Bobby April Poised to Lead an Improved Stanford Defense in 2024

Amidst a disappointing 3-9 season, Stanford's defense struggled mightily. It ranked 132nd out of 133 FBS teams, allowing 37.7 points per game. The Cardinal also allowed 461.7 total yards per game, the second-most in the country.

One bright spot included holding Heisman finalist Michael Penix Jr. to a 56.8% completion rate in a near-upset win over Washington. However, the Cardinal also coughed 56 points to USC, 62 to Oregon State, and 56 to Notre Dame.

According to Collin Wilson of Action Network, Stanford returns 80% of its counting stats on defense from last season, including sacks, tackles, and pressures. As Bobby April III enters his second season as the defensive coordinator, he has plenty of veterans in place to mold into a more formidable unit.

Redshirt sophomore Collin Wright is a breakout candidate at cornerback after leading the team with five pass defenses last year while leading tacklers Gaethan Bernadel and Tristan Sinclair return at linebacker.

Graduate transfer Clay Patterson also enters the fold from Yale, and he should provide a much-needed boost up front. "He's been huge," head coach Troy Taylor said about Patterson. "He's such a big and physical player [and he] brings a lot of maturity and physicality."

For Stanford to exceed expectations this fall, April must get more production out of his side of the football and it starts on Friday night as the Cardinal hosts TCU in the season opener at 7:30 PM PST on ESPN.

Related: Stanford Opens the Season as a 9.5-Point Underdog Against TCU