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NewsvineWith spring sports on the Farm winding down, it’s only natural to take a look ahead towards the fall and the Cardinal’s second season under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
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As one might expect, given Harbaugh’s past as a quarterback himself at Michigan and in the NFL, the position is of prime importance in making sure the program continues to take positive steps forward in 2008. As one might not expect — given rising senior Tavita Pritchard’s noted success against Pac-10 powerhouse USC and arch-rival Cal — the starting job still seems largely up for grabs heading into the summer.
It’s likely that a starter won’t be named until just before the season kicks off, given the similar skill sets of all involved, meaning that the offense overall should remain relatively unchanged no matter who starts at QB. Still, the sooner a starter is named, the sooner he can begin developing chemistry with other key players on the Cardinal offense and getting the lion’s share of the reps in practice.
With the competition primed to heat up in the coming months heading into the ‘08 season, here is a breakdown of the potential candidates to fill the most important starting job on the roster for the Cardinal next year, listed by name and their year as of next season:
Tavita Pritchard, Junior
Pritchard led the Cardinal to one of the greatest upsets in college football history on Oct. 6 against USC. His mobility and athleticism are certainly points in his favor, although they were rarely featured last season as Stanford couldn’t afford to lose Pritchard to an injury given the team’s thin depth at quarterback. He also has an advantage in the experience department, being the only Stanford QB returning with significant game-day experience in the system. Inconsistent play, however, over the full course of last season has landed Pritchard in an open fight to retain his spot as a starter.
Jason Forcier, Junior
A transfer from Michigan before the 2007 season, Forcier had to sit out last year due to NCAA rules but will have two years of athletic eligibility remaining starting this fall. Given Michigan’s reputation for churning out solid pro quarterbacks and Harbaugh’s own roots at the university, Forcier has the background to make himself more than a mere dark-horse candidate for a starting role, and he has looked athletic and strong-armed in team workouts. Forcier left the Wolverines when he was beaten out by freshman Ryan Mallett for the backup role behind the since-departed Chad Henne. Ironically, Mallett left Michigan for Arkansas, which could have cleared the way for Forcier had he stayed.
Alex Loukas, Junior
While somewhat of an unknown to most fans, strong rumors have Loukas currently leading the field in the competition for the starting spot after spring practices. A dual threat to run or throw, Loukas has yet to take a snap for Stanford in a game, but Harbaugh was nonetheless reported to have been very impressed with the junior’s skill.
Andrew Luck, Freshman
A lot would have to happen for a true freshman to step on the field for the Cardinal at quarterback in 2008, and most of it would have to be bad. But Luck’s tremendous potential as the fourth-ranked quarterback recruit in the country by Rivals.com merits some mention here, as Luck will likely play a big role in quarterback competitions for Stanford down the line. Imbued with tremendous physical talent, excellent accuracy and an intelligence demonstrated by his status as a high school valedictorian, Luck certainly looks to be a likely consideration for a major role in 2009, if not 2008.
Contact Denis Griffin and Christopher P. Anderson at djgriff@stanford.edu and cpanders@stanford.edu.