Tag: Stanford

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

Ayomanor’s upside and potential has not been fully tapped

Elic Ayomano is a Canadian who started high school in Alberta and finished the final two years in Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he was a track and football star. He selected Stanford from his multiple scholarship offers.

He tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus as a senior in high school, and then suffered a separate knee injury as a freshman and redshirted his first year. He wasted no time making an impact when he finally was able to play, logging a 1,000-yard season that first year as the Cardinal’s top receiver – no other player totaled more than 409 receiving yards or two scores.

His junior season wasn’t quite as effective but he still dominated the receiving stats on an otherwise mediocre Stanford team that only went 3-9 on the season and passed for just 2,295 yards while spinning through three quarterbacks. Ayomanor was again the lone bright spot. He set the school single-game record with 294 receiving yards in the double overtime victory at Colorado in 2023.

Height: 6-2
Weight: 206 pounds
40 time: 4.44 seconds

Ayomanor measured as the prototypical size for a wideout and ran a reasonably quick sub-4.5 40-time at the NFL Combine. Added plus – only one other receiver had larger hands than Ayomanor.

Elic Ayomanor stats (2023-24)

Pros

  • Versatile receiver playing both outside and in the slot, while effective through all three levels of the defense
  • Has the size and strength that can withstand physical NFL-quality contact
  • Breakaway speed with the extra gear when in the clear
  • Vertical threat that tracks the ball well
  • Above-average blocker that benefits the run game
  • Natural pass catcher that high points the ball and has huge hands to bring down the ball
  • Precise route runner that can adjust to the pass

Cons

  • Occasional lapse in concentration drops easy catches
  • Needs further development on route tree
  • Can be knocked off path against physical coverage
  • With multiple injuries in high school and college, his durability may be a concern

Fantasy Outlook

Elic Ayomanor was easily the best weapon for the Stanford passing attack for the last two seasons, and played without the benefit of an elite quarterback. He still shined, playing multiple roles and making a difference all over the defense. He needs to clean up his drops, but after two years in college, already presents a receiver that can contribute even as a rookie.

His upside and potential are still undefined and he’ll get the opportunity to take his skills and impact to the next level in the NFL. That should buy him a Day 2 selection for a team looking a receiver who can contribute from the start.

He projects as an outside receiver with a large catch radius.  If he can land on a top passing offense with one of the better NFL quarterbacks, his learning curve will shorten and his Year 1 impact will have the potential for fantasy value.

What’s your deal? Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh will face each other again

Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh went at each other in the Pac-10. They went at each other in the NFC West. Now, the AFC West. Act three is here.

This past week, it was announced that Pete Carroll will return to coaching in 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders. After serving as the head coach at USC for nine seasons and with the Seattle Seahawks for 14, Carroll has officially found his next stop. One thing that all three stops have had in common is a shared adversary. Who would that be, you ask? None other than Jim Harbaugh.

The rivalry between Carroll and Harbaugh goes back to the 2000s, when the former was at USC and the latter was at Stanford. In 2007, when Harbaugh was in his first season at Stanford and still relatively unknown nationally, the Cardinal came into the Coliseum as 41-point underdogs. Stanford stunned the Trojans 24-23, one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

After the Trojans got their revenge in 2008, the Cardinal once again won in the Coliseum in 2009, this time in a 55-21 blowout. Following the game, the two head coaches had a heated postgame exchange, where each proceeded to ask the other, “what’s your deal?”

When Carroll left USC for the Seahawks in 2010, he likely thought that he was free from Harbaugh. A year later, Harbaugh became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, ensuring that the two would face off twice every season.

The two coaches squared off in the NFC West for four seasons. Their most memorable meeting during that stretch came in the NFC Championship Game in January of 2014. With San Francisco trailing by six in the final minute, Seahawk linebacker Malcolm Smith—who played for Carroll at USC—intercepted a pass by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the end zone, sending Seattle to the Super Bowl.

