[washingtonismoney]

I'm not sure we are crying out for true frosh per se, but would like it if guys in the program two or three years still didn't seem to have such a steep learning curve, if that is indeed what happened with Burns and Chryst. Could have been a million other things too.  Well, not a million, but several.

Well, sometimes "steep learning curve" is a synonym for "bad." A true freshman OL got the playbook well enough to start half the season. The QB can't? Seems suspicious. I suspect the reason Burns and Chryst weren't very good is that they aren't very good, and wouldn't be much good whatever the scenario or offensive scheme.

Not to go "look at Hogan," but look at Hogan. Started as a redshirt freshman, midway through the year, and pretty much immediately looked comfortable since the get go. Hogan is an all-time Stanford great, but isn't some towering talent unable to be matched. He was a fifth round draft pick who was cut by the team who drafted him pretty much immediately.

The point here is that good, but not exactly ridiculous talents, are able to start and succeed early in their careers. Comparing the 2012 and 2016 offenses -- (RB: advantage 2016; FB: advantage 2012; TE: 2012; OL: 2012; WR: 2016) -- reveals the teams were relatively evenly talented. So I think the most natural conclusion is that the reason for Chryst/Burns's struggles isn't the voluminous playbooks, it's that they're not good.

[washingtonismoney]

I'm not sure we are crying out for true frosh per se, but would like it if guys in the program two or three years still didn't seem to have such a steep learning curve, if that is indeed what happened with Burns and Chryst. Could have been a million other things too.  Well, not a million, but several.

Well, sometimes "steep learning curve" is a synonym for "bad." A true freshman OL got the playbook well enough to start half the season. The QB can't? Seems suspicious. I suspect the reason Burns and Chryst weren't very good is that they aren't very good, and wouldn't be much good whatever the scenario or offensive scheme.

Not to go "look at Hogan," but look at Hogan. Started as a redshirt freshman, midway through the year, and pretty much immediately looked comfortable since the get go. Hogan is an all-time Stanford great, but isn't some towering talent unable to be matched. He was a fifth round draft pick who was cut by the team who drafted him pretty much immediately.

The point here is that good, but not exactly ridiculous talents, are able to start and succeed early in their careers. Comparing the 2012 and 2016 offenses -- (RB: advantage 2016; FB: advantage 2012; TE: 2012; OL: 2012; WR: 2016) -- reveals the teams were relatively evenly talented. So I think the most natural conclusion is that the reason for Chryst/Burns's struggles isn't the voluminous playbooks, it's that they're not good.