It has been quite a whirlwind the past two weeks for the Stanford Football program. It seems that just now we have been giving time to digest it all and understand what happened. Here are where things stand as of now.

Jim Harbaugh is still the head coach of Stanford Football (thank god!!):

This was thanks to a combination of him turning down a supposed offer from Kansas to become it’s head coach and him signing a secret extension (more on that later.)

It was all over the blogosphere that Harbaugh was Kansas’ dream hire.  The following was from KMBC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Kansas City:

“Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has been offered a 'lucrative' contract with the University of Kansas, sources tell KMBC-TV. Harbaugh is currently in New York City in preparation for Saturday’s Heisman Trophy presentation.

KMBC’s Nick Griffith reported that Harbaugh may be delaying his acceptance of the offer so he doesn’t take the spotlight away from Stanford’s Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart.”

For those who can remember what life is like before the Internet, it is often nice to think of a world when unsubstantiated rumors got turned into full flying facts. I don’t know what the editors at KMBC were thinking, but after their reports, Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins released this statement, “We will not comment on rumors about any potential candidates for the position of head football coach at the University of Kansas...The process is ongoing. We have not offered the head coaching position to anyone.”

For those of us who live on the Internet (myself included), the two hours between the publishing of the KMBC report to Lew Perkins correcting them, was hell. I was angry, mad and sad—no rhyme intended, but I even called my daddy who grumbled that this was exactly what happened the last time Stanford was remotely good with Tyrone Willingham.

That night I wrote the following article in which I was pleading (or maybe threatened is a better choice) with Bob Bowlsby, the Stanford Athletic Director. I argued that he needed to do whatever he could including calling in any big donor with a nickel to spare to get Harbaugh to sign that new contract extension that they agreed upon eons ago.

Turns out that my fear was extremely misplaced, as Harbaugh had already signed the contract extension.

It begs the question though of why was there no formal public announcement? It could only have been that they did not want to overshadow Toby Gerhart’s big night in New York. But seriously, a quick press release and the shoddy reporting from Kansas City would never have happened, and I also would not have to scaffold the two new holes in my wall (I’m ready to move on, are you? Good)

Toby Gerhart lost the Heisman in the closest race in the history of the award:

What!?! Are you serious? It was his award!!!! How could that be?

After writing this , I felt that there was now way he could lose.

Both Sports Illustrated and ESPN had him as their winner on their websites. He won the Doak Walker award for the nation’s best running back.

Over Mark Ingram!

Did I miss something here?

During the broadcast of the Heisman Trophy presentation, they showed each of the five finalists' stats. Do you remember when they showed Gerhart’s stats and his rank in each category? He was first in the nation in every relevant rushing stat over Ingram.

He lost by a total of 28 points. When you take into consideration that all top three vote-getters finished with over 1,100 votes, that’s crazy close.

However, Stanford fans will always remember his performance this season as Heisman worthy, and those types of seasons do not come along often.  It will be cherished as will Gerhart as one of the best players ever to come through this school.

Andrew Luck has a broken hand:

How did he injure his hand during the Notre Dame game? The kid known as “The Truth” dominated against them, and you're telling me he did it with a broken hand that was seriously injured to the point that it needed surgery? Anyway, that’s insane.

Preliminary reports had him possibly missing Stanford’s bowl game, but it looks as if he might be back in time. I don’t want to use the word suffer out of respect of Tavita Pritchard, but Stanford fans sat through a Pritchard-Gerhart backfield for the past two years, and well, you know what it was like.

On a side note, in a totally unbiased observational opinion I think Luck has a better upside and more potential to be a star in the NFL than Sam Bradford. Alas, even if Luck makes it back we wont be able to seem them battle it out in the bowl game as Bradford is out for the year with an injury of his own.

Tai-ler Jones:

This one here is just mere speculation but something that might be interesting to watch. Jones, the high profile recruit, recently switched his commitment from Stanford to Notre Dame after taking his official visit there. After that three key events took place:

1. Stanford lay the beat down on the Golden Domers

2. Charlie Weiss got fired

3. Harbaugh stayed at Stanford (for the time being)

On top of that, Jimmy Clausen is expected to declare for the NFL draft. I don’t know if this has affected his thinking at all, but it is just something interesting to watch.

So as they say life is good on The Farm (it’d be a little bit better if Gerhart won the Heisman, but still.) Can’t wait for the bowl game—bring on Oklahoma.