[Spiny_Norman]

A transcript of David Shaw's comments at P12 Football Media Day today. I counted 13 instances where Shaw said that he was "excited."

I think you will all be disappointed (I was) in the questions asked of him. Half or fewer about the team and none at all about the defense. As much as anything, the media asked Shaw for his perspective about broader issues and changes in the sport.

http://asaptext.com/asap_media/media/107...123261.pdf

[Spiny_Norman]

A transcript of David Shaw's comments at P12 Football Media Day today. I counted 13 instances where Shaw said that he was "excited."

I think you will all be disappointed (I was) in the questions asked of him. Half or fewer about the team and none at all about the defense. As much as anything, the media asked Shaw for his perspective about broader issues and changes in the sport.

http://asaptext.com/asap_media/media/107...123261.pdf

[Spiny_Norman]

Just for stuff and giggles, I read Shaw's Media Day comments from last year (2021). Selected quotes:

Offensive line-wise we've had a group of guys that have been playing football since their freshman year. This group has become juniors now. A couple young guys added in as well. I think where we want to be on the offensive line. Got a quarterback battle going on which will bear itself out. By the end of spring I feel great about both guys, their abilities to run our offense.

Neither of these assessments and projections about the OL and the QB proved to be correct.

Feel really good about where we are on the defensive side, I think we're bigger, more physical, more athletic than people really know. No one was able to come watch us play in spring either to see what we have as a group.  I think we have a really good football team.

I believe this year will probably be one of our better defensive years in the last five to seven years.

I'm the son of a defensive coordinator. My dad always talks about the middle of your defense. If you can be good at inside linebacker and defensive line, interior defensive line, that's the great beginnings of a defense. I think we're really good there.

I think we are deeper and faster than most people think that we are. I think we came out of spring in a good spot. I don't worry about the rankings. I think we did underperform at times last year, in particular against the run. A lot of it was just purely assignment football. We had some young guys out there, inexperienced guys out there. I think Coach Anderson and our defensive staff have done a great job of dissecting not just what wrong last year but what went right last year. The personnel we have right now, make sure those guys are put in a good position going forward.

None of that worked out last year either.

[Spiny_Norman]

Just for stuff and giggles, I read Shaw's Media Day comments from last year (2021). Selected quotes:

Offensive line-wise we've had a group of guys that have been playing football since their freshman year. This group has become juniors now. A couple young guys added in as well. I think where we want to be on the offensive line. Got a quarterback battle going on which will bear itself out. By the end of spring I feel great about both guys, their abilities to run our offense.

Neither of these assessments and projections about the OL and the QB proved to be correct.

Feel really good about where we are on the defensive side, I think we're bigger, more physical, more athletic than people really know. No one was able to come watch us play in spring either to see what we have as a group.  I think we have a really good football team.

I believe this year will probably be one of our better defensive years in the last five to seven years.

I'm the son of a defensive coordinator. My dad always talks about the middle of your defense. If you can be good at inside linebacker and defensive line, interior defensive line, that's the great beginnings of a defense. I think we're really good there.

I think we are deeper and faster than most people think that we are. I think we came out of spring in a good spot. I don't worry about the rankings. I think we did underperform at times last year, in particular against the run. A lot of it was just purely assignment football. We had some young guys out there, inexperienced guys out there. I think Coach Anderson and our defensive staff have done a great job of dissecting not just what wrong last year but what went right last year. The personnel we have right now, make sure those guys are put in a good position going forward.

None of that worked out last year either.

[old spanish trail]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country. I think Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

[old spanish trail]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country. I think Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

[winflop]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country.  Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

Even the best DBs on the planet look pedestrian when the front seven can't pressure the QB.

[winflop]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country.  Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

Even the best DBs on the planet look pedestrian when the front seven can't pressure the QB.

[BostonCard]

Well, spiny, we did have a QB battle and it did sort itself out.  And for what it’s worth, McKee was second in the PAC-12 in passing yards behind Slovis (mostly because we couldn’t run and had to rely on McKee to throw for any offense whatsoever).  Using QBR, which adjusts for that, McKee was firmly in the middle of the PAC (6th) at 138.7, nearly identical to Davis Mills (139.9) the year before.

