"Kick some butt Frank": CFB fans fired up as Frank Reich officially joins Stanford football for 2025

Modified Apr 01, 2025 07:04 GMT

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers - Source: Imagn — Frank Reich on the sidelines - Source: Imagn

Stanford has named veteran NFL coach Frank Reich as its interim head coach for the 2025 season, the school announced Monday. The deal is for one season only, per ESPN sources.

Reich, the 36th head coach in program history, brings over 30 years of NFL experience – 14 as a quarterback and 18 in coaching. Stanford Football General Manager Andrew Luck made the announcement, with Reich set to be introduced at a press conference Tuesday.

Meanwhile, college football fans lit up social media with their thoughts and reactions to the news:

A three-sport athlete in high school, Reich played college football at Maryland from 1980-84 before embarking on his long NFL career.

Frank Reich’s hire marks another major move for Stanford football

Stanford will conduct a national search for a permanent head coach after the 2025 season. The university fired Troy Taylor last week following an investigation that reportedly found he bullied female athletic staffers, pressured an NCAA compliance officer who flagged violations and made inappropriate comments about a woman’s appearance, according to ESPN.

Frank Reich’s hire marks another major move for Stanford's Andrew Luck, who is believed to be the only college GM with full control over a coaching staff.

Frank Reich coached Luck in his final NFL season (2018) and has a long-standing relationship with him. A six-time Super Bowl participant – four as a player with the Bills (1991-94) and two as a coach – the Carolina Panthers fired Frank in November 2023 after a 1-10 start. That made him the first head coach since the 1970 NFL merger to be fired in back-to-back seasons, following his 2022 dismissal from the Indianapolis Colts.

Stanford hasn't made a bowl game since 2018. Reich's interim hire follows star defender David Bailey entering the transfer portal. Meanwhile, the university is also searching for a new athletic director after Bernard Muir stepped down, with Alden Mitchell recently named interim AD.

How do you think Frank Reich and the Stanford Cardinal will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

About the author

Mohammad Asif Ansari is a journalist covering college football and basketball at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Technology and brings four years of experience as an NFL and EdTech writer.

While acknowledging the dominance of professional leagues like the NBA and NFL, Asif is drawn to the raw energy and unpredictability of college sports, particularly football and basketball.

Jalen Hurts stands out as Asif's all-time favorite college player, celebrated for his remarkable success on the football field and impressive leadership skills.

In his reporting, Asif seeks to capture the essence of college athletics, delving into the human stories behind the game. From the trials and triumphs of student-athletes to the strategic genius of coaches like Nick Saban, he strives to paint a vivid picture of the college sports landscape.

Asif ensures that his reporting is both informative and ethically sound, meticulously verifying sources and facts to provide readers with reliable and trustworthy content.

When not writing, Asif practices basic MMA, hones his biking skills and expands his language proficiency in Urdu and Arabic.

Know More