[terry]

A little bit of a stealth statistic is that Stepfan Taylor caught 41 passes last year, most by a Stanford running back since???? I couldn't find the answer.

So far as I can tell with a few minutes of research, Taylor's 41 receptions were the most by a Stanford RB since Glyn Milburn caught 41 passes in 1992. The last RB to have more than 41 receptions in a season was Milburn in 1990, when he caught 64. (Ethan Allen caught 52 passes in 1993, but he was a fullback rather than a running back.)

[These figures are adjusted to include stats of bowl games, pursuant to Stanford's new statistics policy.]

[terry]

A little bit of a stealth statistic is that Stepfan Taylor caught 41 passes last year, most by a Stanford running back since???? I couldn't find the answer.

So far as I can tell with a few minutes of research, Taylor's 41 receptions were the most by a Stanford RB since Glyn Milburn caught 41 passes in 1992. The last RB to have more than 41 receptions in a season was Milburn in 1990, when he caught 64. (Ethan Allen caught 52 passes in 1993, but he was a fullback rather than a running back.)

[These figures are adjusted to include stats of bowl games, pursuant to Stanford's new statistics policy.]

[needle]

Thanks for the answer, Terry.

[needle]

Thanks for the answer, Terry.

[akiddoc]

Wilkerson was/is no where near Taylor as a running back. People get too caught up in measurements instead of skill. Wilkerson just does not have the instinct that Taylor and Gaffney have. He constantly misses the hole or does not wait for the right instant to make the cut. Taylor just has that instinct, and it is one that you cannot teach. Also, Taylor and Gaffney can break tackles. Wilkerson seldom does. Wilkerson gets hurt more often as well. Probably not as flexible as Taylor.

[akiddoc]

Wilkerson was/is no where near Taylor as a running back. People get too caught up in measurements instead of skill. Wilkerson just does not have the instinct that Taylor and Gaffney have. He constantly misses the hole or does not wait for the right instant to make the cut. Taylor just has that instinct, and it is one that you cannot teach. Also, Taylor and Gaffney can break tackles. Wilkerson seldom does. Wilkerson gets hurt more often as well. Probably not as flexible as Taylor.

[AthleticsDynasty]

Wilkerson was/is no where near Taylor as a running back. People get too caught up in measurements instead of skill. Wilkerson just does not have the instinct that Taylor and Gaffney have. He constantly misses the hole or does not wait for the right instant to make the cut. Taylor just has that instinct, and it is one that you cannot teach. Also, Taylor and Gaffney can break tackles. Wilkerson seldom does. Wilkerson gets hurt more often as well. Probably not as flexible as Taylor.

Taylor has better vision and leg drive but Wilkerson is bigger and more explosive they are different I think the bigger and more explosive back is better for this years team. We'll see.

[AthleticsDynasty]

Wilkerson was/is no where near Taylor as a running back. People get too caught up in measurements instead of skill. Wilkerson just does not have the instinct that Taylor and Gaffney have. He constantly misses the hole or does not wait for the right instant to make the cut. Taylor just has that instinct, and it is one that you cannot teach. Also, Taylor and Gaffney can break tackles. Wilkerson seldom does. Wilkerson gets hurt more often as well. Probably not as flexible as Taylor.

Taylor has better vision and leg drive but Wilkerson is bigger and more explosive they are different I think the bigger and more explosive back is better for this years team. We'll see.

[TRD]

Any word about how Barry Sanders Jr is doing in practice this year?

[TRD]

Any word about how Barry Sanders Jr is doing in practice this year?

[Leftcoast]

Practices are closed so anything we hear is third or fourth hand and usually pretty guarded.  That being said, it sounds like Sanders needs to continue his strength building and improve his pass protection.  He is usually described as an elusive and promising runner as in the quote above. 

Stanford is deep at RB and pass protection is the price of entry to get on the field so negative comments in that area are hints his game time may be limited this year. 

[Leftcoast]

Practices are closed so anything we hear is third or fourth hand and usually pretty guarded.  That being said, it sounds like Sanders needs to continue his strength building and improve his pass protection.  He is usually described as an elusive and promising runner as in the quote above. 

Stanford is deep at RB and pass protection is the price of entry to get on the field so negative comments in that area are hints his game time may be limited this year. 

[JohnR34231]

Shaw has pretty much come out and said that while Sanders will get some action this year, it won't be a lot, and Gaffney and Wilkerson will  carry most of the load.

[JohnR34231]

Shaw has pretty much come out and said that while Sanders will get some action this year, it won't be a lot, and Gaffney and Wilkerson will  carry most of the load.

[fullmetal]

Sanders is listed at 5'10" and 192 lbs.  I don't imagine his blocking upside is any lower than Stepfan's (5'9", 214 lbs), but Sanders might need to pack on more muscle if he wants to block effectively.  I mean, Barry's an inch taller and giving up 22 lbs...not conducive to blocking pass rushers.

[fullmetal]

Sanders is listed at 5'10" and 192 lbs.  I don't imagine his blocking upside is any lower than Stepfan's (5'9", 214 lbs), but Sanders might need to pack on more muscle if he wants to block effectively.  I mean, Barry's an inch taller and giving up 22 lbs...not conducive to blocking pass rushers.

