[CTcard]

Seems to me there are maybe four main reasons to transfer:
1) Academic opportunities (MBA from a school that might not require experience, getting a masters in a program that Stanford doesn't have, etc.)
2) Personal reasons (moving closer to family, etc.)
3) Football opportunities (chance to be a starter, compared to back-up at Stanford)
4) Programmatic issues (everything from friction with the head or position coach, unhappiness with the direction of the program, desire to go to a place with a chance to compete for a championship, feeling that development/coaching will be better elsewhere, dissatisfaction at the handling of an injury, etc.)

One through three (or a combination thereof) should not raise concern.  I wouldn't begrudge a player who had been over-recruited by a younger player, or someone transferring to get a master's or professional degree in a program that is not available at Stanford, or not easy to get into.  However, the number of players who are projected to be starters who have transferred points to #4, and that is a genuine concern.  I particularly worry about a few position groups: we've had multiple offensive linemen transfer for several years now.

BC

One thing I try to remember is that for the players we are talking about right now, none of this is really transferring. They are finishing their degree at Stanford then going somewhere else. When I got a BS at Stanford and then started grad school elsewhere, I didn't fill out any transfer papers.

The total number currently is also not a problem. I see 9 transferred or in the portal listed at the top of this thread (though I saw 11 claimed in another thread), and I think it was written that we need an attrition of 14+ or something to accommodate the entering class. So, one way or another, more attrition is coming.

As discussed there are 3/4 in the portal that Stanford football would presumably want back, and they constitute the trouble. If they are really wanted back, I trust that the coaching staff are still recruiting them to stay. There's at least a chance.

At any rate, I am not yet ready to condemn the staff over 3/4 productive guys who have worked hard for four years, earned a degree, then want to try something else. 
I am much more ready to condemn the staff over the win-loss record, which had better be turning around.

[CTcard]

Seems to me there are maybe four main reasons to transfer:
1) Academic opportunities (MBA from a school that might not require experience, getting a masters in a program that Stanford doesn't have, etc.)
2) Personal reasons (moving closer to family, etc.)
3) Football opportunities (chance to be a starter, compared to back-up at Stanford)
4) Programmatic issues (everything from friction with the head or position coach, unhappiness with the direction of the program, desire to go to a place with a chance to compete for a championship, feeling that development/coaching will be better elsewhere, dissatisfaction at the handling of an injury, etc.)

One through three (or a combination thereof) should not raise concern.  I wouldn't begrudge a player who had been over-recruited by a younger player, or someone transferring to get a master's or professional degree in a program that is not available at Stanford, or not easy to get into.  However, the number of players who are projected to be starters who have transferred points to #4, and that is a genuine concern.  I particularly worry about a few position groups: we've had multiple offensive linemen transfer for several years now.

BC

One thing I try to remember is that for the players we are talking about right now, none of this is really transferring. They are finishing their degree at Stanford then going somewhere else. When I got a BS at Stanford and then started grad school elsewhere, I didn't fill out any transfer papers.

The total number currently is also not a problem. I see 9 transferred or in the portal listed at the top of this thread (though I saw 11 claimed in another thread), and I think it was written that we need an attrition of 14+ or something to accommodate the entering class. So, one way or another, more attrition is coming.

As discussed there are 3/4 in the portal that Stanford football would presumably want back, and they constitute the trouble. If they are really wanted back, I trust that the coaching staff are still recruiting them to stay. There's at least a chance.

At any rate, I am not yet ready to condemn the staff over 3/4 productive guys who have worked hard for four years, earned a degree, then want to try something else. 
I am much more ready to condemn the staff over the win-loss record, which had better be turning around.