[dabigv13]

Arizona State
Washington
UCLA
Oregon State
Oregon
USC
Notre Dame

All possibilities, 7 games that at this point would run the gamut from mildly surprising to lose to not at all surprising. This past season, we lost to two of those teams, and were in battles with the rest of them.

I'll call SJSU and Army gimmes. Wazzu probably fits there too. Utah and Cal are should wins at this point, but again hard to call Big Game a sure thing in the spring.

On the converse, I could see us running the table. But the Pac-12 is a strong, strong conference top to bottom now, and our offense has plenty of questions at this point. We also were not a dominant team last season, we won a lot of close games. A few bounces the other way and our season easily could've ended in El Paso.

[dabigv13]

Arizona State
Washington
UCLA
Oregon State
Oregon
USC
Notre Dame

All possibilities, 7 games that at this point would run the gamut from mildly surprising to lose to not at all surprising. This past season, we lost to two of those teams, and were in battles with the rest of them.

I'll call SJSU and Army gimmes. Wazzu probably fits there too. Utah and Cal are should wins at this point, but again hard to call Big Game a sure thing in the spring.

On the converse, I could see us running the table. But the Pac-12 is a strong, strong conference top to bottom now, and our offense has plenty of questions at this point. We also were not a dominant team last season, we won a lot of close games. A few bounces the other way and our season easily could've ended in El Paso.

[Farm93]

Not only were those games close, but now Stanford has the burden of coming in as the defending Pac-12 champ.  And that is a position few in the current Stanford program really know much about.  Some players likely came to Stanford to accomplish that Rose Bowl goal, so that has got to make it a bit harder to battle through pre-season conditioning drills.  Opponents now will want to beat the champs, so every opponent will be a bit more eager to play Stanford to prove their worth.

And then there is Oregon.  If Oregon beat Stanford they would have won the national championship.  NO DOUBT.  They would have played and absolutely crushed South Bend U.  So Stanford literally took a BCS title away from the Ducks.  I can't even imagine how motivated they will be for their chance at Stanford in 2013.

It would be great to project Stanford to a 14 win season, but winning in 2013 will be harder than it was to win the Pac-12 in 2012.

[Farm93]

Not only were those games close, but now Stanford has the burden of coming in as the defending Pac-12 champ.  And that is a position few in the current Stanford program really know much about.  Some players likely came to Stanford to accomplish that Rose Bowl goal, so that has got to make it a bit harder to battle through pre-season conditioning drills.  Opponents now will want to beat the champs, so every opponent will be a bit more eager to play Stanford to prove their worth.

And then there is Oregon.  If Oregon beat Stanford they would have won the national championship.  NO DOUBT.  They would have played and absolutely crushed South Bend U.  So Stanford literally took a BCS title away from the Ducks.  I can't even imagine how motivated they will be for their chance at Stanford in 2013.

It would be great to project Stanford to a 14 win season, but winning in 2013 will be harder than it was to win the Pac-12 in 2012.

[DC]

Despite the frustrating and heartbreaking losses to ND and Washington, we had some good fortune on our side in the many close games.  To get to and win the Rose Bowl with a mediocre offense is a result we should all be happy with.

[DC]

Despite the frustrating and heartbreaking losses to ND and Washington, we had some good fortune on our side in the many close games.  To get to and win the Rose Bowl with a mediocre offense is a result we should all be happy with.

[dabigv13]

Having expressed my concerns, I still think that this team deserves to be ranked in the top 5 to start the preseason, probably top three. Pretty much every college football team has a lot of questions right now, and none return nearly an entire elite unit like our defense, as well as a promising young quarterback and already excellent offensive line.

[dabigv13]

Having expressed my concerns, I still think that this team deserves to be ranked in the top 5 to start the preseason, probably top three. Pretty much every college football team has a lot of questions right now, and none return nearly an entire elite unit like our defense, as well as a promising young quarterback and already excellent offensive line.