It has been more than a decade since the two coaches faced off, as Harbaugh left the 49ers to go coach Michigan—his alma mater—following the 2014 season. With Harbaugh now back in the NFL as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, however, the two are division rivals once again, this time in the AFC West.

When the Chargers and Raiders face off this fall, it will mark the renewal of the long rivalry between Carroll and Harbaugh. Let’s see what the deal is this time.

Tar Heels fall in final seconds to Stanford

North Carolina failed to close out another close game in ACC play against Stanford.

Going into Saturday’s game in Chapel Hill, Stanford was 0-13 all-time against the North Carolina Tar Heels. But they changed that in the final seconds.

And it was late-game struggles that doomed the Tar Heeks, once again.

After Seth Trimble made two free throws to put UNC ahead 71-70 with seven seconds left, Jaylen Blakes took the inbound pass and went down the left side of the court, hitting a fade away to give Stanford the 72-71 win, stunning the Dean Dome crowd.

North Carolina scored just one field goal in the final 4:23 and just three in the final eight minutes. After they grabbed that five-point lead, the offense went stagnant.

In that same stretch, they game up a three to Maxime Raynaud, a layup from Ryan Agarwal, among free throws. And then it was the former Duke Blue Devil Blakes that delivered the dagger.

The most glaring discrepancy for North Carolina was the lack of production from Ian Jackson. The freshman guard, who is averaging 15.7 points per game this season, has scored 20+ in six of the last seven games. On Saturday, Jackson finished with six points shooting 1-for-8 from the field and 0-5 from beyond the arc.

RJ Davis finished with 19 points and five assists, shooting 6-for-15 from the field. Ven Allen Lubin had one of his best games of the season as well, with 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Elliot Cadeau had 12 points with six rebounds and five assists as the only other Tar Heel in double figures.

North Carolina will now head on the road to Wake Forest on Tuesday night. The Demon Deacons are 6-1 against conference teams and 9-0 on their home court. The game can be seen at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN.

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How to Watch North Carolina vs Stanford: Time, TV Channel, Predictions

Make sure you tune into the Tar Heels facing yet another new ACC team in Stanford on Saturday.

North Carolina will take on yet another new ACC team on Saturday, welcoming Stanford to one of the most historic basketball conferences in the country. So far, the Tar Heels have welcomed SMU with a 15-point win at home and Cal with a 27-point win in Chapel Hill.

Stanford will head into this game with an 11-6 record overall this season. They are also 3-3 against conference teams, tied with Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Pittsburgh in the conference standings. After winning two straight ACC games, Stanford dropped their last game to Wake Forest by 13.

Overall, their records are very similar, with North Carolina entering this weekend with a 12-6 record. However, North Carolina is tied with Wake Forest with a 5-1 record against ACC teams. They are a half-game back from Louisville and Clemson at 6-1, where they will be with a win on Saturday.

Here is how to tune into the game, the TV channel, time, and our predictions.

What channel is North Carolina vs Stanford on today? Time, TV schedule

TV Channel: CW Network

Time: 2:15 p.m. ET

Where to watch UNC vs Stanford on live stream

Watch UNC vs. Stanford live on Fubo (free trial)

UNC vs Stanford prediction, picks, odds

North Carolina has picked up the pace of play since their loss to Louisville. They have the No. 3 ranked defensive efficiency in the nation since that loss, over their five-game win streak. They also have a history of showing double-digit welcomes to teams from the Pac-12.

I would anticipate RJ Davis to come out of the slump he was in last game, Jalen Washington to continue his arrival as a post player, and Ian Jackson to score 20+ points for the eighth time in the last nine games. North Carolina wins by 10+.

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.

