It was not devastating at all, Mac and Love have carries locked up, and Scarlett has looked very impressive. Throw in the Texas RB who seems to score on every touch, Trevor Speights, and the likely W-L impact of Bisharat’s decommitment is zero. He is too long and tall to fill the classic powerback role—there are exceptions to all rules, but 6’3" running back struggle to get a low enough pad level to be effective runners between the tackles. Stanford is very set and perhaps even overstocked at RB. Had Bisharat been interested, as Oregon also wishes, to try it at ILB, that might change this perspective. But it simply not, in any sense and to anyone close to program, a major loss, much less the devastating one you label it.

By harry.beckwith1 on 01.21.16 11:39am

And the young man loved his visit, contrary to what you strongly suggest.

By harry.beckwith1 on 01.21.16 11:40am

Can someone explain all of the decommits?

I’m unfamiliar with the recruiting process and have never followed this stuff before, but I find it disconcerting to hear the news of decommits. Is this common? How is it even possible after a student ‘commits?’ What does that even mean if they can just reopen their recruiting process?

Also, is there something specific happening right now at Stanford that’s leading to these recruits looking elsewhere? I was anticipating quite the opposite, after a #3 finish and the huge win in the Rose Bowl…

By g8tgod on 01.21.16 11:54am

Actually, never mind.

Can’t figure out how to delete my previous comment, but it was addressed elsewhere on the blog.

By g8tgod on 01.21.16 12:08pm

the short answer to your question

Guys verbally "commit", in most cases, before they are admitted by the university. Almost all of the kids who then "decommit" were dinged by admissions and have to go to a Plan B. There do seem to be a few more this year than in years past. Might just be a one-off situation. Or, maybe admissions is tightening a bit. We’ll know more this time next year. But rest assured, at least two or three kids every year who say they plan to come play for Stanford don’t get in.

That said, I think interest in playing for Stanford is sky high.

By Lindypop on 01.21.16 4:28pm

Are we spoiled now at #3

Remember, we were left for dead as recent as 2006, when 3stars had good chances for playing time.
1) Now we’ve got 4star talent in most slots. McCaffrey was the best player, period out of CO (not just at his position)… as a Jr and Sr in H.S.
2) When you have MORE 4star talent "committing", these are guys who have at least a dozen offers, some from our key rivals. THEY HAVE MORE PLACES TO GO, and get playing time.
3) Then as other 4stars commit, and as some starters decide to come back (Hogan last year; now Rector at WR for 2016) playing time opportunities drop.
4) Look at the transfers: they weren’t going to get snaps: Kelsey Young at RB to Boise St; Pat Slov at FB to GTech (had a good season!); now Sanders. In each case, they weren’t going to get snaps… BECAUSE we are #3, not #25+.
5) Shaw has assembled one of the best coaching staffs in the country, top to bottom. The buzz in the NFL is that with the Stanford talent, "what you see is what you get" — there isn’t much more to develop (!)
6) Now we’ve got an Outland winner to go with the OLine grads playing in the NFL. That draws skill position players. We are loaded now on Offense. Since Ertz and Fleener, we have 3 TEs of NFL caliber on the roster each year!
DLine is toughest spot to recruit, but pulling the smart ones out of TX at that spot now is HUGE (S.Thomas, M.Williams in 2016).
6) With veteran Akina now at DB coach, and the "Richard Sherman" pop we have the best secondary EVER in Stanford history — the Fab 4 we landed at DB last year: Eric Reid’s (49ers) kid brother; Q.Meeks is money (a pick6 in the Rose Bowl as a true Frosh!!); watch Buncom, Edwards, and the others come on. They all want to be the next R.Sherman playing on Sundays.

We are getting more de-commits because we are getting more 4stars. The Talent coming in is at a new level. They have serious options. Let’s get used to that…!

By ADPATERSON on 01.21.16 11:36pm

We are not getting more decommits because we are getting more four stars. We are getting more kids who want so much to attend Stanford that they are committing without the obvious minimum needed to clear admissions—around 3.5 gpa/1150+ SAT. There have been more this year, but that’s because there is more interest this year. The best WR prospect in the country, as one example, seems not to have given up on getting in despite needing a 100-point bump in his SAT.

And at running back, the history of four-star guys getting very little playing time has been a theme for several years: Ricky Seale, Anthony Wilkerson, Kelsey Young, Barry Sanders, and, other than in short yardage in his final year, Remound Wright. Depth charts are killers for RBs, because Stanford uses one heavily and a second far less, and a third only if he is short yardage specialist like Wright this year and Jeremy Stewart in his final year, 2011. WRs, CBs, LBs—at every other position, being number three gets you lots of snaps. At RB, it gets you lots of splinters,

By harry.beckwith1 on 01.22.16 6:07am

Perspective

Good points and discussion. Take a step back and recognize where we are and what we want the program to represent. As a Stanford Grad, resident of Ann Arbor, and husband of a U of M grad, all I can say is how proud I am of the Cardinal football program and the values it appears to hold dear. I am happy that our coach isn’t climbing trees and doing sleep-overs. David Shaw seems to have a set of principles that he wants the program stand for. I believe there is a "long view". I may be wrong, but my hunch is that when Shaw meets his fellow coaches at mid-field or at various events he gets a tip of the cap for being a "stand up guy". I hope that our program is respected for recruiting that focuses on the positives of the Stanford opportunity and not the negatives of the other schools a recruit may have offers from.

Regarding the kids that de-commit – there are likely two reasons. 1) didn’t get the fat envelope from admissions (h.b1 – good assessment) or 2) they decided that another program offered them something they valued that Stanford didn’t. To the former – can you imagine how hard that would be to swallow? So lets appreciate them for their desire, effort, and wish them all the best. I know I couldn’t get admitted against today’s standards. To the latter – it probably wasn’t a good match and may not have worked out anyway. When you sign up to play football in Palo Alto it will be a different experience. It isn’t for everybody.

I will not be surprised if Ann Arbor has lots of football success in the years to come. But I will root for the Cardinal and the values of the program. I will not make excuses. I may look back on the 2016 Rose Bowl as a high water mark. But I have a hunch there will be more achievements to be proud of (not all of which are linked directly to a score)

Regarding the "activity" of the last week – yes, there have been de-commits. But – there have also been some "new offers" and ongoing interest cultivated over a year+ of interaction. I choose to believe that Coach Shaw is being honest with recruits and treating them with the respect they deserve. In the long run that will pay dividends.

By FarmFan in MI on 01.22.16 7:02am

Totally agree

I like harbaugh but he has really gone off the deep end this year. I have lots of admiration for how Shaw run the program. I love the locker room videos, especially the ones from after the 2012 Oregon game and the rose bowl this year.

Also, I’m a stanford grad, ann arbor resident, and husband of a UM grad Small world, considering the relatively few people that post on RoT.

By WhatDoestheTreeSay? on 01.22.16 11:07am

It truly is a small world. Sounds like we have both been very fortunate and have made some good choices!

By FarmFan in MI on 01.22.16 9:57pm