Seal Beach native Mike Sanford, 29, has accepted the running backs coach position at Stanford, where he was an offensive assistant on Jim Harbaugh's staff from 2007-08. The position previously belonged to new Stanford football head coach David Shaw.
Sanford spent the 2009 season as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Yale under former Cardinal player Tom Williams. In 2010, the former Boise State quarterback was the quarterbacks coach and passing coordinator at Western Kentucky under former Stanford running backs coach Willie Taggart. The Hilltoppers finished 2-10 last season after going 0-12 in 2009. WKU sophomore quarterback Kawaun Jakes threw fewer interceptions than he did as a freshman, but also saw his completion percentage dip under Sanford's tutelage.
With the first of Stanford's two spring practice sessions set to begin Monday, Shaw still has assistant coaching vacancies to fill for tight ends, wide receivers, and the offensive line.