[81alum]

I am so surprised and pleased with our defense this year, particularly Adebo.  Yes it has areas where it needs improvement, but I would never have guessed that it was going to be the strength of the team.  I still think we may be vulnerable to the power run game when we meet teams that are equipped to pull that off, but for now I'm enjoying our defense.

And like many of you, I am deeply concerned about our offense.  I will say this about today, though--the Costello to Kaden Smith connection is blossoming and this will solve a lot of problems.  I remember years when we begged for more passes to the tight ends, and now we have it.  This will ultimately be the best way to open up the stagnant running game.  Let me also give Shaw some credit for a few passes on first down--often to Smith.  This is encouraging also for the longer term health of the run game. 

But we have to convert more third downs (3/14 ???), and that means getting that run game going better so we get into more short yardage situations.  Our run blocking is just atrocious, and that is the biggest surprise to me. I wonder if O-line coaches just have to choose whether their line will practice more run blocking or pass blocking, and can't reliably get a college line to be equally good at both? Why else would we have regressed so much in our run blocking?

[81alum]

I am so surprised and pleased with our defense this year, particularly Adebo.  Yes it has areas where it needs improvement, but I would never have guessed that it was going to be the strength of the team.  I still think we may be vulnerable to the power run game when we meet teams that are equipped to pull that off, but for now I'm enjoying our defense.

And like many of you, I am deeply concerned about our offense.  I will say this about today, though--the Costello to Kaden Smith connection is blossoming and this will solve a lot of problems.  I remember years when we begged for more passes to the tight ends, and now we have it.  This will ultimately be the best way to open up the stagnant running game.  Let me also give Shaw some credit for a few passes on first down--often to Smith.  This is encouraging also for the longer term health of the run game. 

But we have to convert more third downs (3/14 ???), and that means getting that run game going better so we get into more short yardage situations.  Our run blocking is just atrocious, and that is the biggest surprise to me. I wonder if O-line coaches just have to choose whether their line will practice more run blocking or pass blocking, and can't reliably get a college line to be equally good at both? Why else would we have regressed so much in our run blocking?

[washingtonismoney]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

[washingtonismoney]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

[JJJ]

Wouldn’t we have had more except for all the flags? Can’t really blame’em at that point in the game, with the players that were in. I say well done overall.

I wouldn't go with "well done" overall -- seems a bit strong. The defense did well, of course. It's fair to say they've far outpaced expectations (mine, at least) through the first three games of the season. 

The offense was mediocre overall, just over 5.2 yards per play. Of course, it seemed like the players were having a case of the blues through the first few drives. It wasn't obvious to me there were strategic problems; instead, it just seemed like there were a number of errors, mostly uncharacteristic. Too early a game? On a emotional low because of the big game against SC? Just one of those games? Maybe all those things. In isolation I wouldn't necessarily be disturbed. Then again, the offense has had one solid game (against SDSU), one solid half (against SC), and one pretty blah game considering the quality of opposition (i.e. Davis). I'm a bit uneasy with the offense, viewing things in totality. 

Positives: Michael Wilson looks like a player; same for Trevor Speights; and Adebo.

Sorry for the confusion. My "well done overall" comment was directed at the 2nd and 3rd stringers thrown in there to get some PT. Totally agree that we can (and need to) play better the next two weekends. But I am happy that we're 3-0.

[JJJ]

Wouldn’t we have had more except for all the flags? Can’t really blame’em at that point in the game, with the players that were in. I say well done overall.

I wouldn't go with "well done" overall -- seems a bit strong. The defense did well, of course. It's fair to say they've far outpaced expectations (mine, at least) through the first three games of the season. 

The offense was mediocre overall, just over 5.2 yards per play. Of course, it seemed like the players were having a case of the blues through the first few drives. It wasn't obvious to me there were strategic problems; instead, it just seemed like there were a number of errors, mostly uncharacteristic. Too early a game? On a emotional low because of the big game against SC? Just one of those games? Maybe all those things. In isolation I wouldn't necessarily be disturbed. Then again, the offense has had one solid game (against SDSU), one solid half (against SC), and one pretty blah game considering the quality of opposition (i.e. Davis). I'm a bit uneasy with the offense, viewing things in totality. 

