Frank Reich sets tone as Stanford heads to Hawaii

Brian Schaible

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Frank Reich sets tone as Stanford heads to Hawaii image

Frank Reich didn’t call it a vacation. For Stanford’s interim coach, the opener in Hawaii is about focus and execution.

“Very excited,” Reich said. “A lot of hard work as I look at what the players have accomplished since we’ve been here. It really gives me a lot of confidence.”

Reich, the longtime NFL coach, now faces his first test with the Cardinal. Hawaii’s reputation for speed on the perimeter means his defense must hold firm. “They spread the ball around, they spread the field very well,” Reich said. “We’re going to have to be on point and play good coverage. Ultimately, the test comes down to being disciplined play after play.”

Travel logistics? Reich isn’t worried. He credited his staff for preparing the team for heat, humidity, and time-zone adjustments. “We have a great sports science staff who put a lot of effort…really the last six months…doubling down on what’s going to be our approach,” he said. “We do that so the players don’t have to think about it. We want the players to just focus on football.”

Culture was another theme. Reich said he inherited a locker room ready to lead itself. “The players are bought in and they understand the culture is the locker room,” he said. “Fortunately for us, we’ve got a great group of guys.”

As for the opener, Reich knows game ones come with uncertainty. “You think you know what the opponent’s going to do, but you’re not 100% sure,” he said. “They’re dealing with the same thing. So we’re focused mainly on how we need to execute our schemes.”

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Brian Schaible

Brian Schaible is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. Brian holds a master’s degree in journalism/public relations from Kent State University.