Stanford has hired Tavita Pritchard as the school's next head coach, the school announced on Friday.
Pritchard is a former Stanford quarterback, assistant coach and coordinator. He is the Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach, a job he took in 2023 after various roles on the Stanford staff from 2010 to 2022.
Pritchard has received permission to leave the Commanders to join the Stanford staff after Washington plays Denver on Sunday night.
Pritchard emerged from a pool of more than 30 candidates in a process run by general manager Andrew Luck that included new athletic director John Donahoe, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Stanford president Jonathan Levin. Stanford's pool included strong interest from both the college and NFL world.
«Tavita Pritchard is exactly the right head coach at the right time to help us build on the foundation of this season and lead Stanford football to its next great era,» Luck said in a statement. «Coach Pritchard is a culture builder, a teacher of football of the highest caliber, and a humble yet determined servant leader who is committed to the success of Stanford's student-athletes. I could not be more excited to welcome Tavita, Caroline and their family back to campus.»
It's the first signature full-time hire for Luck, who was hired a year ago. It's also the biggest early move of Donahoe's tenure after being hired in the athletic director chair on July 31. Pritchard and Luck have a long relationship, as Pritchard was Stanford's starting quarterback in 2008 before getting beat out by Luck in 2009.
Pritchard will replace interim coach Frank Reich, who came in for the 2025 season. Stanford is 4-7 heading into the season finale at home against No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday.
Read more on espn.com
espn.com
