever.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementChip Kelly is another name that might fit the NFL-style coach we’re looking for. He’s won big at Ohio State and Oregon. As a general manager, Luck could focus on recruiting and NIL which could balance out Kelly’s weakness as a poor recruiter. However, I think Chip Kelly is more of an offensive coordinator dabbling in Xs and Os than someone who can excel as a head coach managing assistants and schmoozing boosters.
We have reportedly called former Washington and Boise State head coach Chris Petersen but he was not interested. Petersen would have been a great fit especially with his recruiting philosophy of “Our Kind of Guys”. He knows how to effectively recruit from a small group of players well and can get the most out of them. But I think he’s too burned out. Who isn’t constantly thinking of retirement especially at that age?
The most mentioned name before his hire by Colorado State was Jim L. Mora of UConn. Stanford desperately needs strong lines and Mora has built strong lines wherever he’s gone. One of the biggest reasons for our failures of late is our weak lines. When the opponent’s defense rushes three against seven guys in protection and still gets home, how do you gameplan for that? That’s why we keep doing poorly even against FCS teams like Sac State. Historically, Stanford has always tried to get coaches with NFL experience. Stanford will never outrecruit its peers so we need someone who can outcoach everyone else. Mora has plenty of NFL experience. He’s also been around the country. This is important for Stanford – a program that needs to recruit nationally because we do not have a local geographic recruiting base. Detractors do point to his failure at UCLA but Mora was going through a bitter divorce at the time. No one is going to do a good job under those circumstances. Another knock on Mora is his age – 64 years old. I am not sure if he can do good work travelling across the country every week. It’s already exhausting for nineteen year olds.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe name I would be most excited about is Todd Monken, the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator. He has won big with two national championships as an offensive coordinator at Georgia. He even has turned around Southern Miss from a one-win team to a nine-win team in three years – winning C-USA coach of the year. He definitely has the college and NFL experience to excel. Monken is an authentic person who probably reminds us of famously (or infamously) direct Jim Harbaugh.
“You’ve just got to be careful. It’s OK to wave at the neighbor lady, flirt a little bit. I don’t know if it’s across the street. Better be careful, might not want to go in the house. But it’s nice to be wanted. It’s nice to have someone tell you, ‘Hey, we want you. And here’s this amount of money. And a five-year deal. It’s your own program.’ Everybody likes to be smoothed. Everybody likes to be wanted. And if you’re not careful, you can make an emotional decision, even if you know it’s the wrong thing.”
Tell me that’s not a Harbaughism.
2. At 4-7, it doesn’t look like it’s been a fun season to-date, but the Cardinal just kicked Cal’s asses last weekend. Does that salvage the year considering the rivalry? How did that feel after everything the program has been through of late, and hearing all year about Cal’s hotshot freshman QB?
Channel Tree Sports: At the beginning of the year, everyone knew that this was going to be a transitionary year as we found a permanent head coach. The most important goal is setting up a foundation for whomever our future head coach will be and we’ve done just that. It is definitely demoralizing to witness loss after loss and how Cal’s talented freshman quarterback was carving up teams each week. But the Big Game showed what this program can look like – a team playing lights out and dominating our hated rivals in a loud stadium full of excited fans. I think Reich and Luck have done a fantastic job energizing the team and fanbase. I consider this year a success especially since we ended Cal’s Big Game win streak.
3. It appears Elijah Brown has unseated Ben Gulbranson as the starting QB — should the Irish expect to see Brown this weekend? Whomever the Cardinal start under center, what should we expect in terms of what they do well vs. what the Irish defense can hopefully try to exploit?
Channel Tree Sports: Elijah Brown is the likely starter. Both Ben and Elijah are pocket passers with less than stellar arm strength. Brown does have a slightly stronger arm and can be more accurate. Gulbranson is a sixth year player who goes through his progressions. They’re at their best when they have clean pockets. However if you disrupt the pocket, they’re toast. Both have a knack for making bad decisions under pressure. Notre Dame can send complex blitz packages to force either into making bad decisions.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo add to his limited mobility issues, Brown has awful pocket presence notably getting sacked nine times against North Carolina. Gulbranson has more pocket awareness and sometimes throws the ball away when he realizes the pocket is done for. Ben also has a habit of throwing dirtballs under pressure. But being game managers, both quarterbacks aren’t “wow” players who can take over a game. They can do just enough to win but only if you let them. And Notre Dame can totally shut down either Elijah Brown or Ben Gulbranson led offense. I do not see a strong game from either quarterback this Saturday.
