[Hank 91]

I'm asking a favor. Some of you might know that I've been running a Silver Squad series on my GoMightyCard.com site, ranking the top 25 Cardinal players of the past 25 years. Today at #5 I've got Brad Muster. The problem, though, is that I was only at Stanford for his senior season, which was marred by injury. I'm wondering if anyone here who remembers watching him might be able to click over to my site and leave a comment describing his greatness. I've got the numbers and awards there, but an eye-witness account or two would be great. Any takers? Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/42wusuy

[Hank 91]

I'm asking a favor. Some of you might know that I've been running a Silver Squad series on my GoMightyCard.com site, ranking the top 25 Cardinal players of the past 25 years. Today at #5 I've got Brad Muster. The problem, though, is that I was only at Stanford for his senior season, which was marred by injury. I'm wondering if anyone here who remembers watching him might be able to click over to my site and leave a comment describing his greatness. I've got the numbers and awards there, but an eye-witness account or two would be great. Any takers? Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/42wusuy

[Redrum]

"What I remember about Muster was how fast this BIG guy got up to speed. For some reason I don't remember him running much inside the tackles. What impressed was how FAST he got to the outside and up field. There was a disconnect between leg speed and ground speed. Leg speed told you "Muster for 2 yards". Ground speed told you-- after the play-- that he'd gone for 10 yards...often for more.'

What I would have added if there'd been an edit feature is :  the speed perception disconnect extended to defenders, too.  You'd see Muster running and see the leg speed and relative speed of the closing defenders and think  "Uh-oh."  But Muster would make the corner  or blow by the closing defender without any apparent change in his running gait. 

The question I have is;  How would Muster fit in to the current Stanford running game and the current RB rotation?

My favorite  Pleistocene Running Formation :  Brad Muster,  Jon Volpe.

[Redrum]

"What I remember about Muster was how fast this BIG guy got up to speed. For some reason I don't remember him running much inside the tackles. What impressed was how FAST he got to the outside and up field. There was a disconnect between leg speed and ground speed. Leg speed told you "Muster for 2 yards". Ground speed told you-- after the play-- that he'd gone for 10 yards...often for more.'

What I would have added if there'd been an edit feature is :  the speed perception disconnect extended to defenders, too.  You'd see Muster running and see the leg speed and relative speed of the closing defenders and think  "Uh-oh."  But Muster would make the corner  or blow by the closing defender without any apparent change in his running gait. 

The question I have is;  How would Muster fit in to the current Stanford running game and the current RB rotation?

My favorite  Pleistocene Running Formation :  Brad Muster,  Jon Volpe.

[Hank 91]

Thanks for that. I really wish I had seen a healthy Muster during his senior season.

[Hank 91]

Thanks for that. I really wish I had seen a healthy Muster during his senior season.

[Treebound]

Redrum, the other point that I would add was that not only could he deceptively get to the outside and have the speed to turn the corner, but that he also would lower the shoulder and knock guys back once he got rolling.  He had a Toby-esqe quality before Toby got here.  Deceptive speed with some significant power on the perimeter.  To top that, he was a good guy as well!

[Treebound]

Redrum, the other point that I would add was that not only could he deceptively get to the outside and have the speed to turn the corner, but that he also would lower the shoulder and knock guys back once he got rolling.  He had a Toby-esqe quality before Toby got here.  Deceptive speed with some significant power on the perimeter.  To top that, he was a good guy as well!

[Leftcoast]

My memory from his final Big Game? 

Hearing our announcer say over and over and over, "Muster, the ball carrier"  usually followed by "First Down!".  I see from the stat line it wasn't as much as I remember (22 carries for 87 yds and 7 catches for 56 yds) but he seemed invincible from the stands that day as Stanford rolled to a 31 - 7 win.

[Leftcoast]

My memory from his final Big Game? 

Hearing our announcer say over and over and over, "Muster, the ball carrier"  usually followed by "First Down!".  I see from the stat line it wasn't as much as I remember (22 carries for 87 yds and 7 catches for 56 yds) but he seemed invincible from the stands that day as Stanford rolled to a 31 - 7 win.

[yvonne]

My friends and I were standing in the front row in the student section at his final Big Game. Those were NOT good seats in the old stadium. We got pushed aside by people trying to walk through the front aisle. What I do remember, though, was his coming over to our section, taking off his helmet in celebration, and crying.

[yvonne]

My friends and I were standing in the front row in the student section at his final Big Game. Those were NOT good seats in the old stadium. We got pushed aside by people trying to walk through the front aisle. What I do remember, though, was his coming over to our section, taking off his helmet in celebration, and crying.

