[terry]

He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game.

In the Rose Bowl, Stanford faced the player who won the Jim Thorpe last year. That worked out OK for us.

[terry]

He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game.

In the Rose Bowl, Stanford faced the player who won the Jim Thorpe last year. That worked out OK for us.

[DC Cat]

[quote author=DC Cat link=topic=15326.msg168112#msg168112 date=1471879186]
He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game.

In the Rose Bowl, Stanford faced the player who won the Jim Thorpe last year. That worked out OK for us.
[/quote]

Oh dang, I must have missed the news story about how you were returning Kevin Hogan and the other 14 offensive players who graduated last year.

[DC Cat]

[quote author=DC Cat link=topic=15326.msg168112#msg168112 date=1471879186]
He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game.

In the Rose Bowl, Stanford faced the player who won the Jim Thorpe last year. That worked out OK for us.
[/quote]

Oh dang, I must have missed the news story about how you were returning Kevin Hogan and the other 14 offensive players who graduated last year.

[admin]

We welcome guests who provide substantive information about their teams. We in no way expect you to be a Stanford fan. You love your team. You want them to win, and that means beating Stanford.

However, we do expect guests to contribute positively to the conversation by discussing specific merits and weaknesses of the team, or asking practical questions about traveling to the game (Where should I eat? Is there public transportation? What are the nearby tourist places? Can I tailgate? and so on.)

This is not the place for "my team's great. Your team sucks" kind of trolling. If you're looking for that kind of conversation, I suggest you visit the Thunderdome at one of the other Stanford sites.

Several members have asked you questions, which show you a positive way in which you contribute. Kindly do so or leave.

[admin]

We welcome guests who provide substantive information about their teams. We in no way expect you to be a Stanford fan. You love your team. You want them to win, and that means beating Stanford.

However, we do expect guests to contribute positively to the conversation by discussing specific merits and weaknesses of the team, or asking practical questions about traveling to the game (Where should I eat? Is there public transportation? What are the nearby tourist places? Can I tailgate? and so on.)

This is not the place for "my team's great. Your team sucks" kind of trolling. If you're looking for that kind of conversation, I suggest you visit the Thunderdome at one of the other Stanford sites.

Several members have asked you questions, which show you a positive way in which you contribute. Kindly do so or leave.

[Phogge]

Thunderdome has changed its stripes a bit. Those guys are too old and too forgetful. However they still can find Joe's of Westlake for the senior discount.

[Phogge]

Thunderdome has changed its stripes a bit. Those guys are too old and too forgetful. However they still can find Joe's of Westlake for the senior discount.

[82lsju]

Not saying you should concede. Just saying you shouldn't look past us.

given what happened in our opener last year at Northwestern I doubt we are looking past KSU in this season's opener

[82lsju]

Not saying you should concede. Just saying you shouldn't look past us.

given what happened in our opener last year at Northwestern I doubt we are looking past KSU in this season's opener

[FarmBoy]

given what happened in our opener last year at Northwestern I doubt we are looking past KSU in this season's opener

Given that our bye week is immediately following KSU, no one has a reason to overlook them.

[FarmBoy]

given what happened in our opener last year at Northwestern I doubt we are looking past KSU in this season's opener

Given that our bye week is immediately following KSU, no one has a reason to overlook them.

[pcgoode]

[quote author=terry link=topic=15326.msg168084#msg168084 date=1471842482]
[quote author=DC Cat link=topic=15326.msg168067#msg168067 date=1471832563]
We are also returning an all conference Safety who missed all of last season after a shoulder injury in the first half of the first game last year.

Gosh, Stanford has never faced an all-conference defensive player. I guess we probably should concede.
[/quote]

He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game. KSU has also faced plenty of H-man trophy contenders. Not saying you should concede. Just saying you shouldn't look past us.
[/quote]

The Wildcats may present our offense with one of the better defenses we see this season. And since at least the time Shaw became HC, we haven't always started the season with all cylinders firing on offense. 

I think what wins this game for us is our defense, which I expect to be closer to form to the 2013 and 2014 iterations, with a strong, deep secondary, a potent pass rush, and solid linebackers.  An almost completely rebuilt OL and an inexperienced QB will show for the Wildcats.  Throw in that it is at home, where we don't lose very often, and I think we should have this game in hand as long as we show up mentally.

[pcgoode]

[quote author=terry link=topic=15326.msg168084#msg168084 date=1471842482]
[quote author=DC Cat link=topic=15326.msg168067#msg168067 date=1471832563]
We are also returning an all conference Safety who missed all of last season after a shoulder injury in the first half of the first game last year.

Gosh, Stanford has never faced an all-conference defensive player. I guess we probably should concede.
[/quote]

He was on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe last year before he was injured in the first game. KSU has also faced plenty of H-man trophy contenders. Not saying you should concede. Just saying you shouldn't look past us.
[/quote]

The Wildcats may present our offense with one of the better defenses we see this season. And since at least the time Shaw became HC, we haven't always started the season with all cylinders firing on offense. 

I think what wins this game for us is our defense, which I expect to be closer to form to the 2013 and 2014 iterations, with a strong, deep secondary, a potent pass rush, and solid linebackers.  An almost completely rebuilt OL and an inexperienced QB will show for the Wildcats.  Throw in that it is at home, where we don't lose very often, and I think we should have this game in hand as long as we show up mentally.

[CTcard]

The Wildcats may present our offense with one of the better defenses we see this season. And since at least the time Shaw became HC, we haven't always started the season with all cylinders firing on offense. 

