Stanford Football: Davis Mills will be answer for Cardinal turnaround

After David Shaw’s worst season with Stanford football, the veteran head coach is looking for a turnaround in 2020. Enter, Davis Mills.

A few years ago, Keller Chryst was looked at to be the answer at quarterback for the Cardinal but he played just 19 games over two seasons, passing for about 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns with six interceptions. Stanford went 19-8 during that span, but quarterback play wasn’t a strength.

KJ Costello then took over and played well but couldn’t stay healthy in 2019 after a breakout 2018 season. He then chose to transfer following the season and picked Mississippi State.

That had to leave the cupboard bare, right? I mean, Stanford only has a former five-star in Davis Mills to replace Costello. Coming in with the 2017 class, Mills was the No. 15 overall player and top pro-style passer but was buried on the depth chart behind Costello.

Mills was the most highly sought-after quarterback in the class and he now enters his junior year with incredible expectations despite never truly getting a shot.

Mills will turn Stanford football around

While it may not happen right away and Stanford might not win 10-plus games immediately, the Cardinal will get back to bowl eligibility and approach the 8-9 win mark.

Mills is one of those guys who isn’t talked about much right now, but he’ll be on every opponent’s radar during the season. No one really knows what to make of him because he’s appeared in just nine career games but he showed in a short time in 2019 that he’s capable of big things. He passed for 1,960 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games.

With Michael Wilson, Connor Wedington, Osiris St. Brown, Simi Fehoko and Scooter Harrington back, the Cardinal will have no shortage of weapons for Mills. Add in Walker Little and a solid offensive line aling with an improving run game and you have a top-tier offense.

Stanford will be overlooked heading into the season, for obvious reasons (2019), but it’s going to surprise some people and contend for a Pac-12 title sooner rather than later.

Mills will be the catalyst to the turnaround.