[OutsiderFan]

I wonder if the coaching staff underestimated UW and overestimated Stanford's abilities on both the offensive and defensive lines.  Because if you feel the other team has an advantage in the trenches, you absolutely do not play such a conventional and uncreative scheme as Stanford employed Friday night.

Usually, if you think the DL you are facing is superior, you will do a lot of misdirection, move the pocket, run draws out of passing sets, etc.  If you think the CBs are going to struggle, and question if you can get to the QB with four pass rushers, you blitz to get the ball out of the QB's hands quickly.

I wonder if the coaches were surprised by how physically inferior Stanford was, particularly on the OL, early, but thought they might get their mojo back in the second quarter or something.  There is a fine line between sticking with what you believe in and being patient, and not adjusting fast enough. 

At the end of the day, games like that are learning opportunities for coaches and players.  As Dabo Swinney said after Clemson's win over Louisville, "we have to put players in position to be successful, but at the end of the day, players have to make plays to win."  I don't think Stanford's coaches put the players in the best positions to be successful, so it's really tough to blame the players, other than maybe Dalton Schultz, who had his second terrible game in a row when in position to make plays.

[OutsiderFan]

I wonder if the coaching staff underestimated UW and overestimated Stanford's abilities on both the offensive and defensive lines.  Because if you feel the other team has an advantage in the trenches, you absolutely do not play such a conventional and uncreative scheme as Stanford employed Friday night.

Usually, if you think the DL you are facing is superior, you will do a lot of misdirection, move the pocket, run draws out of passing sets, etc.  If you think the CBs are going to struggle, and question if you can get to the QB with four pass rushers, you blitz to get the ball out of the QB's hands quickly.

I wonder if the coaches were surprised by how physically inferior Stanford was, particularly on the OL, early, but thought they might get their mojo back in the second quarter or something.  There is a fine line between sticking with what you believe in and being patient, and not adjusting fast enough. 

At the end of the day, games like that are learning opportunities for coaches and players.  As Dabo Swinney said after Clemson's win over Louisville, "we have to put players in position to be successful, but at the end of the day, players have to make plays to win."  I don't think Stanford's coaches put the players in the best positions to be successful, so it's really tough to blame the players, other than maybe Dalton Schultz, who had his second terrible game in a row when in position to make plays.