[Extra Point]

I would not count San Jose as a gimme. They have a lot of returning players from a top 20 team. They will also have a game under their belt when Stanford plays them. This should not be overlooked. The biggest improvement of the season for all teams comes between the first and second games. I have seen too many sloppy openers to call this game a gimme.

[Extra Point]

I would not count San Jose as a gimme. They have a lot of returning players from a top 20 team. They will also have a game under their belt when Stanford plays them. This should not be overlooked. The biggest improvement of the season for all teams comes between the first and second games. I have seen too many sloppy openers to call this game a gimme.

[OutsiderFan]

I've seen enough to conclude the passing game is going to improve, and the OL will enable a more productive rushing attack than 2012, which frankly was not that great when you look at the numbers.

To me the biggest question to be answered is who are the playmakers, the guys who will make the second half TDs scored by Taylor against USC and Oregon State, and by Ertz against USC and Oregon?

Don't sleep on Cal either.  They have loads of talent and are now being competently coached for the first time in years.  They have the potential to wear down what *could* be a thin Stanford secondary late in the season.

That all said, ask any coach if they'd rather have a veteran defense and OL with inexperienced TEs and WRs OR veteran WRs and TEs and inexperienced defense and OL, and they would take the former any time.  Stanford will likely have the best defense in the PAC-12 and a dominant OL, led by an experienced QB.  That should be good for at least 5 conference wins, and if last year is a judge, more.

[OutsiderFan]

I've seen enough to conclude the passing game is going to improve, and the OL will enable a more productive rushing attack than 2012, which frankly was not that great when you look at the numbers.

To me the biggest question to be answered is who are the playmakers, the guys who will make the second half TDs scored by Taylor against USC and Oregon State, and by Ertz against USC and Oregon?

Don't sleep on Cal either.  They have loads of talent and are now being competently coached for the first time in years.  They have the potential to wear down what *could* be a thin Stanford secondary late in the season.

That all said, ask any coach if they'd rather have a veteran defense and OL with inexperienced TEs and WRs OR veteran WRs and TEs and inexperienced defense and OL, and they would take the former any time.  Stanford will likely have the best defense in the PAC-12 and a dominant OL, led by an experienced QB.  That should be good for at least 5 conference wins, and if last year is a judge, more.

[estephan500]

I was also thinking about Oregon. It is amazing how pissed they are going to be.

I'm not sure if that extra motivation is really adding that much on the top for them. I bet they were playing their hearts out last time.  However this time there will not be a tiny grain of underestimating the cardinal... Which might have been remaining in the lead up to the last game, with memories of us collapsing a bit the previous year.

[estephan500]

I was also thinking about Oregon. It is amazing how pissed they are going to be.

I'm not sure if that extra motivation is really adding that much on the top for them. I bet they were playing their hearts out last time.  However this time there will not be a tiny grain of underestimating the cardinal... Which might have been remaining in the lead up to the last game, with memories of us collapsing a bit the previous year.

[stanfan]

I live in Eugene.  To say the Ducks are pissed is an understatement of epic proportion.  That's why it is going to be so sweet to take them down again this year. 

[stanfan]

I live in Eugene.  To say the Ducks are pissed is an understatement of epic proportion.  That's why it is going to be so sweet to take them down again this year. 

[yvonne]

I think ESPN has reduced the home field advantage for us. The Oregon fans who show up were going to take the day off anyhow. For us, it will be an after work game.

[yvonne]

I think ESPN has reduced the home field advantage for us. The Oregon fans who show up were going to take the day off anyhow. For us, it will be an after work game.

[stupac2]

I think ESPN has reduced the home field advantage for us. The Oregon fans who show up were going to take the day off anyhow. For us, it will be an after work game.

I think that could go both ways, it's easier to come to town for a Saturday night game, you might not need to miss any work at all. But a Thursday game means missing at least one day. Then again, I have no idea how many of the Ducks who show up are from Oregon (or some similarly distant place).

