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Stanford football has brought in a familiar face to become its next head coach.
The school announced Friday that it had hired Tavita Pritchard, who played quarterback for Stanford from 2006 to 2009, to be its next head coach. The 38-year-old is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders and will begin his role as head coach immediately following the team’s game against the Denver Broncos.
Pritchard will replace interim head coach Frank Reich, who replaced Troy Taylor in the spring after Taylor was fired over allegations of bullying and disparaging staff.
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Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard watches her players before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California, on December 17, 2023. (Kyusung Gong/AP Photo, File)
Pritchard was hired by the man who replaced him as quarterback at Stanford: Andrew Luck. Luck is the school’s CEO and said Pritchard is the right person to lead Stanford into its next great era.
“Today winning in college football requires a leader of men who can build and motivate teams, recruit future stars, and develop and connect with talent,” Luck said in a statement.
“Tavita Pritchard is exactly the right head coach at the right time to help us build on this season’s foundation and lead Stanford football into its next great era. Coach Pritchard is a culture builder, a football teacher of the highest caliber, and a humble but determined servant leader who is committed to the success of Stanford student-athletes.”
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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Tavita Pritchard (14) takes a throw during a 23-20 loss to the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on October 18, 2008. (Kirby Lee/Image by Sport-USA TODAY Sports)
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Tavita, Caroline and their family to campus.”
Pritchard began his coaching career in 2010 at Stanford as a graduate assistant and rose through the ranks to become the team’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2022 before leaving for the NFL.
Pritchard’s brief stint in the NFL was impactful, as Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had high praise for his former assistant.
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“Tavita will be a fantastic head coach and I believe he will be especially effective at Stanford. Players gravitate toward him and he quickly earned their respect and mine,” Quinn said in a statement.
“Tavita is smart, collaborative, diligent and brings people together. He is the perfect coach to create a winning program in today’s college football landscape.”
Pritchard will be tasked with turning around a team that is 4-7 this season and hasn’t had more than four wins in a season since 2018, when it went 9-4.
