The college football off season is always full on rumor, innuendo, and partial facts. Case in point, Stanford and their possible change at quarterback. Kevin Hogan is their current quarterback and the rumor mill has him moving on to places like Texas, Michigan, and even Maryland. What? Are you kidding me? Moving on from Stanford? Why?
Look, a lot of this is just conjecture right now. Message boards are putting out things that are not true, or at least things that can not be confirmed right now. I like to call it wishful thinking because I just do not see it happening. I could be wrong about this, I have been wrong before, but I get "gut" reactions to things such as this and sometimes my gut tells me yes, I can certainly see it happening, and other times it tells me no, this is not going to happen. As previously stated, I don't see Kevin Hogan moving on from Stanford and being a fifth-year graduate quarterback, much like Russell Wilson did when he went from North Carolina State to the University of Wisconsin to play.
Kevin Hogan is the guy that took over for Andrew Luck after Luck went number one in the NFL draft. He's also the guy that has won a couple of games against mighty Oregon, a Pac-12 Championship, and a Rose Bowl for Stanford. He's also won 25 games as a starter for the Cardinal. He's helped make Stanford Head Coach David Shaw look like a genius since Shaw has taken over for that guy that just took over Michigan.
Since the Stanford Cardinal beat up on Maryland in the Foster Farms Bowl and Hogan took home the MVP of the game there has been speculation that Hogan may have played his last game for Stanford. This is something that has not been confirmed or even denied by the parties involved, but there is no fact to the thought that Kevin Hogan is leaving.
Like I said earlier, I don't see this happening. He's done some pretty special things at Stanford and would love to continue those special things as a graduate school quarterback. Rumors have said that Hogan and his head coach have clashed over how the offense has been run. Hogan supposedly doesn't like Shaw's conservative type of offense. Really? A quarterback and coach clashing over how the offense is run. I would act shocked, if I was. This happens more than people know or would even care to know. I look at that as not a big deal, but other fans at other schools who need a quarterback run with this kind of rumor.
A perfect example would be the University of Michigan. Fans would love to have a quarterback of Kevin Hogan's talent because they don't know who is going to be their quarterback in 2015. It's a question mark for Jim Harbaugh and his staff. Landing Kevin Hogan would be an absolute coup. Especially with the hated rival Ohio State having so much success and possibly winning the National Championship in the next few days. Message boards are saying: "He is rumored to be considering a fifth year transfer. He was recruited by Harbaugh, but has played his entire career for David Shaw. He could immediately shore up the questions at QB. Definitely seems like something at least worth exploring for JH." Quotes like this almost want to make it seem like Michigan is going to pursue it. However, nothing has been confirmed at all. It's fans dreaming big and WANTING Hogan to land in Ann Arbor. The Michigan fan base isn't the only one wanting to land a big fish.
Texas fans want everything, all the time. In this case, it's no different. At the SB Nation's Texas Longhorns blog they are pointing out the differences that David Shaw and Kevin Hogan apparently have to help drive people to think that Hogan definitely wants out. The blog is pointing out all of Hogan's stats and ends with the line "People treat him as if he's chopped liver. He's not." Those who know anything about football and more specifically Stanford football, know that he is not chopped liver or a horrible quarterback.
He has a slow release, but that is something that is easily worked on with any number of quarterback gurus that help college kids get ready for the NFL draft.
Hogan has been dismissive of questions concerning his future, but from what I have heard it is simply questions about the NFL and not questions about his relationship with David Shaw. Who knows. Hogan may in fact be tired of the Stanford offense, but if you think about why he would want to leave you will get a puzzled look on your face.
Stanford is returning a huge amount of players on the offensive side of the ball. He should have four returning linemen, three great running backs, solid tight ends, and two great wideouts to help stretch the field for the Cardinal. With those returnees, why would Hogan go to a totally new program, a totally new offense, when he has already been reassured by Coach Shaw that he is the starter in 2015 if he returns. On top of that, why go to Texas, Maryland, or Michigan and play for teams that are worse than Stanford? That's a very valid question to ask these quarterback starved fan bases.
In the end, Kevin Hogan is not going anywhere. I don't see this happening because if he returns, he is THE man, has a loaded offense, and already knows the offense. He should want to finish what he started on The Farm. He will, however, you have to love the off season rumor mill.
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