[Goose]

Anyway, none of these are mistakes by true freshmen who are playing in their first games after abbreviated practices.  They are mistakes by guys who have been in the program three, four, or even five years, and they are mental, not physical mistakes.  That's on the coaches, for not teaching the players how to recognize the play and to flow to where they are supposed to go.  It's also a sign that players aren't trusting their teammates, and again, that's on the coaches.


BC

Mostly agree. The only question I have is should they trust their teammates when their teammates are making the kind of mental errors you cite? I would expect that many guys have some 'splaining to do. I fear that in today's Stanford football, accountability to your teammates just isn't on the table. I am sure Richard Sherman would be in several people's face. Who on today's team is going to do that?

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I sometimes wonder if their isn't some kind of a "stupidity field" that descends on Stanford players when they take the field these days. Consider Isaiah Sanders having an opportunity on 3rd and 1. He probably has a total of less than 6 plays in his "package". He needs to make 1 yard. He can probably do that with ANY of his play calls if nobody just falls on their face.

He has started games for Air Force. He is a graduate transfer. He has graduated from the AFA. He will soon have control of deadly force in the defense of the nation. He is a trained war fighter. He knows about "the unforgiving minute". He knows how to prioritize. All this, and he doesn't even get a play off! That isn't on Shaw. Shaw has had only weeks with this guy. He had all the training he needed before he ever got to Stanford.

I can see him running low on time and therefore running a less than optimal play choice, but to get a yard, running right up the middle makes more sense than forcing us to call a time out. What if Shaw doesn't call the time out? We lose 5 yards. Obviously not an acceptable situation. Run something! That is what they sent you out there to do!

[Goose]

Anyway, none of these are mistakes by true freshmen who are playing in their first games after abbreviated practices.  They are mistakes by guys who have been in the program three, four, or even five years, and they are mental, not physical mistakes.  That's on the coaches, for not teaching the players how to recognize the play and to flow to where they are supposed to go.  It's also a sign that players aren't trusting their teammates, and again, that's on the coaches.


BC

Mostly agree. The only question I have is should they trust their teammates when their teammates are making the kind of mental errors you cite? I would expect that many guys have some 'splaining to do. I fear that in today's Stanford football, accountability to your teammates just isn't on the table. I am sure Richard Sherman would be in several people's face. Who on today's team is going to do that?

---

I sometimes wonder if their isn't some kind of a "stupidity field" that descends on Stanford players when they take the field these days. Consider Isaiah Sanders having an opportunity on 3rd and 1. He probably has a total of less than 6 plays in his "package". He needs to make 1 yard. He can probably do that with ANY of his play calls if nobody just falls on their face.

He has started games for Air Force. He is a graduate transfer. He has graduated from the AFA. He will soon have control of deadly force in the defense of the nation. He is a trained war fighter. He knows about "the unforgiving minute". He knows how to prioritize. All this, and he doesn't even get a play off! That isn't on Shaw. Shaw has had only weeks with this guy. He had all the training he needed before he ever got to Stanford.

I can see him running low on time and therefore running a less than optimal play choice, but to get a yard, running right up the middle makes more sense than forcing us to call a time out. What if Shaw doesn't call the time out? We lose 5 yards. Obviously not an acceptable situation. Run something! That is what they sent you out there to do!