I'm still hopeful that we can continue our upward attendance trend, because at the end of the game in 2011 I'm pretty sure the Oregon fans were significantly louder than ours. Last year I don't think that ever came close to happening, and if it's going to happen it'll be against USC.

So I guess I'm not sure if it'll be reduced by all that much. And it ought to be a lot better than playing in Autzen...

[stupac2]

I think ESPN has reduced the home field advantage for us. The Oregon fans who show up were going to take the day off anyhow. For us, it will be an after work game.

I think that could go both ways, it's easier to come to town for a Saturday night game, you might not need to miss any work at all. But a Thursday game means missing at least one day. Then again, I have no idea how many of the Ducks who show up are from Oregon (or some similarly distant place).

I'm still hopeful that we can continue our upward attendance trend, because at the end of the game in 2011 I'm pretty sure the Oregon fans were significantly louder than ours. Last year I don't think that ever came close to happening, and if it's going to happen it'll be against USC.

So I guess I'm not sure if it'll be reduced by all that much. And it ought to be a lot better than playing in Autzen...

[washingtonismoney]

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

[washingtonismoney]

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

[76lsjumb]

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

I'll take "Stanford Sports" for $800, Alex.  And the question is:

"What is a post you won't be seeing in the "DAWKINS WATCH" thread any time soon? "

[76lsjumb]

https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

I'll take "Stanford Sports" for $800, Alex.  And the question is:

"What is a post you won't be seeing in the "DAWKINS WATCH" thread any time soon? "

[DC]

[quote author=washingtonismoney link=topic=7592.msg60105#msg60105 date=1363373456]
https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

I'll take "Stanford Sports" for $800, Alex.  And the question is:

"What is a post you won't be seeing in the "DAWKINS WATCH" thread any time soon? "
[/quote]

Johnny Dawkins is building a fine program at Stanford. He has a first-rate pedigree as an NBA guard and an assistant at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski, from whom he obviously has learned a lot. When he took over at Stanford, the cupboard was bare, with the Lopez twins having left early for the NBA.

Now Coach Dawkins has his own players, whom he has coached up and developed into fine-looking NBA prospects.  He always makes the most out of his talent.  Never has a Dawkins team ever quit, come unprepared to play, been unexciting to watch, or ever underachieved.  His teams simply do not beat themselves.  Stanford is always a tough out in the very talented and competitve PAC-12. Stanford is a program on the rise under the fine tutlege and leadership of Coach Dawkins. The excitement on campus is tremendous, and attendance has risen every year Dawkins has been coach. I would not be surprised to seem him surpass the legacy of the former great Stanford coach Mike Montgonery.

;D

[DC]

[quote author=washingtonismoney link=topic=7592.msg60105#msg60105 date=1363373456]
https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status...1996436480

"Season Ticket renewal rate 58% ahead of a year ago. Pace & excitement never been higher. Ride the train! http://bit.ly/Z3UCYh  #gostanford"

I'll take "Stanford Sports" for $800, Alex.  And the question is:

"What is a post you won't be seeing in the "DAWKINS WATCH" thread any time soon? "
[/quote]

Johnny Dawkins is building a fine program at Stanford. He has a first-rate pedigree as an NBA guard and an assistant at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski, from whom he obviously has learned a lot. When he took over at Stanford, the cupboard was bare, with the Lopez twins having left early for the NBA.

Now Coach Dawkins has his own players, whom he has coached up and developed into fine-looking NBA prospects.  He always makes the most out of his talent.  Never has a Dawkins team ever quit, come unprepared to play, been unexciting to watch, or ever underachieved.  His teams simply do not beat themselves.  Stanford is always a tough out in the very talented and competitve PAC-12. Stanford is a program on the rise under the fine tutlege and leadership of Coach Dawkins. The excitement on campus is tremendous, and attendance has risen every year Dawkins has been coach. I would not be surprised to seem him surpass the legacy of the former great Stanford coach Mike Montgonery.

;D