SPREAD: North Carolina -10.5

MONEYLINE: North Carolina -550, Stanford +400

O/U TOTAL: 155.5 total points

Tar Heels full schedule

Oct. 12: Blue-White Scrimmage (Blue 62, White 53)

Oct. 15: Exhibition @ Memphis (W, 84-76)

Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (W, 127-63)

Nov. 4: vs. Elon (W, 90-76)

Nov. 8: at Kansas (L, 92-89)

Nov. 15: vs. American University (W, 108-55)

Nov. 22: at Hawaii (W, 87-69)

Nov. 25: vs. Dayton, Maui Invitational (W, 92-90)

Nov. 26: vs. Auburn, Maui Invitational (L, 85-72)

Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State, Maui Invitational (L, 94-90/OT)

Dec. 4: vs. Alabama, SEC/ACC Challenge (L, 94-79)

Dec. 7: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 68-65)

Dec. 14: vs. La Salle (W, 93-67)

Dec. 17: vs. Florida, Jumpman Invitational (L, 90-84)

Dec. 21: vs. UCLA, CBS Sports Classic (W, 76-74)

Dec. 29: vs. Campbell (W, 97-81)

Jan. 1: at Louisville (L, 70-83)

Jan. 4: at Notre Dame (W, 74-73)

Jan. 7: vs. SMU (W, 82-67)

Jan. 11: at NC State (W, 63-61)

Jan. 15: vs. California (W, 79-53)

Jan. 18: vs. Stanford

Jan. 21: at Wake Forest

Jan. 25: vs. Boston College

Jan. 28: at Pitt

Feb. 1: at Duke

Feb. 8: vs. Pitt

Feb. 10: at Clemson

Feb. 15: at Syracuse

Feb. 19: vs. NC State

Feb. 22: vs. Virginia

Feb. 24: at Florida State

March 1: vs. Miami (FL)

March 4: at Virginia Tech

March 8: vs. Duke

March 11-15: ACC Tournament (Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC)

 

Hold up: The Saints don’t have plans to interview David Shaw just yet

Local outlets report the New Orleans Saints don’t have plans to interview David Shaw just yet. But sticking with just the people Mickey Loomis knows would be a mistake:

This is perplexing. Not long after NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported that the New Orleans Saints intended on meeting with former Stanford head coach David Shaw about their vacancy, NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that isn’t the case — saying, “The Saints do not have plans to interview David Shaw at this time.” That sentiment was echoed by Matthew Paras of the Times-Picayune | Advocate.

Slater expanded on her report during a TV spot with NFL Network: “My understanding according to two sources informed that David Shaw the former head coach Stanford will get a phone call to interview for the head coaching position. Now why is that interesting? It’s easy for Mickey Loomis to pick up the phone and call Sean Payton and ask what he thinks of Shaw.”

“That call is expected to be placed and then we’ll see when Shaw is heading down to New Orleans to interview for that position,” Slater added.

The conflicting reports could mean the Saints just haven’t formally requested an interview yet; Shaw spent the last year working as a senior personnel executive with the Denver Broncos. It could also mean that both of the sources Slater cited in her report were misinformed. This early stage in the offseason has a ton of moving parts and protocols to follow, which can lead to confusion.

So stay tuned. But it would be a big disappoint if Shaw isn’t in the running after all. One of the biggest criticisms of the Saints in recent years has been Mickey Loomis’ unwillingness to cast a wide net. He had his mind made up that Dennis Allen was his guy when this job first became available, and it took two ugly years for the team to look for a real alternative to Pete Carmichael as their offensive coordinator. That pattern has not led to success.

Shaw would bring exactly the kind of fresh perspective this team needs. Spurning him and others like him in favor of people Loomis already knows well would be a mistake. They must go looking outside his own circle of influence.

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David Shaw has a couple of unexpected Saints connections

News that the Saints plan to sit down with David Shaw may have felt like it came out of left field, but he has a few unexpected connections worth noting:

News that the New Orleans Saints planned to sit down with longtime Stanford head coach David Shaw may have felt like it came out of left field, but he’s no stranger to the organization. The Denver Broncos senior personnel executive has a lot of fans at the team headquarters on Airline Drive, and he has a couple of unexpected connections to the Saints worth noting.

