The Cardinal, under second-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, will open its 2008 preseason football practice on Friday, Aug. 1 with a helmet-only workout at Elliot Field beginning at 6:30 p.m. Stanford’s first practice in full pads will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 5, while the first of four two-a-day workouts will begin on Aug. 7.

Included in the agenda of the 29-practice schedule leading up to the season-opener against Oregon State on Aug. 28 are two scrimmages, one on Aug. 14 at 3 p.m. and the other on Aug. 19 at 6 p.m.

Returning to Stanford’s team this season are 20 starters (nine on offense and 11 on defense) and 43 letter winners (24 on offense, 18 on defense and a specialist). The Cardinal will be looking to improve on its four-win campaign of ‘07.

Although the 2007 season was not full of successes, the squad did make notable progress from the previous season’s 1-11 finish. Harbaugh’s first year at the helm of the Cardinal program included signature victories over then-top-ranked Southern California — touted on Stanford t-shirts everywhere as the “Biggest Upset Ever” — and defending Pac-10 Conference co-champion California.

Stanford opens the 2008 regular season on Aug. 28 against Oregon State at Stanford Stadium. Other home dates are scheduled against San Jose State (Sept. 20), Arizona (Oct. 11 — Homecoming), UCLA (Oct. 18), Oregon (Nov. 8) and Cal (Nov. 22).