It's time for the second part of this week's Stanford mailbag. Here's Part I, released Monday.

As always, be sure to follow me on Twitter and ask any questions there, or email them to me at davidmlombardi@gmail.com.

24CaliGal writes: With Zach Hoffpauir's departure, who is likely to take his place?

David Lombardi: Before Hoffpauir had chosen to play professional baseball back in the spring, I asked defensive backs coach Duane Akina about the looming decision.

"That's the big question," Akina responded.

It's clear Stanford was really itching for Hoffpauir to return, simply because facing Pac-12 offenses with only one experienced veteran in the secondary (Ronnie Harris) is a terrifying prospect. Alas, Hoffpauir is gone, so the door is wide open for the replacements.

Hoffpauir was a versatile weapon: He played safety but was also physical enough to move closer to the line of scrimmage to deliver flexible run support as a nickel back. He even blew up Arizona State's backfield for the game-sealing fourth down goal line stop in the 2013 Pac-12 title game (though he was supposedly in the game by accident on that play). It'll be challenging for Stanford to replace that adaptability, but Akina has been working to instill similar Swiss Army knife capabilities in the Cardinal's defensive backs. As discussed in Part I of this mailbag, Dallas Lloyd and Kodi Whitfield are the frontrunners at safety, but other youngsters are jockeying around the secondary: Corners Terrence Alexander and Taijuan Thomas both saw plenty of action at nickel this spring. Replacing Hoffpauir's multiple contributions will be a committee effort.

Winflop writes: How does #CardClass15 compare to #CardClass12 walking in the door?

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David Lombardi: Both were touted 22-player hauls, while Stanford's 2012 recruiting class held the rankings edge (most analysts at the time said it was best crop in the Pac-12). However, comparing different recruiting classes leads to a classic case of apples-and-oranges. No two recruiting cycles are the same; a program has different needs to fill each year, and the stockpile of players from which to choose also varies annually.

The strength of Stanford's 2012 class centered around offensive linemen: Andrus Peat, Kyle Murphy, Josh Garnett, Graham Shuler, and Johnny Caspers all signed that year. Of course, plenty of other talent hopped aboard too -- see Alex Carter, Kodi Whitfield, Hoffpauir, Blake Martinez, and Michael Rector -- but the headliners were the hogs up front.

I think speed highlights the Cardinal's 2015 haul more than size -- though some exciting linemen (Brian Chaffin, Jack Dreyer, Nick Wilson and Austin Maihen) also signed. The headlining 2015 recruiting story was about two things: The electric presence Frank Buncom, Ben Edwards, Quenton Meeks and Justin Reid can bring to the secondary, and the immediate impact that wide receiver Trent Irwin and speedster Bryce Love can provide on offense.

But just like any recruiting evaluation, those are just surface-level observations prior to the collection of any real data points. The truly meaningful measure of any recruiting class is how it compares to others walking out the door, and not in it. Though players like Peat and Carter have already gone on to the NFL, the book is still open on Stanford's 2012 class -- how will Aziz Shittu finish up? -- and the jury's verdict on the 2015 haul is still a half decade away.

LSJU97 writes: Do you have an update on the new field house?

David Lombardi: I do. Stanford reports that construction is ongoing. All remains on schedule: The facility should be ready to go for this 2015 season.

In case anyone is wondering, Stanford is replacing the outdated locker rooms in the southeast corner of the stadium with a two-story, 25,890-square foot facility that will include "home and visiting team shower and locker facilities, technology rooms for in-game evaluation, training and medical facilities to deal with in-game injuries, and spaces for referees and media support. It also will have a covered patio."

As a member of the media, I'm admittedly biased, but the new press conference room sounds like the most welcome change. The old quarters were crowded, hot, sweaty and smelly. This new field house will replace the last remnants of the old Stanford Stadium and should give the facility a sleek, modern feel throughout.

24CaliGal writes: I see Coach Jim going after the same guys we are. Do you think he knows they're vetted so it's an easy in for him?

David Lombardi: Harbaugh's recruiting philosophy worked at Stanford, so I never expected him to change it at Michigan: He's going to scour the country for hard-nosed football players, feel their biceps on recruiting visits, and babysit their younger brothers whenever he has the chance (with the possible intention of recruiting them in the future, too).

Stanford, meanwhile, has no reason to depart from the Harbaugh-era recruiting philosophy that built this era of unprecedented success: The Cardinal will continue to pursue big, rugged, smart players who they believe will fit their system.

For those reasons, there's bound to be a natural overlap between the players that Stanford recruits and the players that Jim Harbaugh recruits. Trent Murphy's younger brother, Connor, may be the most prominent example.