Kevin Hogan isn't ready to discuss his football future, but he isn't shy about the dissatisfaction generated by Stanford's 2014 season.

"It would be a lie to say this season hasn't been disappointing," he said. "But we can only get better and move forward from here."

That's the workmanlike tone coming from the Stanford quarterback leading up the Dec. 30 Foster Farms Bowl against Maryland, the Cardinal's last chance to add some more positivity onto the end of their topsy-turvy 7-5 campaign. The peaks and valleys of this 2014 ride have been pronounced, perhaps none more so than Stanford's last time out, a 31-10 whooping over No. 8 UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

That commanding win encapsulated the type of play many expected -- but didn't see -- from the Cardinal over the course of the entire season. While the offense stumbled its way to a conference-worst scoring output through the year's first 11 games, that 12th one featured all-around efficiency reminiscent of the Andrew Luck era: Hogan finished 16-for-19 with a 222.4 quarterback rating, over 80 points higher than his season mark coming into the game.

"Kevin has the ability to play at the next level," coach David Shaw said. 'That UCLA game showed his ceiling."

And that's exactly where Stanford's quandary moving forward begins. After all, there were times this year when it looked like the Cardinal would be better suited moving on to another quarterback in 2015. Hogan's performances against Notre Dame (4.4 yards per attempt) and Utah (3.9 yards per attempt) were two glaring examples. Blame for Stanford's red zone woes (119th in the nation) often fell on offensive playcalling, but since that wasn't an issue when a guru like Luck was under center, Hogan took his share of heat for those shortcomings, too.

But then came the quarterback's recent torrid finish, one that saw Stanford's rushing attack finally regain at least a semblance of the consistency that Hogan had enjoyed throughout his first two years under center. And that success on the ground provided a backbone that helped No. 8 return to his comfort zone.

"Anytime you have success, you want to build on it," Hogan said. "We feel that we've gotten into a rhythm and groove with our schemes. We feel comfortable now."

And it's this comfort that's posing a triple Stanford question mark moving forward. The range of possibilities are as broad as Stanford's season was inconsistent. Will Hogan return to start under center in his fifth-year senior season? Or will the Cardinal, concerned by that earlier inconsistency, look to upgrade at quarterback in 2015? And according to Shaw, the third head of this confusing beast seems to be back on the table following Hogan's sizzling finale: Will Hogan test NFL waters following this season?

"I haven't made a decision," Hogan said. "But it's a process, and I'm going to make sure it's well thought-out for my best interest and the best interest of my family."

Amidst all the possibilities, Shaw says that he expects Hogan to be back at Stanford next year (though he "wouldn't be shocked" if he made a run at the next level), despite the NFL potential that he sees in his quarterback.

"The big thing is for him to play [the way he did against UCLA] the whole season," Shaw said. "Hopefully, he comes back and does that next year."

That thought indicates that Hogan is the current favorite to start under center for Stanford in 2015. Current back-up Evan Crower -- whose play Shaw has praised this December -- also has one year of eligibility remaining, while touted youngsters Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns are both considered future options to man the ship.

And if that Hogan-Stanford partnership does last into its fourth season, Shaw has indicated that his team will work to accentuate the quarterback's strengths that shone so brightly in that sparkling UCLA performance. The first opportunity to do so will come against the Terrapins at Levi's Stadium.

"We're going to stick with what's working," Shaw said. "Kevin needs to play fast."

Hogan's calling card is his athleticism and nose for the football, and he said that an early integration of some physical play helps him lock into the type of rhythm that was on display at UCLA, when perfect early accuracy led him complete 12 straight passes out of the gate.

"It's just like anyone: A receiver would like to catch a hitch before a 50-yard go route," Hogan said. "You want to get into a rhythm with your bread and butter plays.... I'm the same way. If I can roll out or do a QB run, I'd like to get that first hit and first play out of the way. You feel like you're in the game. I appreciate those plays when they're called early, and I try to lobby for them."

So Hogan and Shaw both feel that they've discovered the ingredient to consistency, and they have one more chance to see if it can cook a delicious meal before having to deliver definitive answers regarding Stanford's offensive complexion moving forward. The grandeur of Pasadena on Jan. 1 won't be the stage this time, but it'll be an opportunity to clear up a confusing future nonetheless.

"It's disappointing not playing in a game like the Rose Bowl," Hogan said. "But it's still football nonetheless."

It's football indeed -- and an opportunity for Stanford to lay that first critical 2015 foundation.