Stanford’s Teevens may soon know fate Former Maine football coach 4-7 again

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The fate of Stanford coach Buddy Teevens could be decided by Monday.

“We are still working on it. We’re in the process. If Buddy stays, we’ll make an announcement. We know there are questions out there,” athletic director Ted Leland said Sunday while watching the Stanford women’s basketball team play Texas Tech.

Leland, who is a close personal friend of the coach, met with Teevens last week following the Cardinal’s 41-6 loss to archrival California in the Big Game to finish their second straight 4-7 season.

Stanford has six recruits coming to campus next weekend and Leland said, “We’re obligated to solve the issue by then.”

The 48-year-old Teevens was the University of Maine head coach from 1985-86 when he compiled a 13-9 record. He has two years left on his Stanford contract and has a 10-23 record in three seasons since taking over the program after Tyrone Willingham bolted for Notre Dame after the 2001 season. Teevens spent the three previous seasons on Steve Spurrier’s staff at Florida.

The season started well for Stanford. The Cardinal were 3-1, including a 31-28 loss to No. 1 Southern California on Sept. 25 at home. That was the first of five narrow losses for the Cardinal.

But Stanford again slumped late. The Cardinal are 0-13 down the stretch under Teevens.

Leland said he has seen progress in the football program despite the frustrating finish. That’s what has made this decision especially hard.

“In one way, it’s part of my normal evaluations. My job is to evaluate all our programs,” Leland said. “This is difficult because the team gave such a heartfelt effort this year and Coach Teevens is such a wonderful guy.”

A call to Teevens’ home Sunday was not immediately returned.