Why did they go 1AA vs going to a BCS school?

alley-gator,

another reason, as was my case, is that your eligibility clock starts for division I as soon as you start your first full-time semester, regardless of whether you attend a school that even has a football team.

that being the case for me, i burned 3 years of eligibility going to junior college part-time and full-time, while also working.  that left me with two years of eligibility at a division I school, or four full years of eligibility at a I-AA, division II, or division III school.  its not always as simple as going straight to a BCS school from high school.

I'm sure for some of these guys a guaranteed starting role is enticing.  Some of these division II guys may not have as much potential as some division I benchwarmers but they are way better football players cause they've been on the field for 4 years.

In the case of a school like Stanford, you have a spot on a football team that does get attention from the NFL and if that doesn't work out then you have an education that will take you where ever you want to go.  Win/win.