[stupac2]

I guess he didn't want to toot his own horn with this, so I guess I'll do the tootin': http://www.gomightycard.com/2016/10/this...lypse.html

I don't think there's a whole lot to add to that, but I want to highlight that we actually may be overachieving against this schedule and with the injuries we have. All we need to do to sweep the last 5 games and end up ranked somewhere in the 15-25 range is have a league-average offense. The last few games haven't been promising on that note, but we were better than that for the first couple games of the year, and we're finally getting Love and McCaffrey healthy at the same time. I'm optimistic. We'll see if I'm still optimistic at midnight on Saturday, but for right now this isn't the worst place we could be.

[stupac2]

I guess he didn't want to toot his own horn with this, so I guess I'll do the tootin': http://www.gomightycard.com/2016/10/this...lypse.html

I don't think there's a whole lot to add to that, but I want to highlight that we actually may be overachieving against this schedule and with the injuries we have. All we need to do to sweep the last 5 games and end up ranked somewhere in the 15-25 range is have a league-average offense. The last few games haven't been promising on that note, but we were better than that for the first couple games of the year, and we're finally getting Love and McCaffrey healthy at the same time. I'm optimistic. We'll see if I'm still optimistic at midnight on Saturday, but for right now this isn't the worst place we could be.

[pcgoode]

I hope Hank is right. This could all set up nicely to run the table for the remainder of the schedule. It just makes me wonder what could have been had we been able to score even one touchdown vs Colorado, and then run the table. At that point we would have been 10-2. Lots of teams have played NY6 bowl games with a 10-2 record. Not saying it would have been a lock, but it makes you wonder.

[pcgoode]

I hope Hank is right. This could all set up nicely to run the table for the remainder of the schedule. It just makes me wonder what could have been had we been able to score even one touchdown vs Colorado, and then run the table. At that point we would have been 10-2. Lots of teams have played NY6 bowl games with a 10-2 record. Not saying it would have been a lock, but it makes you wonder.

[CornFed]

Oh man.  I needed that!!!  Just something to cling to in the vast, empty reaches of the heaving seas.  Just waiting for someone to come by and rescue me!!!!  May Chryst throw us a line.

[CornFed]

Oh man.  I needed that!!!  Just something to cling to in the vast, empty reaches of the heaving seas.  Just waiting for someone to come by and rescue me!!!!  May Chryst throw us a line.

[RedShift]

This is an excellent article, and Hank has made a tremendous effort here to put things in perspective. I've a small disagreement with him regarding the presumption that most of the discontented fans (are there any satisfied ones this week?) are worried about an apocalyptic decline in Stanford football.  Winning the remaining games is certainly not out of question, but I remember consoling my buddy at Old Pro with that thought after the game against the Huskies :)

I'd guess that most of the discontented Cardinal fans are frustrated by the under-performance of a talented team, despite injuries. Overall, Stanford is more talented than Wazoo or Colorado yet they lose at home to both in disheartening fashion. The offense sputters with the best college football player in the backfield and a QB who has spent 3+ seasons in the system. Yes, there are 3 starters in the O line but it isn't like they are true freshmen. Fans like me who have followed Cardinal football from the mid-80s and have witnessed multiple rise and fall of the program are astounded by the high talent level of the players in the team over the last 5 years. My frustration has been that these talented players on offense have not got the high level of coaching (or imaginative play calling) they deserve under Shaw's tenure. Our best coaches are on defense (except Bloomgren as O line coach).

However, this year my frustration has mellowed into acceptance that David Shaw will remain who he is. He has brought spectacular success using a formula where defense is stout (except when beset with injuries) and the offense hums along every two out of three years when the O line is clicking. One can't question success, especially survivors of Teevens-Harris catastrophe. Shaw will not bring in innovative offensive coaching minds who may stray from his approach. We need a Akina-level experienced QB coach (Pritchard could learn from him). But I don't think that will happen. I'm just disappointed at wasting McCaffrey's talent this season. And I hope that Shaw finds another stud DC when Anderson leaves for a HC position.

[RedShift]

This is an excellent article, and Hank has made a tremendous effort here to put things in perspective. I've a small disagreement with him regarding the presumption that most of the discontented fans (are there any satisfied ones this week?) are worried about an apocalyptic decline in Stanford football.  Winning the remaining games is certainly not out of question, but I remember consoling my buddy at Old Pro with that thought after the game against the Huskies :)

I'd guess that most of the discontented Cardinal fans are frustrated by the under-performance of a talented team, despite injuries. Overall, Stanford is more talented than Wazoo or Colorado yet they lose at home to both in disheartening fashion. The offense sputters with the best college football player in the backfield and a QB who has spent 3+ seasons in the system. Yes, there are 3 starters in the O line but it isn't like they are true freshmen. Fans like me who have followed Cardinal football from the mid-80s and have witnessed multiple rise and fall of the program are astounded by the high talent level of the players in the team over the last 5 years. My frustration has been that these talented players on offense have not got the high level of coaching (or imaginative play calling) they deserve under Shaw's tenure. Our best coaches are on defense (except Bloomgren as O line coach).

