07-18-2017, 12:51 PM
I'm usually pretty optimistic about Stanford, but not this year. Here's why:
First, I'll start with the positives. Stanford will have an extremely deep and talented back seven on defense, maybe the best its ever had in one single season, and kicking game should be good. But everywhere else, I see big question marks.
1. The DL is young and small. Harrison Phillips is OK, but he really gets pushed around by bigger OL. Nobody else other than Dalyn Wade-Perry has the physical presence to anchor the middle, and he is a True Frosh. Nobody to replace Solomon Thomas even a little bit. Dylan Jackson averaged not even a tackle/gm and had 0 sacks and 1 TFL in 13 2016 games. Cotton was even worse in 11 games, with 4 tackles all season, and 1 sack. The durability is nice, but Stanford needs production. Sure these guys could step up, and maybe Michael Williams too, but I'm not a believer until I see it with my own eyes.
2. The OL is young. Interior is solid, but the Tackles in 2016 were below mediocre. Were it me, I'd start Little and Sarrel, take my lumps as they learn, and be fine with it. But this doesn't seem to be Shaw's MO. So they will play lesser players with more experience who will be beaten by better defensive athletes the better teams employ.
3. I'm not sold on Chryst. He's better than Burns, but he hasn't really beat a really good team (though he was on track to beat UNC, but even Burns did that, so was UNC that good?), and I'm not sure he can. I'm not sure he can't, but he's got to beat teams with better QBs than he is for Stanford to win 10 games. It's a tall order with the OL issues, IMO.
I do think Stanford has more than enough talent at WR/TE/RB skill positions to be an effective offense, but the three areas I point out leave me more skeptical than is typically the case for me entering a Stanford football season.
I'm feeling an 8-4 season coming on. Losses to USC, UW, Oregon, and WSU or ND. Not rooting against Chryst or Costello, but man do I want Davis Mills to impress like Luck on scout team as a True Frosh, and win the starting job in 2018, because to me, he has that championship "it" factor.
First, I'll start with the positives. Stanford will have an extremely deep and talented back seven on defense, maybe the best its ever had in one single season, and kicking game should be good. But everywhere else, I see big question marks.
1. The DL is young and small. Harrison Phillips is OK, but he really gets pushed around by bigger OL. Nobody else other than Dalyn Wade-Perry has the physical presence to anchor the middle, and he is a True Frosh. Nobody to replace Solomon Thomas even a little bit. Dylan Jackson averaged not even a tackle/gm and had 0 sacks and 1 TFL in 13 2016 games. Cotton was even worse in 11 games, with 4 tackles all season, and 1 sack. The durability is nice, but Stanford needs production. Sure these guys could step up, and maybe Michael Williams too, but I'm not a believer until I see it with my own eyes.
2. The OL is young. Interior is solid, but the Tackles in 2016 were below mediocre. Were it me, I'd start Little and Sarrel, take my lumps as they learn, and be fine with it. But this doesn't seem to be Shaw's MO. So they will play lesser players with more experience who will be beaten by better defensive athletes the better teams employ.
3. I'm not sold on Chryst. He's better than Burns, but he hasn't really beat a really good team (though he was on track to beat UNC, but even Burns did that, so was UNC that good?), and I'm not sure he can. I'm not sure he can't, but he's got to beat teams with better QBs than he is for Stanford to win 10 games. It's a tall order with the OL issues, IMO.
I do think Stanford has more than enough talent at WR/TE/RB skill positions to be an effective offense, but the three areas I point out leave me more skeptical than is typically the case for me entering a Stanford football season.
I'm feeling an 8-4 season coming on. Losses to USC, UW, Oregon, and WSU or ND. Not rooting against Chryst or Costello, but man do I want Davis Mills to impress like Luck on scout team as a True Frosh, and win the starting job in 2018, because to me, he has that championship "it" factor.