[Farm93]

Understood.  But if you have graduated and have a choice of just taking more classes, or getting a year of the grad program of your choice, then that’s a factor to consider.  I’m not saying some may not leave due to dissatisfaction.  I truly don’t know.  My guess is it’s a mix of factors.  

In any event - play talented freshmen!

The 5th year vs graduate and transfer are so hard to understand on the outside.   If I was in that situation.   Graduate from Stanford ON TIME and then transfer to a different school has a lot of appeal.   The ability to claim you graduated in 4 years while participating in football has some value outside of playing football.  

Ultimately, it will be very hard for any program to keep 5th year players as a non-starter or special teams player if they can transfer and test the waters somewhere else.   And, given Stanford requirements it will be very hard to get a graduate from most D1 schools into a graduate program.  That's just the new way.   I am very confident any Stanford football coach will struggle with this new dynamic.  It is too easy for a Stanford grad to transfer out and too hard for any FBS player to transfer in.

Given that reality, Lex24 your observation makes a lot of sense to me.

Why stay with an outdated philosophy of saving a year of eligibility? 
Play freshman that are ready to go until they are one game away from using a full year.   Then if they prove to be valuable on the field let them keep playing. 

If they are good enough to play as a freshman then it is so likely they will leave for the NFL long before that planned 5th year anyway.

[Farm93]

Understood.  But if you have graduated and have a choice of just taking more classes, or getting a year of the grad program of your choice, then that’s a factor to consider.  I’m not saying some may not leave due to dissatisfaction.  I truly don’t know.  My guess is it’s a mix of factors.  

In any event - play talented freshmen!

The 5th year vs graduate and transfer are so hard to understand on the outside.   If I was in that situation.   Graduate from Stanford ON TIME and then transfer to a different school has a lot of appeal.   The ability to claim you graduated in 4 years while participating in football has some value outside of playing football.  

Ultimately, it will be very hard for any program to keep 5th year players as a non-starter or special teams player if they can transfer and test the waters somewhere else.   And, given Stanford requirements it will be very hard to get a graduate from most D1 schools into a graduate program.  That's just the new way.   I am very confident any Stanford football coach will struggle with this new dynamic.  It is too easy for a Stanford grad to transfer out and too hard for any FBS player to transfer in.

Given that reality, Lex24 your observation makes a lot of sense to me.

Why stay with an outdated philosophy of saving a year of eligibility? 
Play freshman that are ready to go until they are one game away from using a full year.   Then if they prove to be valuable on the field let them keep playing. 

If they are good enough to play as a freshman then it is so likely they will leave for the NFL long before that planned 5th year anyway.