Spring practice -
82lsju - 04-02-2024
article from the Daily, not much news...
https://stanforddaily.com/2024/04/02/spring-football-kicks-off-with-quarterback-questions/
RE: Spring practice -
SkiBum80 - 04-02-2024
(04-02-2024, 09:24 AM)82lsju Wrote: article from the Daily, not much news...
https://stanforddaily.com/2024/04/02/spring-football-kicks-off-with-quarterback-questions/
Appreciate the article link.
The expected and understandable level of wild-eyed optimism in early training sessions before the duress and panic of being pancaked in a live game leads to a more wide-eyed reality check.
But I enjoy the reports of unbridled optimism while they last!
RE: Spring practice -
newguy - 04-03-2024
if anything gives me hope, it's the fact that all five of our starting offensive linemen are coming back.
RE: Spring practice -
cardcrimson - 04-03-2024
(04-03-2024, 12:02 AM)newguy Wrote: if anything gives me hope, it's the fact that all five of our starting offensive linemen are coming back.
Hope or despair?
RE: Spring practice -
Mick - 04-03-2024
(04-03-2024, 12:02 AM)newguy Wrote: if anything gives me hope, it's the fact that all five of our starting offensive linemen are coming back.
All bigger, stronger, smarter, faster, more mature, better command of the playbook, etc.
RE: Spring practice -
Jamesy - 04-03-2024
(04-03-2024, 12:02 AM)newguy Wrote: if anything gives me hope, it's the fact that all five of our starting offensive linemen are coming back.
Never know what happens after spring ball as another transfer portal window is open 4/15-4/30.
RE: Spring practice -
newguy - 04-03-2024
ok, you guys got me.
RE: Spring practice -
msqueri - 04-03-2024
I think a better way to think about it is that our top seven OL are back. That is so much healthier than last year when we had two of the top seven back. This allows us to have a modicum of depth and competition. Emblematic of that is that the #3 OL from last year was running with the second team in the first practice as a younger player has passed him.
The other way to think about it is that our OL room is just plain older, which is the most important factor for OL performance (yes, even more than talent and coaching). For five years now we’ve tended to have 0-3 fourth year OL or older. Last year if you are super generous and count FCS players Mayberry (who was only in his third year of playing) and Bank we had five. This year we have five with four FBS recruits, the oldest OL room we have had in at least half a decade.
Yet another way to think about it is that last year we had one of the top 50 Pac-12 OL from the previous year by PFF grade (and ended up benching him) and two of the top 75 whereas this year by that same measure we have two of the top 50 (both top 35) and seven of the top 75.
There’s no doubt we should be far, far, far more optimistic about OL. Totally different situation. And while I haven’t posted in quite the voluminous detail here as I have elsewhere, I can tell you I have amassed overwhelming empirical evidence that sheer age and experience is the most important predictor of OL success.
The question we should have is whether the coaching is any good. Our OL coaching is super green and unproven. We really have no idea if they can coach. I have no doubt the OL will be significantly improved but I don’t know if they’ll actually be good.
RE: Spring practice -
82lsju - 04-04-2024
more from the Daily
Quote:The Stanford football team (3-9, 2-7 Pac-12) continued spring practice on Wednesday as the defensive unit looks to improve on last year’s underwhelming season.
Bobby April, defensive coordinator and outside Linebackers coach, is entering his second season with the Cardinal. April acknowledged the shortcomings of Stanford’s defense last year, which gave up an average of 462.9 yards per game, with an opponent red zone scoring percentage of 81.25%.
“The numbers are definitely frustrating. It doesn’t matter who we are playing. We need to step up to the plate, and we were not able to do that last year.”
To address the issues, April emphasized a back-to-basics approach.
“We are right back to the fundamentals,” April said. “We need elite tacklers and we need to try to force turnovers.”
https://stanforddaily.com/2024/04/03/stanford-defense-hopes-to-bounce-back-following-a-disappointing-2023/?utm_content=Apr-04-2024%3Futm_campaign%3Ddigest&utm_content=Apr-04-2024