I think there’s a better chance the Stanford goes back to their 1-11/2-10 days than being more competitive
Depends who they hire and how they want to play the game in the modern era. I agree there is a very good chance this happens, but Stanford might want to take a look at what life was like when this program was winning back around ten years ago. I'll bet more money was coming in. Maybe you want to get back to that again.
USC was 4-8 last year. They hired a new coach and paid him a shitload of money. Then rebuilt their offense using the transfer portal and suddenly they're 11-1 on the cusp of a PAC 12 Championship. Lea and Elko have hard enough jobs where they already are. Why leave to go to Stanford? Why would Tommy Rees leave ND to go there? Look at everything you have to deal with internally that you have to try to control, in addition to what is happening outside of your program but in your immediate area of impact. SC and Oregon are not going away.
This is what it is, right now, today. Whatever happened prior to the pandemic is ancient history. We are going to see 4-8 schools flip into Top 6 programs within a season. High school seniors are getting paid more than some of my adult neighbors before even playing a down of football. These programs are going to have to decide if they want to play the game. Stanford? Doesn't seem likely.
David Shaw is 50 years old and went 96-54 at a place where it isn't necessarily easy to win games. Strikes me as a guy that is going to win up in the NFL next.