So much has been written about Andrew Luck in the past few weeks speculating about his future, but it appears to have all been for naught. Luck announced that “[he is] committed to earning [his] degree in architectural design from Stanford University and [is] on track to accomplish this at the completion of the spring quarter of 2012.” The Editorial Board would like to take this opportunity to say what every Stanford Football fan is thinking: “THANK GOD.”

We applaud Luck for making the decision to emphasize the “student” in student-athlete and for upholding the spirit of college athletics — that is, the emphasis on the team and the university. He forwent millions of dollars to play another season with his teammates and to finish his studies. In a year when some of college football’s brightest stars and most storied programs have been marred by the morally ambiguous actions of players, boosters and family members, Luck has been the rarest of things: a morally upright, likable football star. Girls think he’s cute; guys want to have a beer with him. His humility can lead to less-than-riveting interviews, but that is not a legitimate fault. Both on the field and in the classroom, Luck has been an eloquent spokesman for the great virtues of this university. The Editorial Board is proud to have Andrew Luck represent Stanford to sports fans across the country.

Now the other question remains: What will Jim Harbaugh do? Reports of Harbaugh’s departure have been consistently circulating since last season with each “expert” being surer than the last. There are also reports of a new contract offered by Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby that would substantially increase Harbaugh’s compensation, although Stanford cannot compete with the pay arms race that is the NFL. Stanford is a world-renowned university for its academics, and it has a history of excelling in sports, albeit typically not in football. Given such precedent, fan expectations are generally not high, and we would not try to run him out of town for losing a few games here and there, leeway he would not get at most other universities or professional jobs. Harbaugh has the option to build a dynasty of his own making at Stanford and we at the Editorial Board hope he chooses to do so.

So what lies ahead for these two? Unfinished business. Luck is instantly a preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy, and Stanford should begin the season nationally ranked. The Pac-12 will play its first season and will be Harbaugh’s best chance to deliver the first of “multiple conference championships,” one of the goals he laid out at his introductory press conference four years ago. Four years ago no one believed that an FCS coach could take a 1-11 football team and turn it into a BCS bowl-winning team in four years. We want to see what he would do with a fifth year. Regardless of Harbaugh’s decision, Luck’s decision is a breath of fresh air for college athletics. The 2010 season was nothing short of historic (2011 Orange Bowl Champions!), but should Coach Harbaugh return next season, everything would indeed be “All Right Now!”