Positives: Michael Wilson looks like a player; same for Trevor Speights; and Adebo.

Sorry for the confusion. My "well done overall" comment was directed at the 2nd and 3rd stringers thrown in there to get some PT. Totally agree that we can (and need to) play better the next two weekends. But I am happy that we're 3-0.

[CowboyIndian]

There is absolutely zero reason to play a game like this.

Didn't someone drop out and this became the fill-in? I'm thinking maybe Virginia?

[CowboyIndian]

There is absolutely zero reason to play a game like this.

Didn't someone drop out and this became the fill-in? I'm thinking maybe Virginia?

[81alum]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

That is a good point, and frankly I am shocked to see that stat on Speights.    It seemed to me in the stadium that we often did badly when we ran on first down, but looking back at the play by play it is more of a mixed bag.  I guess I have to agree with Shaw that the issue is consistency.  Losing 2 yards on a first down run just shouldn't happen so often.

[81alum]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

That is a good point, and frankly I am shocked to see that stat on Speights.    It seemed to me in the stadium that we often did badly when we ran on first down, but looking back at the play by play it is more of a mixed bag.  I guess I have to agree with Shaw that the issue is consistency.  Losing 2 yards on a first down run just shouldn't happen so often.

[SF_Cardinal_Fan]

Was yesterday Davis Mills first ever Stanford playing time ?

[SF_Cardinal_Fan]

Was yesterday Davis Mills first ever Stanford playing time ?

[JPR36]

Was yesterday Davis Mills first ever Stanford playing time ?

Yes, it was. They pulled him fast and put ice on his knee. I hope that was just precautionary. He also ran the ball a couple of times. I question whether he should be doing that until we see how his knee is holding up in the heat of battle.

[JPR36]

Was yesterday Davis Mills first ever Stanford playing time ?

Yes, it was. They pulled him fast and put ice on his knee. I hope that was just precautionary. He also ran the ball a couple of times. I question whether he should be doing that until we see how his knee is holding up in the heat of battle.

[stupac2]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

Well, Speights had 1/3 of our carries. Scarlett averaged only 3.3, and I think this is a case where the difference between the average and the median matters a lot. Our median run was for 3 yards. Even Speights, our most effective runner, only had a median of 4. At least that's a successful play, but looking through the box score to pull those numbers jibed with my memory, which was that we had a lot of unsuccessful runs on early downs that set up difficult conversions.

Now, how much of that was in non-garbage time? Once we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot our drives went TD, FG, TD, Half, FG, Punt, TD, and at that point it was clearly out of reach. In non-garbage time we had two punts, it just felt like the offense was having a tough time because Costello derped two bad turnovers.

One big concern about the offense that no one has brought up yet is that they're not performing spectacularly and all the games have been at home. Last year we were way better at home, and if that trend continues with already-questionable performances at home we might be in trouble. We're halfway through our home slate with 9 games to play!

[stupac2]

I really think "bad run blocking" is a strange view to take. Speights averaged 8 yards a tote today. 

Certainly the line hasn't been great, but in the first two games the pass blocking was good and the run blocking indeterminate because defenses were so aggressive blitzing and loading the box. Against Davis the problem was the opposite.

Well, Speights had 1/3 of our carries. Scarlett averaged only 3.3, and I think this is a case where the difference between the average and the median matters a lot. Our median run was for 3 yards. Even Speights, our most effective runner, only had a median of 4. At least that's a successful play, but looking through the box score to pull those numbers jibed with my memory, which was that we had a lot of unsuccessful runs on early downs that set up difficult conversions.

Now, how much of that was in non-garbage time? Once we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot our drives went TD, FG, TD, Half, FG, Punt, TD, and at that point it was clearly out of reach. In non-garbage time we had two punts, it just felt like the offense was having a tough time because Costello derped two bad turnovers.

One big concern about the offense that no one has brought up yet is that they're not performing spectacularly and all the games have been at home. Last year we were way better at home, and if that trend continues with already-questionable performances at home we might be in trouble. We're halfway through our home slate with 9 games to play!