New redshirt rule opens up possibilities for Stanford

Stanford stands to benefit from a new rule passed Wednesday by the NCAA Division I Council that will allow freshmen to play any four games in a season and not lose their redshirt status.

The most talked about scenario is that an athlete can play the last four games of a season and retain the option to use five years to play four full seasons. The change is being lauded as a positive for a number of reasons, even for how it can help reduce transfers. The NCAA also passed new rules that free athletes to transfer without asking for permission or being blocked from certain schools.

College coaches made an argument for the new redshirt rule that it will help provide late season depth when players are hurt. Instead of a player pushing through an injury he can sit and a freshman gets a shot at playing time.

Last season Stanford's defensive back unit took some hits and safety Justin Reid had to fill in at a number of spots, including taking snaps at cornerback. If the new redshirt rule existed last year then it's nearly guaranteed that former four star recruit Paulson Adebo would have played at cornerback.

Defensive coordinator Lance Anderson said during the bowl practices that the staff considered burning Adebo's redshirt in November for two reasons: He was performing at a very high level in practice and because of the injuries.

It's impossible to know how much of an impact Adebo would have had during Stanford's run at the end of the season that included top-10 opponents Washington and Notre Dame, Cal and No. 11 USC. Stanford could have used Adebo for the final four games of the regular season or skipped one to be able to have him available for the bowl game.

It's a tantalizing what-if scenario that could have been very helpful.

Another potential positive argued for the new rule was the motivation factor. Instead of a freshman checking out mentally during a three-month regular season, the coaches now have a big carrot to dangle.

What if, for example, incoming freshmen Andres Fox or Tobe Umerah aren't ready to play at the start of the season because of adapting to new positions and learning college-level technique?

Anderson can now tell them to look at the schedule and work to be ready to help the team Nov. 3 at Washington, when the Pac-12 North may be on the line.

Stanford has a solid record of using true freshmen under head coach David Shaw, who is a fan of finding niche roles for first-year athletes who have proven they can do a job on the field. It's rare to grab a starting spot, although last year former five star Walker Little took over left tackle and an injury was the only reason he didn't finish the season guarding KJ Costello's blindside.

Shaw said during the Dec. 20 signing day press conference that front seven players from the 2018 class will probably have the best chance of earning early playing time.

Umerah and Fox will be top candidates, along with Caleb Kelly and Thomas Booker, to get a shot in training camp to prove they can provide pass rush help, which the Cardinal look likely to need. But there are enough returning players, especially at outside linebacker, that it will be tough for all four to get on the field in the opener versus San Diego State.

Stanford will have two months to see if the front seven can consistently get to quarterbacks. If not, that's two months of practices and strength and conditioning to get whoever wasn't ready on Aug. 31 ready to possibly play in Seattle.

Two other top candidates are Kendall Williamson and Jacob Mangum-Farrar.

Alijah Holder is expected to be healthy for training camp and Stanford has several options to start opposite him at cornerback. But recent history shows that injuries are bound to happen and Williamson may be able to get on the field. Ethan Bonner might be a dark horse pick because defensive backs coach Duane Akina really liked what he saw from Bonner's junior season. But a knee injury prevented him from playing his senior year and that's a long road back.

Mangum-Farrar has a lot of raw potential and is an exciting athlete. Stanford's depth at inside linebacker is very thin. Bobby Okereke and Sean Barton are expected to start and, if healthy, they could be a formidable duo. Backing them are Jordan Perez, Mustafa Branch and Andrew Pryts, a converted safety.

It's not unimaginable that late in the season Mangum-Farrar has earned some snaps in games.