Notre Dame 2025 Opponent Overview: Stanford Cardinal

HEAD COACH - Troy Taylor (3rd season)

Record at Stanford: 6-18

Troy Taylor is heading into his third season leading the Stanford Cardinal and it's been a struggle up to this point. In back to back seasons, they have gone 3-9 but have had the opportunities for an improved overall record with some close losses in 2023 and 2024. Coach Taylor came from Sacramento State, an FCS program where he went 30-8 and led them to their first FCS Playoff win in program history. After the 2022 season, Taylor was named the new head coach at Stanford, keeping him out on the west coast. He will look to turn around this team in 2025 with an influx of proven transfer and a new GM to help build and maintain his roster. 

STANFORD OFFENSE

Offensive Coordinator: Troy Taylor (Head Coach) 

Starters Lost: QB Ashton Daniels, WR Elic Ayomanor, WR Ismael Cisse, RT Luke Baklenko

Starters Returning: RB Micah Ford, WR Emmett Mosley, TE Sam Roush, LT Khalil House, LG Jack Leyrer, C Jake Maikkula, RG Simeon Pale

Stanford has started the 2025 offseason tasked with replacing their top passer, top pass catcher, and top rusher. Quarterback Ashton Daniels transferred to Auburn and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor has elected to enter his name in the NFL draft. With that being said, they return quite a bit of production from their 2024 roster. One reason for optimism around this program is their returners up front. The Cardinal return four of their five starting offensive lineman outside of their right tackle. They went to the portal to get UCLA transfer Niki Prongos. The 6-7 tackle would be an athletic replacement for the departing Luke Baklenko.

Micah Ford returns as the starter in the backfield in 2025 and was the team's second leading rusher in 2024. His experience, and an experienced offensive line, should be a good buffer for the inexperience they will have at quarterback. This offseason, red shirt sophomore Elijah Brown will battle it out for the starting position with incoming freshman Bear Bachmeier. Both players offer similar skillsets and fit within the offense. Bachmeier enters this competition the bigger of the two, but Brown's experience playing in three games this past season gives him a slight edge. 

It won't be easy replacing Ayomanor's production, but they do return quite a bit on the offensive side. They bring back Emmett Mosley and tight end Sam Roush, the team's second and third leading receivers from a season ago. They picked up commitments from proven players via the portal as well. David Pantelis transfers in from Yale where he racked up 61 receptions, 901 yards and eight touchdowns. Caden High transfers in from South Carolina State where he grabbed 62 catches for 908 yards and seven touchdowns. 

STANFORD DEFENSE

Defensive Coordinator: Robert "Bobby" April (3rd season)

Starters Lost: DE Tobin Phillips, LB Tristan Sinclair, LB Gaethan Bernadel

Starters Returning: NT Braden Mareau-Olayinka, DE Anthony Franklin, LB Tavarua Tafiti, LB Wilfredo Aybar, CB Collin Wright, CB Aaron Morris, SS Mitch Leigber, FS Scotty Edwards

Similar to the offensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Bobby April returns the majority of it's starters from 2024. Outside of Tobin Phillips, they return their starting defensive line and a lot of it's production. Zach Rowell will step up and replace Phillips in the starting lineup. The 6-3 281 pound senior appeared in nine games in 2024 and tallied 13 tackles, one pass deflection, and 1.5 tackles for a loss. His production, along with Omar Staples, who played in four games in 2024 and tallied 1.0 sack, will ramp up significantly in the upcoming season. 

At linebacker, they lost two starters in Tristan Sinclair and Gaethan Bernadel and return two with Tavarua Tafiti and Wilfredo Aybar returning to the team this upcoming season. Matt Rose and David Bailey are ready to step up and start for the season to replace Sinclair and Bernadel. Bailey led the team in sacks (7.0) and tackles for a loss (8.0) in 2024. Rose appeared in 10 games last season and recorded 32 tackles and one pass deflection. Despite losing significant production, this linebacking core will still be solid this upcoming year. 

Their secondary returns all of their starters from the end of the 2024 season, and they also picked up a handful of impactful transfers. Julian Neal, a safety transfer from Fresno State, recorded 36 tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions last year. Jordan Washington, a transfer corner from Dartmouth, tallied 30 tackles, 11 pass deflections, and one interceptions last year. Their production and experience combined with the returners from this past season who combined for 211 tackles and five interceptions makes this one of the more experienced secondaries Notre Dame will face this upcoming season.

RETURNING PRODUCTION

Rushing: RB Micah Ford - 76 att., 309 yards, 4.1 YPC; RB Chris Davis Jr. - 54 att., 288 yards, 5.3 YPC

Passing: QB Elijah Brown - 28-48, 58.3%, 274 yards, 5.7 YPA, 2 TD, 3 INT, 107.5 Rating

Receiving: WR Emmett Mosley IV - 48 rec., 525 yards, 10.9 YPC, 6 TD; TE Sam Roush - 40 rec., 334 yards, 8.4 YPC, 2 TD; WR Transfer David Pantelis (Yale) - 61 rec., 901 yards, 14.8 YPC, 8 TD; WR Transfer Caden High (South Carolina St.) - 62 rec., 908 yards, 14.6 YPC, 7 TD; WR Transfer CJ Williams (Wisconsin) - 16 rec., 248 yards, 15.5 YPC, 2 TD

Tackles: FS Scotty Edwards - 80; SS Mitch Leigber - 54; CB Collin Wright - 45; LB Tevarua Tafiti - 41; S Transfer Julian Neal (Fresno St.) - 36; CB Aaron Morris - 32; LB Matt Rose - 32; LB David Bailey - 31

Tackles For Loss: LB David Bailey - 8.0; LB Tevarua Tafiti - 7.0; LB Matt Rose - 3.5; SS Mitch Leigber - 3.5

Interceptions - CB Collin Wright- 3; SS Mitch Leigber - 2; S Transfer Julian Neal (Fresno St.) - 2; DB Transfer Jordan Washington (Dartmouth) - 1; LB Tevarua Tafiti- 1