[qwerty49]

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=17483.msg202639#msg202639 date=1506288854]

[/quote]

I found the next line of that article somewhat telling about what we saw vs UCLA.

"It was great to a see a fifth-year senior come in and settle down the offense, call the plays and get the guys pepped up again," said Shaw of Burns, ..."[he] had a calming presence."

So, Shaw brings in Burns when Chryst gets injured on the first play of the second drive when presumably the team might need some calming. But, then it's Costello.
Then, when Stanford gets pinned back inside its own 10, it's back to Burns for one series. Presumably the vet less likely to freak out and create a turnover.
That was it for Burns other than the first play on our first drive of the second half starting inside our own 10 again. Though this time it was unclear if it was the no-turnover caution or (more likely) a single play from the Burns-package that they wanted to run.
[/quote]

My impression of the "steadying influence" was distinctly different from Shaw's.  I thought Burns was not mentally prepared to come in when Chryst got hurt, and I thought that showed in his play.  I suspected last year after he lost the starting job that Burns lost focus and intensity.  When there were moments last year when Chryst was not, um, necessarily stellar, I looked in my binoculars for Burns on the sidelines.  He was never anywhere near the coaches -- always somewhere near the end of the sidelines, smiling, joking, but not outwardly into the flow of what was happening on the field.  I guess I'm just used to the cliche view of the backup QB with a visor and a headset, next to the coach, relaying messages from the eye in the sky OC, clearly engaged with the flow of the game.

Just my impression. 

[qwerty49]

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=17483.msg202639#msg202639 date=1506288854]

[/quote]

I found the next line of that article somewhat telling about what we saw vs UCLA.

"It was great to a see a fifth-year senior come in and settle down the offense, call the plays and get the guys pepped up again," said Shaw of Burns, ..."[he] had a calming presence."

So, Shaw brings in Burns when Chryst gets injured on the first play of the second drive when presumably the team might need some calming. But, then it's Costello.
Then, when Stanford gets pinned back inside its own 10, it's back to Burns for one series. Presumably the vet less likely to freak out and create a turnover.
That was it for Burns other than the first play on our first drive of the second half starting inside our own 10 again. Though this time it was unclear if it was the no-turnover caution or (more likely) a single play from the Burns-package that they wanted to run.
[/quote]

My impression of the "steadying influence" was distinctly different from Shaw's.  I thought Burns was not mentally prepared to come in when Chryst got hurt, and I thought that showed in his play.  I suspected last year after he lost the starting job that Burns lost focus and intensity.  When there were moments last year when Chryst was not, um, necessarily stellar, I looked in my binoculars for Burns on the sidelines.  He was never anywhere near the coaches -- always somewhere near the end of the sidelines, smiling, joking, but not outwardly into the flow of what was happening on the field.  I guess I'm just used to the cliche view of the backup QB with a visor and a headset, next to the coach, relaying messages from the eye in the sky OC, clearly engaged with the flow of the game.

Just my impression.