[yvonne]

Bulking up might reduce his ability to juke.

[yvonne]

Bulking up might reduce his ability to juke.

[fullmetal]

true, but sub-200lbs is less likely a recipe for solid pass-blocking.  linebackers, and even corners at speed would be very tough to fend off.

[fullmetal]

true, but sub-200lbs is less likely a recipe for solid pass-blocking.  linebackers, and even corners at speed would be very tough to fend off.

[81alum]

Sanders is listed at 5'10" and 192 lbs.  I don't imagine his blocking upside is any lower than Stepfan's (5'9", 214 lbs), but Sanders might need to pack on more muscle if he wants to block effectively.  I mean, Barry's an inch taller and giving up 22 lbs...not conducive to blocking pass rushers.

Darrin Nelson went through that transition too, although it was a different era with different weight requirements.

When Nelson left to be drafted he was listed as 5-9 and 184 lbs, but he was significantly lighter than that his frosh and sophomore years.  In those years he was more nimble and made more people miss.  After he sat out a year with injury he came back and had intentionally bulked up.  The rumors were that he wanted to get his body into NFL shape, and that NFL teams would not take the nimble light weight types, no matter how gaudy their college stats.   

As a fan, his running style was not as interesting in his junior and senior years.  He did a lot less of those wild reversals and juking and dodging, and he did some straight-ahead running that had been absent before.  His average did drop significantly (6.4 to 5.5 ypc), but he made up for it with greater reliability and becoming an even better receiver and blocker.

I, for one, would just like to see Sanders have some opportunities to show if he is like a sophomore Darrin Nelson.  Nelson, as I recall, was always a good pass blocker--even against much bigger players. 

[81alum]

Sanders is listed at 5'10" and 192 lbs.  I don't imagine his blocking upside is any lower than Stepfan's (5'9", 214 lbs), but Sanders might need to pack on more muscle if he wants to block effectively.  I mean, Barry's an inch taller and giving up 22 lbs...not conducive to blocking pass rushers.

Darrin Nelson went through that transition too, although it was a different era with different weight requirements.

When Nelson left to be drafted he was listed as 5-9 and 184 lbs, but he was significantly lighter than that his frosh and sophomore years.  In those years he was more nimble and made more people miss.  After he sat out a year with injury he came back and had intentionally bulked up.  The rumors were that he wanted to get his body into NFL shape, and that NFL teams would not take the nimble light weight types, no matter how gaudy their college stats.   

As a fan, his running style was not as interesting in his junior and senior years.  He did a lot less of those wild reversals and juking and dodging, and he did some straight-ahead running that had been absent before.  His average did drop significantly (6.4 to 5.5 ypc), but he made up for it with greater reliability and becoming an even better receiver and blocker.

I, for one, would just like to see Sanders have some opportunities to show if he is like a sophomore Darrin Nelson.  Nelson, as I recall, was always a good pass blocker--even against much bigger players. 

[fullmetal]

Interesting comparison.  And yes, ideally, we'd like to see the best of both worlds--solid enough pass-blocking to satisfy Shaw's requirements for starting RB blocking proficiency on top of the legendary Sanders family human joystick abilities :)

There's a lot of talent at RB for Stanford to develop and use.

[fullmetal]

Interesting comparison.  And yes, ideally, we'd like to see the best of both worlds--solid enough pass-blocking to satisfy Shaw's requirements for starting RB blocking proficiency on top of the legendary Sanders family human joystick abilities :)

There's a lot of talent at RB for Stanford to develop and use.

[Redrum]

I don't think the coaches are being too picky by emphasizing blocking ability.  How many times did we see a play start, see the blitzing backer find a gap and then he'd just disappear, cut down by Taylor?  If Barry Sanders can't do that, but Gaffney, Wright, Seal, Christian McCaffrey et al can, that's a very good reason to give them the carries.

[Redrum]

I don't think the coaches are being too picky by emphasizing blocking ability.  How many times did we see a play start, see the blitzing backer find a gap and then he'd just disappear, cut down by Taylor?  If Barry Sanders can't do that, but Gaffney, Wright, Seal, Christian McCaffrey et al can, that's a very good reason to give them the carries.

[GoodGrief]

I don't think the coaches are being too picky by emphasizing blocking ability.  How many times did we see a play start, see the blitzing backer find a gap and then he'd just disappear, cut down by Taylor?  If Barry Sanders can't do that, but Gaffney, Wright, Seal, Christian McCaffrey et al can, that's a very good reason to give them the carries.

Yeah, I'm all for flashy razzle-dazzle, but we had two fantastic injury-free years of Andrew Luck largely because not-flashy Stepfan was there to dive at defenders legs and upend him.

[GoodGrief]

I don't think the coaches are being too picky by emphasizing blocking ability.  How many times did we see a play start, see the blitzing backer find a gap and then he'd just disappear, cut down by Taylor?  If Barry Sanders can't do that, but Gaffney, Wright, Seal, Christian McCaffrey et al can, that's a very good reason to give them the carries.

Yeah, I'm all for flashy razzle-dazzle, but we had two fantastic injury-free years of Andrew Luck largely because not-flashy Stepfan was there to dive at defenders legs and upend him.