BC

[BostonCard]

Well, spiny, we did have a QB battle and it did sort itself out.  And for what it’s worth, McKee was second in the PAC-12 in passing yards behind Slovis (mostly because we couldn’t run and had to rely on McKee to throw for any offense whatsoever).  Using QBR, which adjusts for that, McKee was firmly in the middle of the PAC (6th) at 138.7, nearly identical to Davis Mills (139.9) the year before.

BC

[needle]

I would not say Stanford should have a really good offense.

But I would say Stanford really should have a good offense.

McKee, Higgins, veteran O-line, Yurosek + Roush. Five NFL picks out of that group?

Other vet receivers coming off injury but known to be good when healthy.

I don't think EJ Smith/Filkins are all-conference guys, but each are legit Pac RBs capable of a highlight run or two.

It's enough for this fan to see some really fun games on the horizon.

[needle]

I would not say Stanford should have a really good offense.

But I would say Stanford really should have a good offense.

McKee, Higgins, veteran O-line, Yurosek + Roush. Five NFL picks out of that group?

Other vet receivers coming off injury but known to be good when healthy.

I don't think EJ Smith/Filkins are all-conference guys, but each are legit Pac RBs capable of a highlight run or two.

It's enough for this fan to see some really fun games on the horizon.

[Spiny_Norman]

Well, spiny, we did have a QB battle and it did sort itself out.  And for what it’s worth, McKee was second in the PAC-12 in passing yards behind Slovis (mostly because we couldn’t run and had to rely on McKee to throw for any offense whatsoever).  Using QBR, which adjusts for that, McKee was firmly in the middle of the PAC (6th) at 138.7, nearly identical to Davis Mills (139.9) the year before.

BC

Absolutely, BC. No question about that. I was just re-visiting Shaw's head-scratching evaluation of McKee vs. West as equals going into game 1. "I feel great about both guys, their abilities to run our offense." It's tough to give credibility to his evaluations of the team and its readiness when he has been so far off in the recent past.

[Spiny_Norman]

Well, spiny, we did have a QB battle and it did sort itself out.  And for what it’s worth, McKee was second in the PAC-12 in passing yards behind Slovis (mostly because we couldn’t run and had to rely on McKee to throw for any offense whatsoever).  Using QBR, which adjusts for that, McKee was firmly in the middle of the PAC (6th) at 138.7, nearly identical to Davis Mills (139.9) the year before.

BC

Absolutely, BC. No question about that. I was just re-visiting Shaw's head-scratching evaluation of McKee vs. West as equals going into game 1. "I feel great about both guys, their abilities to run our offense." It's tough to give credibility to his evaluations of the team and its readiness when he has been so far off in the recent past.

[BostonCard]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

[BostonCard]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

[JohnR34231]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

[JohnR34231]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

[OutsiderFan]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

I agree. That's why I'm probably gonna follow the "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach, and just not GAF.

[OutsiderFan]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

I agree. That's why I'm probably gonna follow the "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach, and just not GAF.

[gailtate]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

I agree. That's why I'm probably gonna follow the "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach, and just not GAF.

We are in violent agreement. David Shaw is, indeed, head coach. No doubt about it. No ifs, ands or buts. it's unanimous. Feels great to feel such solidarity in an uncertain world.

[gailtate]

Fair point.  I wonder how much of it was real delusion and how much of it was that he diplomatic in the extreme.  I know it frustrates people here that Shaw has mastered “coach speak” to an extreme, and wish he’d be less filtered, especially if he is capable of any self reflection, but at this point, this is the coach we have.

BC

Yep, you certainly wouldn't expect him to say "Yeah, both guys sucked in practice, so we have decided to put both of them in and just hope for the best".
I agree he is the coach we have right now, so at least IMO continuous bad mouthing of him doesn't really serve any purpose.
Especially for those who have done it dozens and dozens of times before.

