Stanford should start Elijah Brown at QB

Daniels has earned the job, but after four straight losses and a chance at a bowl slipping away, it might be time for Brown to become more of a focal point.

Sep 7, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown against the Cal Poly Mustangs during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

At 2-5, the Stanford Cardinal’s season is now hanging by a thread, as one or two more losses would all but end the program’s bowl aspirations. In head coach Troy Taylor’s second season at the helm, and Stanford’s first season in the ACC, there has been a lot of promise and potential shown out of the young guys brought in, with many of them thrusting themselves into the starting lineup. One of those young stars is freshman quarterback Elijah Brown, who despite having only played in two games, has looked like a player who has the potential to be a superstar at The Farm.

Currently a backup to Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson, the former four-star recruit out of Mater Dei High School made his college debut against Cal Poly, going 7-for-7 with 97 yards and a touchdown pass in his lone drive, contributing to the team’s 41-7 win. Putting up a big game and stirring up even more confidence that he is the guy of the future, Brown’s development unfortunately came to a halt when it was revealed that he suffered an injury in the game that would keep him out indefinitely, putting his freshman campaign in limbo. 

However, Brown was way ahead on his recovery and was able to make his return against SMU this past week. Although some rust was evident with Brown throwing two interceptions, his first game back also brought about a lot of positives as he was able to throw a nice touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor. While he only completed 50% of his passes (16-for-32), a lot of the ones he did complete were perfectly placed where only the receiver was able to make the play. 

Even though Daniels is a veteran, and has been instrumental in leading the team in transition from the David Shaw to the Taylor era, Brown is the future. The Cardinal invested a lot in getting Brown and in a season that is only a loss or two away from being all but decided, keeping Brown as the starter would have more benefits than keeping him on the bench.

For starters, it would give him the chance to play against even more ACC teams and get used to the competition. Stanford is in the ACC and is there to stay, so the slate of opponents that the team will play this year and in future years is who they will face indefinitely. Allowing Brown to get reps against teams like SMU, Louisville, NC State and even Cal will get him prepared for when he does become the full-time starter, where he will already have the experience against tough defenses. While still potentially a year or two from contending, having an established and capable quarterback already in place will speed up the rebuild.

Daniel has also struggled during his time as the starting quarterback, going 2-8 as a starter last year, and while he is 2-3 as a starter this season, he has thrown five touchdowns to six interceptions and has had a difficult time protecting the football. Taylor said after the game against Notre Dame that turnovers have been a problem this year, and that the team will need to clean that up to be competitive.

“It’s tough when you’re turning the ball over,” head coach Troy Taylor said. “These are good enough defenses where if you hurt yourself, it makes it difficult. We had the one on the option that was a tough play but there are other things [as well]. We have to improve in all areas to be honest.”

Brown is a proven winner, guiding Mater Dei to two state titles while he was their quarterback and leaving the school as the only quarterback in program history to win two state championships. High school is a much different beast than college, yes, but what Brown was able to accomplish at a school that was and is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and treats its program like another college team, is a testament to how good Brown is. 

The 2024 season is most likely another lost one for Stanford, but if the program is serious about a rebuild and getting back to where they know they can be, then giving Brown the keys the rest of the season so they can determine if he is the quarterback of the future could go a long way.