His father Willie Shaw is a Louisiana native born in Glenmora, a small town outside Alexandria in rural Rapides Parish. The elder Shaw coached in both the NFL and at the college level from 1970 to 2002, largely working with linebackers and defensive backs on 14 different teams; that included a stop with the Saints in 1997. He coached defensive backs on Mike Ditka’s first staff, working closely with a rookie Sammy Knight, a young Alex Molden (who went on to play 100 games in the pros, doing his part to slow down “the Greatest Show on Turf” in the Saints’ first playoff win over the St. Louis Rams), and star cornerback Eric Allen, who is a finalist for enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this year.

The elder Shaw left the Saints for a promotion to defensive coordinator on the Oakland Raiders a year later, where his son joined him as a quality control coach. That’s the same position David Shaw had held on the Philadelphia Eagles the season before — working closely with Sean Payton and the Eagles quarterbacks.

Payton has been in Shaw’s corner ever since. He’s called for NFL teams to hire Shaw before, and when Shaw stepped away from Stanford he moved quickly to recruit the talented coach to Denver. After some time on the Broncos’ scouting staff, Shaw is at least interested in coaching an NFL team for himself. Having the endorsement of the most successful coach in New Orleans Saints franchise history obviously means a lot to general manager Mickey Loomis and other team decisionmakers. Let’s see how well his interview goes and whether he can capitalize on this opportunity.

Update: New reports say the Saints do not have plans to interview Shaw “at this time.”

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A surprising candidate just emerged in the Saints head coach search

A surprising candidate just emerged in the Saints head coach search. NFL Network reports they’ll interview longtime Stanford coach and Broncos executive David Shaw:

Now this is a welcome surprise. NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports that the New Orleans Saints are planning to interview David Shaw in their search for a new head coach. Shaw had a great run at Stanford coaching college football before he joined the Denver Broncos as a senior personnel executive, teaming up with one of his longtime admirers Sean Payton.

Shaw went 96-54 at Stanford, where he coached up future NFL stars like Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey. But he has plenty of pro experience as an assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles, then-Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens earlier in his coaching career.

And Payton is a big supporter of his, having recruited Shaw to Denver when he bowed out after a 12-year run at Stanford. Back in 2022, Payton stumped for an NFL team to go get him:

“I worked with David Shaw in Philadelphia (with the Eagles), I think he’s an extremely bright candidate. Stanford graduate, he coaches at his alma mater. Every time I bring his name up, everyone says ‘David’s staying in college.’ And I understand that. … Why is it that a young, talented coach, Stanford graduate, West Coast Offense, offensive guy; and I always begin with David because I know him, I know how talented he is. Now he may turn down all of those opportunities. But you know what, he didn’t have those opportunities where someone said, ‘We have to have him.’ Because someone said ‘We have to have (other college coaches like) Nick (Saban), or Steve (Spurrier), or Matt (Rhule).’”

When Shaw’s time at Stanford ended and he did come to the NFL, Payton acted quickly to bring him into the fold. And now Shaw is throwing his hat into the ring to be a pro-level head coach himself. He’s a fascinating candidate as an established program builder with tons of connections around the league. Maybe he could be the breath of fresh air Saints fans have been calling for after their worst season in 19 years.

Update: New reports say the Saints do not have plans to interview Shaw “at this time.”

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Wisconsin wide receiver announces transfer commitment

Wisconsin wide receiver is off to the ACC

Former Wisconsin wide receiver C.J. Williams committed to Stanford on Friday.

Williams is the 14th Badger transfer to announce his new destination. He is the program’s second primary wide receiver to depart, joining multiyear starter Will Pauling, who committed to Notre Dame.