I agree. That's why I'm probably gonna follow the "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" approach, and just not GAF.

We are in violent agreement. David Shaw is, indeed, head coach. No doubt about it. No ifs, ands or buts. it's unanimous. Feels great to feel such solidarity in an uncertain world.

[msqueri]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country. I think Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

Count me in the opposite camp on Salim Turner-Muhammad. I see him as Obi Eboh redux at best but that's probably too generous. Evidence is Turner-Muhammad sucks. Turner-Muhammad has played 383 snaps for Stanford football and has broken up one pass in his career. That is so, so bad. Last year he played 91 snaps and among all 63 Pac-12 corners with 90+ snaps Turner-Muhammad's PFF grade was 63rd. The very worst corner in the Pac-12. He was much better the previous year but did not have a single game grade higher than 65.9 (70+ is good) and on the season graded as the 25th of 41 corners.

He is, I think without a shadow of a doubt, a liability. It's just that he doesn't make plays. You can't have corners who don't break up passes. Turner-Muhammad has been a case of clear favoritism by Akina, to the detriment of the team. Zahran Manley - 30th of 63 corners in 2021 and 18th of 41 corners in 2020. That was on the strength of 4 passes defended in 350 snaps. A pass defended every 87.5 snaps compared to STM's woeful one in 383 snaps.

I'm really concerned that history is going to repeat itself and STM is going to play starters snaps when he's healthy (which has also been an issue). Manley is staring right in our face as a clearly above-average corner when STM is a clearly below-average corner.

[msqueri]

Can't read the download. Saw today's interviews. If nothing else, any projection that McKee sticks around after this year are up in smoke. He looks and sounds like a very smart and smooth 25 year old, he married a month ago, and I think he will look plenty good enuf to the NFL. And, good for him. Kyu Kelly is also a good interview. I've thought he was our best cb after Adebo; Shaw thinks he's the best cb in the country. I think Adebo should have been drafted higher than he was. Maybe Shaw is smarter than the draft. In any event, we should be ok at cb. Some don't think Salim-Muhammed is all that. I think he's excellent. But....he needs to stay healthy. Is Manley still at cb? He's a very good third guy.

Count me in the opposite camp on Salim Turner-Muhammad. I see him as Obi Eboh redux at best but that's probably too generous. Evidence is Turner-Muhammad sucks. Turner-Muhammad has played 383 snaps for Stanford football and has broken up one pass in his career. That is so, so bad. Last year he played 91 snaps and among all 63 Pac-12 corners with 90+ snaps Turner-Muhammad's PFF grade was 63rd. The very worst corner in the Pac-12. He was much better the previous year but did not have a single game grade higher than 65.9 (70+ is good) and on the season graded as the 25th of 41 corners.

He is, I think without a shadow of a doubt, a liability. It's just that he doesn't make plays. You can't have corners who don't break up passes. Turner-Muhammad has been a case of clear favoritism by Akina, to the detriment of the team. Zahran Manley - 30th of 63 corners in 2021 and 18th of 41 corners in 2020. That was on the strength of 4 passes defended in 350 snaps. A pass defended every 87.5 snaps compared to STM's woeful one in 383 snaps.

I'm really concerned that history is going to repeat itself and STM is going to play starters snaps when he's healthy (which has also been an issue). Manley is staring right in our face as a clearly above-average corner when STM is a clearly below-average corner.

[old spanish trail]

Oooops, must be my lying eyes. Those figures certainly don't support my memory/analysis. I do think he played hurt last year... when he played. I remember I thought his recovery speed in 2020 was better than I had expected and his tackling was better than others...again in 2020. I'd love to be right, but now would be surprised. And, yes, agree with you re Manley.

[old spanish trail]

Oooops, must be my lying eyes. Those figures certainly don't support my memory/analysis. I do think he played hurt last year... when he played. I remember I thought his recovery speed in 2020 was better than I had expected and his tackling was better than others...again in 2020. I'd love to be right, but now would be surprised. And, yes, agree with you re Manley.