4. Who are the other key names to know on the Stanford offense? Also, how has the offensive line looked this year, and do you anticipate they’ll get any push or be able to keep the Irish pass rush away from the QB on Saturday night?
Channel Tree Sports: Running back Micah Ford – He is arguably our best skill player. He can break tackles in open space notably forcing 13 missed tackles against Hawai’i. Having played quarterback in high school, Ford passed in trick plays last year but we haven’t seen much this year. If Stanford is to have a shot, then I expect us to run some trick plays to overcome the talent gap. Perhaps we’ll see Micah Ford on a double pass this game.
Wide Receiver CJ Williams – Leading the team with 58 receptions and 735 yards, the senior wide receiver is Elijah Brown’s No. 1 receiver. A former Mater Dei product, he has a strong connection with Brown, his former high school quarterback. He’s a big 6’1” receiver who runs crisp routes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWide Receiver Caden High – Despite being undersized at 5′ 10″ and 165 lbs, he is an explosive, shifty player who can make you miss. His good hands and lightning quickness allow him to make good gains on intermediate routes. We often use High on routes on underneath routes to the sideline.
The offensive line looks better but is still shaky having given up the fourth most sacks in the country. It doesn’t help that we had three starters out at one time this past season. Stanford got Simione Pale back from an MCL injury for the Big Game. He made a huge difference at guard, opening up holes for Micah Ford’s career night. Despite the setbacks, the group is motivated to improve. They’re certainly pissed off about doing poorly. I think we saw that in the Big Game where the line only gave up one sack. I think we can expect a few good plays. However, I don’t think they have the talent to stop Notre Dame the entire game. I expect it to be a good night for Notre Dame’s defensive line.
5. What strengths and weaknesses does this Cardinal defense have? Is it more likely Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price will be able to run roughshod, or will CJ Carr likely do a lot of damage through the air instead? Or neither — do you think Stanford’s defense is primed to shut both down and deliver a massive upset?
Channel Tree Sports: The run defense is arguably the strongest part of the team. We are statistically the No. 25 rushing defense in the nation. However, I don’t think we’re elite enough to stop Heisman contender Jeremiyah Love.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt times, we have also been able to get pressure on the quarterback but not consistently. The secondary is vulnerable and ineffectual. Giving massive gains through the air, the secondary has given up the second most passing yards in the nation. With only three interceptions this season, the team ranks second to last in the nation for picking off the ball.
While we cannot force turnovers through the air, we can force turnovers on the ground. Our defenders are always trying to punch out the ball such as the two defensive scores in Big Game. We have recovered the fifth most fumbles in the nation. Notre Dame should place an emphasis on ball security.
We have a decent linebacking group. Matt Rose is an enthusiastic and effective tackler. Tevarua Tafiti can get to the quarterback but struggles in pass coverage at times. Notre Dame’s offense is way more talented than what the Stanford defense has. I think Notre Dame will feast on this Stanford defense whether by air or by ground. It really depends on what your playcallers feel like come Saturday night.
6. This game begins at 10:30pm ET on Saturday night. I know over in California this is a more reasonable kickoff time, but for those on the east coast, what do you recommend they do to stay awake and watch some ACC-ND-Partnership-After-Dark action?
Channel Tree Sports: I lived on the east coast back in the day but was stupid/crazy/passionate enough to catch all the Pac-12 games. I ran on pure excitement and energy in my 20s. That was usually enough not to fall asleep. Now that I’m a little older, what I do is that I try to get up once in a while so I don’t doze off even for massive blowouts.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement7. As I’m sure you know, Stanford is one of 5 schools to have both a US President and a Super Bowl-winning QB as alumni of their school (along with Michigan, Navy, Miami of Ohio, and Delaware). Please power-rank these presidents if they were forced to start in a Super Bowl as a QB, and then also power-rank these QBs if they were asked to run the country as President of the United States:
Presidents as QB:– Gerald Ford– Jimmy Carter– Herbert Hoover– Benjamin Harrison– Joe Biden
QBs as President:– Tom Brady– Roger Staubach– John Elway/Jim Plunkett (I’m running them on one ticket, but it’s your choice who is Prez vs. VP)– Ben Roethlisberger– Joe Flacco
Channel Tree Sports:
Presidents as QB:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGerald Ford – People never stop reminding me that Gerald Ford was a Michigan football player. Lyndon Baines Johnson once famously said, “[Gerald Ford is] a nice guy but he played too much football with the helmet off”.
