[Goose]

In conclusion, Stanford's OL has played plenty well enough to win every game this season.  Sure SDSU wasn't a masterpiece, but sometimes the offense has an off game and the defense has to step up.  Championship caliber teams find a way to stop teams like SDSU, and they don't average giving up 5 YPC through 7 games of a season.

I think you are 100% correct, as written. The OL played well enough against SDSU that we could have won. Chryst didn't however. It might have been too much to ask of even a championship defense to compensate (as SDSU is pretty good at running the ball), but it is undoubtedly true that giving up 5 YPC is way too much. Certainly Shaw indicated he expected (and requires) the defense to stop SDSU on that last drive, and they didn't. If they do, we win the game despite not looking great on offense. We just don't have enough big bodies on the DL. We didn't last year either, but made up for it by having two real good players that "punched above their weight". This year we have one. Against teams that basically don't run much, we are fine. We may give up tons of yards on the ground, but we can usually prevent big plays, limit the damage, and win the game. Against the spread, we don't need quite as much "beef", even when they do run, so we can get by IF WE TACKLE WELL (which sometimes we don't). But against teams like USC, ND, and UW, who can and will run right at us, we are at a disadvantage. Right now, USC may have enough OL injuries that the problem is mitigated (and we only care if we win out). UW just took a big hit, but even with the loss of their Left Tackle, they probably can push us around. We need the rest of the DL besides 66 to step up and play better than ever before against UW. The offense is playing well, but we are not designed to win shoot outs.

[Goose]

In conclusion, Stanford's OL has played plenty well enough to win every game this season.  Sure SDSU wasn't a masterpiece, but sometimes the offense has an off game and the defense has to step up.  Championship caliber teams find a way to stop teams like SDSU, and they don't average giving up 5 YPC through 7 games of a season.

I think you are 100% correct, as written. The OL played well enough against SDSU that we could have won. Chryst didn't however. It might have been too much to ask of even a championship defense to compensate (as SDSU is pretty good at running the ball), but it is undoubtedly true that giving up 5 YPC is way too much. Certainly Shaw indicated he expected (and requires) the defense to stop SDSU on that last drive, and they didn't. If they do, we win the game despite not looking great on offense. We just don't have enough big bodies on the DL. We didn't last year either, but made up for it by having two real good players that "punched above their weight". This year we have one. Against teams that basically don't run much, we are fine. We may give up tons of yards on the ground, but we can usually prevent big plays, limit the damage, and win the game. Against the spread, we don't need quite as much "beef", even when they do run, so we can get by IF WE TACKLE WELL (which sometimes we don't). But against teams like USC, ND, and UW, who can and will run right at us, we are at a disadvantage. Right now, USC may have enough OL injuries that the problem is mitigated (and we only care if we win out). UW just took a big hit, but even with the loss of their Left Tackle, they probably can push us around. We need the rest of the DL besides 66 to step up and play better than ever before against UW. The offense is playing well, but we are not designed to win shoot outs.