[Langdude]

Or, take the non-theoretical case of Mike Boryla, who was a sophomore in 1970, back before freshman eligibility. The No. 1 Stanford quarterback that season was Jim Plunkett. The No. 2 was Jesse Freitas, who would eventally transfer in the face of Stanford's QB glut and win a national passing title at San Diego State. If both those guys had gone down with injuries, Don Bunce -- who would lead Stanford to a Rose Bowl in 1971 -- would surely have come off his redshirt to play.

So Boryla, in his first year of eligibility, took a redshirt. (And then broke his arm and would have missed the season anyway.) It had nothing to do with his talent -- he would become a two-year starter and made an All American team in his final year. It was just a matter of the program's manpower flow.

Holy moly. Plunkett, Freitas, Bunce, and Boryla one one team. Guess I never put that together.

Not to mention Randy Vataha split wide, with Bob Moore on the other side. And the Shockley/Brown 1-2 punch at RB. What an offense.

-m.

[Langdude]

Or, take the non-theoretical case of Mike Boryla, who was a sophomore in 1970, back before freshman eligibility. The No. 1 Stanford quarterback that season was Jim Plunkett. The No. 2 was Jesse Freitas, who would eventally transfer in the face of Stanford's QB glut and win a national passing title at San Diego State. If both those guys had gone down with injuries, Don Bunce -- who would lead Stanford to a Rose Bowl in 1971 -- would surely have come off his redshirt to play.

So Boryla, in his first year of eligibility, took a redshirt. (And then broke his arm and would have missed the season anyway.) It had nothing to do with his talent -- he would become a two-year starter and made an All American team in his final year. It was just a matter of the program's manpower flow.

Holy moly. Plunkett, Freitas, Bunce, and Boryla one one team. Guess I never put that together.

Not to mention Randy Vataha split wide, with Bob Moore on the other side. And the Shockley/Brown 1-2 punch at RB. What an offense.

-m.