Tavita Pritchard
Encyclopedia
Tavita Pritchard is a former college football
quarterback
for Stanford
who is now a defensive assistant football coach at Stanford.
in Lakewood, Washington
, where he threw for 5,323 yards and 55 touchdowns in his high school career. Pritchard was also a standout on the baseball team and star pitcher.
Pritchard was also four year varsity letter winner on the Clover Park basketball team.
, after starter T. C. Ostrander
suffered a seizure the week before the game. Though Stanford was a 41-point underdog
, Pritchard led Stanford to an improbable 24-23 victory
and earned the starting job.
Pritchard was replaced as the starting quarterback by redshirt freshman Andrew Luck
during the 2009 season. After Luck injured a finger on his throwing hand and had surgery prior to the 2009 Sun Bowl
, Pritchard started for the Cardinal. He went 8 for 19 for 118 yards and two interceptions in the 31-27 loss to Oklahoma
.
. In May he participated in a rookie minicamp with the San Francisco 49ers
, but was not offered a contract. Pritchard worked as a volunteer assistant for the Stanford football team in 2010, and in 2011, was hired as a defensive assistant football coach at Stanford by new head football coach David Shaw
.
in 1981 and an uncle is former NFL quarterback Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson. He is third in a family of eight children. He grew up in Centralia, Washington
and his freshman year he moved to Lakewood
. He was a Communications major at Stanford and a member of the Delta Tau Delta
fraternity.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
who is now a defensive assistant football coach at Stanford.
High school career
Pritchard graduated from Clover Park High SchoolClover Park High School
Clover Park High School , located in Lakewood, Washington, is one of two secondary schools within the Clover Park School District.-History:The high school was established in 1938 due to the rapid expansion of nearby military posts at Fort Lewis....
in Lakewood, Washington
Lakewood, Washington
Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 58,163 at the 2010 census.-History:Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Lakewood Center and Lakes District...
, where he threw for 5,323 yards and 55 touchdowns in his high school career. Pritchard was also a standout on the baseball team and star pitcher.
Pritchard was also four year varsity letter winner on the Clover Park basketball team.
College career
Pritchard received his first start at Stanford on October 6, 2007 in a game against top-ranked USCUSC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
, after starter T. C. Ostrander
T. C. Ostrander
Thomas Clinton "T. C." Ostrander is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent.-High school career:...
suffered a seizure the week before the game. Though Stanford was a 41-point underdog
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
, Pritchard led Stanford to an improbable 24-23 victory
2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game
The 2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game was a college football game held on October 6, 2007, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. In a remarkable upset, the visiting Stanford Cardinal won 24–23. Southern California was favored by 41 points over Stanford,...
and earned the starting job.
Pritchard was replaced as the starting quarterback by redshirt freshman Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck
Andrew Austen Luck is an American football quarterback for Stanford University. He was the runner-up for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, and is considered a leading contender for the 2011 Heisman Trophy. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the...
during the 2009 season. After Luck injured a finger on his throwing hand and had surgery prior to the 2009 Sun Bowl
2009 Sun Bowl
The 2009 Brut Sun Bowl game was the 76th edition of the annual college football bowl game known as the Sun Bowl. The Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Stanford Cardinal 31–27 on December 31, 2009. It was the two teams' fifth meeting...
, Pritchard started for the Cardinal. He went 8 for 19 for 118 yards and two interceptions in the 31-27 loss to Oklahoma
2009 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2009 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2009-2010. It was the 115th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
.
After college
Pritchard went undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. In May he participated in a rookie minicamp with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, but was not offered a contract. Pritchard worked as a volunteer assistant for the Stanford football team in 2010, and in 2011, was hired as a defensive assistant football coach at Stanford by new head football coach David Shaw
David Shaw (American football)
-References:...
.
Personal
Pritchard's father David was a starting center at Washington StateWashington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
in 1981 and an uncle is former NFL quarterback Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson. He is third in a family of eight children. He grew up in Centralia, Washington
Centralia, Washington
Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,336 at the 2010 census.-History:In pioneer days, Centralia was the halfway stopover point for stagecoaches operating between the Columbia River and Seattle. In 1850, J. G. Cochran came from Missouri with his...
and his freshman year he moved to Lakewood
Lakewood, Washington
Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 58,163 at the 2010 census.-History:Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Lakewood Center and Lakes District...
. He was a Communications major at Stanford and a member of the Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta is a U.S.-based international secret letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, . It currently has around 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regional alumni groups. Its national community service...
fraternity.