Related: Where Wisconsin football transfers have signed so far

Williams transferred to Wisconsin ahead of the 2023 season. He was part of the program’s overhaul of its offensive room, specifically to match Phil Longo’s air raid scheme. The former USC Trojan and top-100 recruit totaled just 31 receptions, 396 receiving yards and two touchdowns during his two years with the Badgers.

Williams joins a Stanford program that has gone 3-9 in each of the last four seasons. The Cardinals finished second-to-last in the ACC in 2024 in their first year in the conference. The former Badger shouldn’t have much trouble finding a primary role in the team’s offense in 2025 with star wideout Elic Ayomanor off to the NFL draft.

He joins the Cardinals with two years of eligibility remaining.

Wisconsin bolstered its wide receiver room this offseason, adding transfers Mark Hamper (Idaho) and Jayden Ballard (Ohio State). The two are set for leading roles on the offense next season alongside returning contributors Trech Kekahuna and Vinny Anthony.

The group will have a significant say in the success of Wisconsin’s offense as it ushers in a new system under coordinator Jeff Grimes

In the meantime, we’ll closely monitor how both Pauling and Williams perform at their new destinations. For more on where to watch now-former Badgers entering 2025, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal departure tracker.

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Bill Belichick one of two football coaches to achieve this rare feat

Bill Belichick isn’t the only Super Bowl-winning coach to later coach college football.

Christmas came early for the North Carolina Tar Heels this December, as Bill Belichick agreed to become their next head football coach on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Belichick won six Super Bowls and several more AFC East titles, plus he was named AP NFL Coach of the Year three times. The New England Patriots ruled the NFL under Belichick’ watch – and I’m surprised New England didn’t more with him.

Despite all Belichick’s success at the NFL level, he has yet to coach in college. Bill acknowledged this during his press conference, but feels confident to adapt towards the changing college football landscape.

We see coaches hop between college and pro football all the time, but Belichick also includes a rare feat as UNC’s new head man.

Belichick joins another legendary NFL coach in the late Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls coaching the San Francisco 49ers, as the only two Super Bowl-winning coaches to become college head coaches.

Walsh coached the Stanford Cardinal, a now-new ACC program, from 1992-1994. Stanford finished its first season under Walsh ranked ninth in the nation – and with a victory in the Blockbuster Bowl – but struggled in the following two years.

Belichick’s hiring is expected to improve North Carolina greatly, with top coaches from around the country expected to show interest in joining the staff. Recruits are already talking about wanting to play for the Tar Heels – just look at Jared Curtis, the Class of 2026’s top-ranked quarterback. UNC is getting looks at 5-star transfers, plus 2024 starters are pulling their names out of the transfer portal.

Can Belichick emulate Walsh’s first season at Stanford, but more importantly, turn North Carolina into a CFB power?

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Notre Dame men’s soccer loses ACC Tournament game on Hail Mary goal

You absolutely must see this.

The Notre Dame men’s soccer team lost its ACC Tournament opener to Stanford in the most improbable fashion. The final score was 3-2, but that doesn’t begin to describe how that score occurred.

Trailing, 2-1, with 12 seconds left, the Irish had a free kick inside the penalty area. [autotag]Matthew Roou[/autotag], who had scored the Irish’s first goal, softly kicked the ball to [autotag]Mitch Ferguson[/autotag], who then fired it home to tie the game.

Shortly after the Cardinal reset play from midfield, Dylan Hooper fired a desperation kick from slightly further away. The shot turned out to be on goal, and goalkeeper [autotag]Collin Travasos[/autotag] wasn’t able to stop it.

The Cardinal somehow had regained the lead with one second left, and that lead would stand, enabling them to play Clemson in the quarterfinals.

It was as heartbreaking an ending as it could have been for the 7-5-5 Irish, who now must wait until the Nov. 18 selection show to find out if they made the NCAA Tournament. And all because of a crazy sequence that starts at 1:21 in the below video:

Never say you’ve seen everything in sports. Something new always will find a way.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89