However, this year my frustration has mellowed into acceptance that David Shaw will remain who he is. He has brought spectacular success using a formula where defense is stout (except when beset with injuries) and the offense hums along every two out of three years when the O line is clicking. One can't question success, especially survivors of Teevens-Harris catastrophe. Shaw will not bring in innovative offensive coaching minds who may stray from his approach. We need a Akina-level experienced QB coach (Pritchard could learn from him). But I don't think that will happen. I'm just disappointed at wasting McCaffrey's talent this season. And I hope that Shaw finds another stud DC when Anderson leaves for a HC position.

[JJJ]

Thanks for tootin'! Needed that too.

[JJJ]

Thanks for tootin'! Needed that too.

[Phogge]

IF they can't run on UofA, UO and Berkeley they may go 5-7. it's all there for the taking.

[Phogge]

IF they can't run on UofA, UO and Berkeley they may go 5-7. it's all there for the taking.

[Hank 91]

Thanks for reading, everyone. I think most people who follow the team closely realize that even if this season continues to spiral, there's still enough young talent and committed recruits that this would be an aberration, not the end of the road. My thoughts in that regard were colored by a recent email conversation I had with a friend who's decidedly negative. Either way, I thought it was important to get the message out that things are going to be okay, not just this season, but in the future.

[Hank 91]

Thanks for reading, everyone. I think most people who follow the team closely realize that even if this season continues to spiral, there's still enough young talent and committed recruits that this would be an aberration, not the end of the road. My thoughts in that regard were colored by a recent email conversation I had with a friend who's decidedly negative. Either way, I thought it was important to get the message out that things are going to be okay, not just this season, but in the future.

[CTcard]

Overall, Stanford is more talented than Wazoo or Colorado yet they lose at home to both in disheartening fashion.

How do you know that to be true?

I don't know for sure. If you go by common wisdom, which I think would roughly track recruiting rankings, Stanford would be more talented than Colorado and WSU whom we lost to but less talented than U$C and UCLA whom we beat.

Nonetheless, there are severe problems with the offense - in particular, I think, with how our overall approach performs in years with lower levels of experience at key positions. There are also much smaller problems with the defense - which seems far thinner than I would think it ought to be. I am not sure that means some coaches have to go, but they certainly have to learn and do some adapting.

[CTcard]

Overall, Stanford is more talented than Wazoo or Colorado yet they lose at home to both in disheartening fashion.

How do you know that to be true?

I don't know for sure. If you go by common wisdom, which I think would roughly track recruiting rankings, Stanford would be more talented than Colorado and WSU whom we lost to but less talented than U$C and UCLA whom we beat.

Nonetheless, there are severe problems with the offense - in particular, I think, with how our overall approach performs in years with lower levels of experience at key positions. There are also much smaller problems with the defense - which seems far thinner than I would think it ought to be. I am not sure that means some coaches have to go, but they certainly have to learn and do some adapting.

[CTcard]

IF they can't run on UofA, UO and Berkeley they may go 5-7. it's all there for the taking.

Hey, if they cannot beat UA, UO, Berkeley, Rice, and OSU, they will go 4-8.
But that isn't enlightening.

[CTcard]

IF they can't run on UofA, UO and Berkeley they may go 5-7. it's all there for the taking.

Hey, if they cannot beat UA, UO, Berkeley, Rice, and OSU, they will go 4-8.
But that isn't enlightening.

[Phogge]

Hey, they beat those three if they can run. Did you watch last night?

[Phogge]

Hey, they beat those three if they can run. Did you watch last night?

[Redrum]

...morphine helps.  Thanks, Hank

But Hank's argument pits statistics and rankings against what I've seen with my own eyes.  I'm not jumping ship.  I've seen worse. But the run since UDub has the same teetering feel.  Only wins that look like intentional acts will quell that.

[Redrum]

...morphine helps.  Thanks, Hank

But Hank's argument pits statistics and rankings against what I've seen with my own eyes.  I'm not jumping ship.  I've seen worse. But the run since UDub has the same teetering feel.  Only wins that look like intentional acts will quell that.

[martyup]

[martyup]

[OutsiderFan]

Either Lombardi isn't buying it, or someone needs to get it to him, because he's picking Arizona to win 17-13 tomorrow.

I don't know if anyone follows Stanford closer.  I find it hard to believe Stanford could lose to who I have as the worst team in the Pac-12, but I don't think the notion is very far fetched unfortunately.

[OutsiderFan]

Either Lombardi isn't buying it, or someone needs to get it to him, because he's picking Arizona to win 17-13 tomorrow.

I don't know if anyone follows Stanford closer.  I find it hard to believe Stanford could lose to who I have as the worst team in the Pac-12, but I don't think the notion is very far fetched unfortunately.

[winflop]

Not the apocalypse but not good either.  Even if they win out I will consider the season a bit disappointing.

[winflop]

Not the apocalypse but not good either.  Even if they win out I will consider the season a bit disappointing.

[BostonCard]

Not the apocalypse but not good either.  Even if they win out I will consider the season a bit disappointing.

May we be "disappointed" with a 10-win season every year.

Man oh man, how far we have come.

BC

[BostonCard]

Not the apocalypse but not good either.  Even if they win out I will consider the season a bit disappointing.

May we be "disappointed" with a 10-win season every year.

Man oh man, how far we have come.

BC