Stanford Football Coach Doesn't Deny Controversial Senior Day Policy

Stanford University head football coach Troy Taylor confirmed that his program will institute a controversial new Senior Day policy for the Cardinal's game Saturday against Louisville.

As reported by Gabe Fernandez of SFGate, rumors began to swirl Tuesday that Cardinal seniors would not be allowed to participate in the Senior Day festivities if they had any remaining NCAA eligibility. 

NCAA rules give players four seasons of eligibility, but they can use five if they need a redshirt season. Athletes competing in NCAA sports during the COVID-19 pandemic were also granted an additional year of eligibility, regardless of their red-shirt history.

At a press conference later that day, a reporter asked Taylor about these “reports,” specifically if there was anyone on the team who wants to participate in the traditional tunnel walkout who will not be able to. "Taylor’s response was a little different than what the rumors originally claimed," Fernandez wrote, "but not by much."

“I have not had any players come to me that wouldn’t be walking and request a walk,” Taylor said via Zoom. “Basically, the premise is — and it’s been a little bit different because of COVID and all of those things — last year was unique. But what we’re doing is, if you have a year of eligibility left, we’re assuming you’re coming back and you’re gonna play for the Card.

“Now, if you’re not going to — then you let me know that you’re not going to be here next year — that’s a different scenario depending on what the reason is... I have one player that might retire and not play anymore, then certainly they’ll walk during Senior Day. But if you have eligibility left, unless somebody comes to me, I’m assuming they’re gonna be back to play for the Card.”

Stanford fans were aghast at this decision on social media, according to Fernandez. They argued that this was unfair to the players who stuck with the program for four years through the coaching change to Taylor, who was hired shortly after the end of the 2022 season.

Per Fernandez's reporting, Taylor's Senior Day approach represents a departure from the program's policy in the past, where seniors would be honored regardless of whether they played the following season. Fernandez cited a video from Senior Day in 2019 that shows four players who played beyond their senior year: K.J. Costello (transferred to Mississippi State), Scooter Harrington (returned in 2020), Thomas Schaffer (returned) and Dorian Maddox (returned). "A comb-through the team’s roster reveals that this policy could negatively impact up to 16 of the 18 seniors — meaning they have eligibility after this season — and four of the six fifth-year players," Fernandez wrote.

"Whether it was Taylor’s intention or not, it’s hard to ignore that this system puts older players in an awkward situation," he continued. "The transfer portal is not until the end of the regular season, but players who — alongside their family and friends — want a proper Senior Day at Stanford for their years of service to the school, have to come to their new coach, hat in hand, and admit they want to leave next season well before they normally would have been required to. The Cardinal’s final home game is on Saturday, and the season still has two weeks left, so who knows how life on the team could change for that departing player in those final couple games, especially with bowl eligibility well out of the question.

"But if it’s for the chance to get away from a coach who’s imposing this controversial policy on what should have been a special day, whatever internal backlash a player faces might be worth it."