[JeffInCorvallis]

To this day a tag line in our household is "Muster the ball carrier".  If you followed Stanford football at all in the 80's it was a line you heard over and over in the old stadium.

[JeffInCorvallis]

To this day a tag line in our household is "Muster the ball carrier".  If you followed Stanford football at all in the 80's it was a line you heard over and over in the old stadium.

[yvonne]

You mean that wasn't his name?

[yvonne]

You mean that wasn't his name?

[Scooter_Stepford]

Muster was about 6'4" with a long stride.  He was a great all-around athlete and an accomplished basketball player.  He was an excellent receiver.  He seemed to glide, and as others have noted, he was deceptively fast.  I remember one run at the Rose Bowl that must have been near 80 yards; it seemed like an optical illusion as it was happening.

Muster and Thomas Henley combined to tear up kal over there one year.  Muster had 204, Henley had 102.  Was reminded of that performance a few weeks ago as Taylor and Co. romped through UW.

Muster was also a super nice guy, very modest, soft-spoken, and "down-to-earth".  I always wondered if he had gone to a different NFL team what his career would have been like.  It was painful to watch the Bears use him mostly as a blocking back.

[Scooter_Stepford]

Muster was about 6'4" with a long stride.  He was a great all-around athlete and an accomplished basketball player.  He was an excellent receiver.  He seemed to glide, and as others have noted, he was deceptively fast.  I remember one run at the Rose Bowl that must have been near 80 yards; it seemed like an optical illusion as it was happening.

Muster and Thomas Henley combined to tear up kal over there one year.  Muster had 204, Henley had 102.  Was reminded of that performance a few weeks ago as Taylor and Co. romped through UW.

Muster was also a super nice guy, very modest, soft-spoken, and "down-to-earth".  I always wondered if he had gone to a different NFL team what his career would have been like.  It was painful to watch the Bears use him mostly as a blocking back.

[pefloresjr]

To this day a tag line in our household is "Muster the ball carrier".  If you followed Stanford football at all in the 80's it was a line you heard over and over in the old stadium.

You would fit right in at our house with that lingo.  Add in "check it, (random correction)" and you're family.

Cheers,
Pete F.

[pefloresjr]

To this day a tag line in our household is "Muster the ball carrier".  If you followed Stanford football at all in the 80's it was a line you heard over and over in the old stadium.

You would fit right in at our house with that lingo.  Add in "check it, (random correction)" and you're family.

Cheers,
Pete F.

[Hurlburt88]

The muster run in the rose bowl was amazing.  His stride was a full half yard longer than the defenders chasing him.  I think this was part of his deceptive speed--legs were not moving faster than other players, but covering a ton of ground.  I believe that run was right between the tackles also. 

The other thing that always impressed me was that after he lowered his shoulder to unload, he would move forward and up through the defender so that he was off and running again--not just falling on top of the defender.  Good receiver for screens and in the flat also. 

If he played today, I am actually curious about where . . . either RB spot or tight end would fit! 

[Hurlburt88]

The muster run in the rose bowl was amazing.  His stride was a full half yard longer than the defenders chasing him.  I think this was part of his deceptive speed--legs were not moving faster than other players, but covering a ton of ground.  I believe that run was right between the tackles also. 

The other thing that always impressed me was that after he lowered his shoulder to unload, he would move forward and up through the defender so that he was off and running again--not just falling on top of the defender.  Good receiver for screens and in the flat also. 

If he played today, I am actually curious about where . . . either RB spot or tight end would fit! 

[yvonne]

Gator Bowl?

[yvonne]

Gator Bowl?

[Hank 91]

I think hurlburt88 was referring to Rose Bowl the stadium, not Rose Bowl the game.

[Hank 91]

I think hurlburt88 was referring to Rose Bowl the stadium, not Rose Bowl the game.

[Hurlburt88]

Yes, correct.  I think it was the UCLA game in fall of 84 that he did that run. 

His Gator Bowl at end of 86 season was also a great performance . . . although overshadowed by Flowers' amazing 1st half for clemson, several steroid-related suspensions, and our backup QB having a rough first half as well.  If I remember, we were down 28-0 at the half and clawed back to 28-21 final score. 

[Hurlburt88]

Yes, correct.  I think it was the UCLA game in fall of 84 that he did that run. 

His Gator Bowl at end of 86 season was also a great performance . . . although overshadowed by Flowers' amazing 1st half for clemson, several steroid-related suspensions, and our backup QB having a rough first half as well.  If I remember, we were down 28-0 at the half and clawed back to 28-21 final score.