They might, though it is difficult to tell at this point.

In 2015 the KSU defense was not great.
Some numbers would be:
Points/gm allowed: 31.5, #93
Yds/gm allowed: 452, #106
Yds/play allowed: 6.24, #109
Pass yds/attempt allowed: 8.2, #108
Pass PER allowed: 149.5, #113

KSU seems to be optimistic about their defense for 2016 based upon several returning starters and a couple of backfield guys they expect to get back from injuries. That might be good news for them, but clearly there is some work to do.


----------
As for starting the season, there seem to be two years under Shaw (of five) where Stanford's offense was poorer than the rest of the year. There was last year - spectacularly so, and there was 2012 - the immediate post-Luck year where we we barely beat San Jose State.

One thing will be interesting to check. There was a story among Stanford fans (until forgot about by last year's success) that the offense Shaw employs is fine if one has a veteran QB and OL as in 2011 and 2015, but is too complicated otherwise. Thus 2012's troubles were due to an inexperienced QB and OL whereas 2014 was due to an inexperienced OL - or so the story goes.
In 2015 we will have some really extraordinary weapons, but also a new QB and three new OL.
A test.


One problem from the Northwestern fiasco that we won't see repeated is that at the time, the staff didn't really know what they had in McCaffrey. During that Northwestern game, McCaffrey averaged 5.5 yds/carry. That was under his average, but not bad and way better than anything else was working that day (team averaged 3.1 yds/carry and a horrendous 4.4 yds/pass attempt). Still, McCaffrey only got 12 carries (season low by a lot) but we called at least 38 passes (second highest on season - highest percentage).

At this point the staff knows what they have with McCaffrey - and if the game is close he won't be underused.

[CTcard]

The Wildcats may present our offense with one of the better defenses we see this season. And since at least the time Shaw became HC, we haven't always started the season with all cylinders firing on offense. 

They might, though it is difficult to tell at this point.

In 2015 the KSU defense was not great.
Some numbers would be:
Points/gm allowed: 31.5, #93
Yds/gm allowed: 452, #106
Yds/play allowed: 6.24, #109
Pass yds/attempt allowed: 8.2, #108
Pass PER allowed: 149.5, #113

KSU seems to be optimistic about their defense for 2016 based upon several returning starters and a couple of backfield guys they expect to get back from injuries. That might be good news for them, but clearly there is some work to do.


----------
As for starting the season, there seem to be two years under Shaw (of five) where Stanford's offense was poorer than the rest of the year. There was last year - spectacularly so, and there was 2012 - the immediate post-Luck year where we we barely beat San Jose State.

One thing will be interesting to check. There was a story among Stanford fans (until forgot about by last year's success) that the offense Shaw employs is fine if one has a veteran QB and OL as in 2011 and 2015, but is too complicated otherwise. Thus 2012's troubles were due to an inexperienced QB and OL whereas 2014 was due to an inexperienced OL - or so the story goes.
In 2015 we will have some really extraordinary weapons, but also a new QB and three new OL.
A test.


One problem from the Northwestern fiasco that we won't see repeated is that at the time, the staff didn't really know what they had in McCaffrey. During that Northwestern game, McCaffrey averaged 5.5 yds/carry. That was under his average, but not bad and way better than anything else was working that day (team averaged 3.1 yds/carry and a horrendous 4.4 yds/pass attempt). Still, McCaffrey only got 12 carries (season low by a lot) but we called at least 38 passes (second highest on season - highest percentage).

At this point the staff knows what they have with McCaffrey - and if the game is close he won't be underused.

[winflop]

Just saying you shouldn't look past us.

There are enough players on this year's roster who were in Evanston this time last year.  They aren't looking past ANYONE.

[winflop]

Just saying you shouldn't look past us.

There are enough players on this year's roster who were in Evanston this time last year.  They aren't looking past ANYONE.

[martyup]

Eleven is the square root of the number of points scored by Conrad last season.

[martyup]

Eleven is the square root of the number of points scored by Conrad last season.

[JJJ]

Finally, from the FB Twitter account, 11 DTK (11=Shayne!)

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...9596083200

[JJJ]

Finally, from the FB Twitter account, 11 DTK (11=Shayne!)

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...9596083200

[SUBuddha]

Using Public Enemy (one of my favorite groups) was sublime.

[SUBuddha]

Using Public Enemy (one of my favorite groups) was sublime.

[martyup]

10

[martyup]

10

[SamAtoms1980]

10

Number of regular-season wins (pre-PACCG) in each of our three conference championship seasons

[SamAtoms1980]

10

Number of regular-season wins (pre-PACCG) in each of our three conference championship seasons

[BostonCard]

How about 10... number of wins against Pac-12 opponents (including the CCG) I hope to see this year.

BC

[BostonCard]

How about 10... number of wins against Pac-12 opponents (including the CCG) I hope to see this year.

BC

[JJJ]

And from Stanford Football:

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...5391600641

[JJJ]

And from Stanford Football:

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...5391600641

[Hurlburt88]

Does a tree wielding an axe strike anyon else as a msmatch of symbols?

[Hurlburt88]

Does a tree wielding an axe strike anyon else as a msmatch of symbols?

[rudruff]

yes, but more disappointed the tree wasn't wearing a pocket protector and set of nerdnation glasses.

[rudruff]

yes, but more disappointed the tree wasn't wearing a pocket protector and set of nerdnation glasses.

[Hurlburt88]

Ha, agreed!

[Hurlburt88]

Ha, agreed!

[martyup]

9

[martyup]

9