Which game should Stanford football QB Brown play in before he redshirts?

Still able to play in one more game and retain his ability to redshirt, we take a look at which game Brown should play in.

Oct 19, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) carries the ball against the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford football may have a big decision to make regarding one of its most promising stars. Since his arrival on campus, freshman quarterback Elijah Brown has been the talk of the town, with many wondering if he could make an immediate impact and turn into the next big thing on The Farm. However, an injury sustained early in the season severely hampered his development, forcing him to miss a significant amount of time as he recovered.

But while not getting the chance to play certainly can affect a player’s growth and change the plans that were originally set, the Cardinal now have some flexibility with Brown since he was out for about five weeks, which could very well end up giving him an extra year of eligibility.

“Elijah still has the ability to redshirt and play one more game,” head coach Troy Taylor said after Stanford’s loss to NC State. “We think that is something that we should keep in mind and so that was the main thing.”

With that in mind, the Cardinal now can decide which game Brown will play in this season out of the three games left, needing to take into account which contest gives him the best chance to succeed, while also weighing his growth for the future. Now on a bye, there is still a whole week to really figure it out, but the last three games will not be easy tasks for the Cardinal, who are looking to snap a six game losing streak.

The first two games out of the bye week will be at home against No. 25 ranked Louisville and on the road against arch rival Cal for the Big Game, two contests that will be huge matchups for Stanford. Louisville, dominant on both sides of the ball, is most likely the hardest game left on the Cardinal’s schedule on paper, and while that would be a great opportunity for Brown to be tested and grow, that game could also be the type of contest where veteran presence may be the way to go.

The game that the Cardinal should really look to give Brown his final game opportunity, if they are indeed planning to redshirt him this season, is against Cal. The biggest reason that comes to mind is the chance for him to get his first taste of a major rivalry while also facing a team that matches up really well with Stanford.

Cal, like Stanford, joined the ACC from the Pac-12 this season, and while they have experienced being more competitive in games, such as a near win against current No. 4 Miami earlier in the campaign, both teams always play each other super competitively when they meet up. Expected to be the future of the program, there is no better game to give Brown a chance than against their most storied rival.

The Cal game is also the last conference matchup of the 2024 season, with Stanford’s final game of the campaign being against Mountain West member San José State. Brown, who has struggled in two ACC games this year, could use the Cal game as a way to redeem himself where he could end his true freshman year on a high note before looking ahead to a potential redshirt freshman season in 2025.

Against SMU, his first game back from injury, Brown threw for 153 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. In his most recent game against Wake Forest, Brown only threw for 24 yards with an interception before coming out. The rust has shown over his last couple of games, but a redemption game against Cal, or whichever game he plays, could go a long way towards improving not only his own confidence, but the confidence of the coaching staff that he is the right man for the job down the line.

This season may not have gone as planned, but the possibility of having an extra season of Brown could ignite even more hope for the future as Stanford looks to get back to its glory days.