Jimmy Carter – I bet peanut farming made him strong enough to play some good football.
Benjamin Harrison – As a former colonel in the Civil War, I bet he would be a good field general. Sure, you might have to explain what football, television cameras, and overpriced stadium chili cheese hot dogs are to him but I figure he knows how to give orders and half-time speeches.
Herbert Hoover – Not just a Stanford homer pick (Hoover is considered Stanford’s first student because he arrived on campus too early mistakenly) but because he was a certified badass. He led disaster relief after World War I. Could probably motivate teams during bad times just don’t let him lead during economic downturns.
Joe Biden – Biden’s a really personable guy but I don’t think he’s had any athletics experience. Could probably be fun to go drinking after a game with.
QBs as President:
John Elway/Jim Plunkett – Elway has plenty of clutch under pressure (see: The Drive) so he can really lead the country under times of great crisis. He has great experience leading organizations to success as a Super Bowl winning General Manager. Imagine what he could do for our country. Plunkett is Vice President because he’s the ultimate backup quarterback of all time even winning Super Bowl MVP as such.
Roger Staubach – Captain Comeback has plenty of poise in crunch time so he could also lead our country well when we need it. I still think he’s a tiny smidge below Elway because he hasn’t also won a Super Bowl as an executive. But that’s really splitting hairs. I see Elway as 1a and Staubach as 1b.
Tom Brady – He scares me in an eerie way but damn would I count on him to get stuff done. Tom Terrific can always find ways to win games from even the dire setbacks such as 28-3 Super Bowl. However, he does get rattled under pressure like the 2007 and 2011 Super Bowl losses. I bet he’d come up with all sorts of great stuff when he’s got time but can he handle an emergency?
Ben Roethlisberger – Despite his inexperience and his mistakes early in his career (22 turnovers during the 2008 Super Bowl season!)Ben keeps winning. We need a leader who can overcome setbacks and keep chugging along. He’s an underdog from a small program and everyone loves underdogs. I’m concerned about his health. He’s also playing what he calls “backyard football” and taking some nasty hits. He missed a lot of time during his career and health is always important for a President.
Joe Flacco – He gets hot when we need him to like the miraculous 2012 Super Bowl run but his regular season performance is less than stellar. I’d like a leader who is more consistent with the regular parts of being President.
8. Festive Question: If the Stanford tree was invited to my family Thanksgiving, what dish would it make and/or what else would the Tree choose to bring to the gathering, literally and/or figuratively?
Channel Tree Sports: Pecan Pie – An alternative to conventionality like the Stanford Tree. Pecans are from a tree also like the Stanford Tree and a state nut of California where Stanford is located. Pecan pie is just a lot of awesome/sweetness/richness that not everyone appreciates. We drive people nuts for better or worse.
9. Alright, let’s get down to it — who wins, what’s the final score, and how does it happen?
Channel Tree Sports:
Notre Dame – 45Stanford – 10
It’s a one-sided affair. Notre Dame overwhelms Stanford and we cannot respond because our offensive line cannot hold up.
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Alrighty you guys, I want to give our Cardinal friends a massive shout-out for giving us all the above insight once again — it’s always magical when we collaborate with these guys on a Q&A.
I highly recommend you head over to Channel Tree Sports to check out all their great Stanford sports coverage, including a Q&A with yours truly that should get posted sometime between now and kickoff. Furthermore, I encourage you all to give them a follow on Twitter, as they’re an entertaining and insightful and hilarious follow regarding not just Stanford topics, but college sports in general.
Otherwise, that’s it from me — hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, and per usual, GO IRISH, BEAT CARDINAL!!!
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