[OutsiderFan]

Everyone who follows this stuff closely knows how critical DL were to land in the 2015 class and how many Stanford has missed on.  Here's a class-by-class inventory of DL for 2015 as of now, as far as I can read it:

Senior*  Shittu** Callihan** Hayes  Kaumatule  Yazdi 
Junior    Watkins Lohn
Soph      Phillips (Can fill in at NT in certain situations, but not a starter there)
Frosh    Thomas  Annan**

* Last year of eligibility
** Legit NT possibility

As of now, Stanford has 10 DL slated to be on the roster in 2015.  Half of them will be gone after the 2015 season.  Even if Stanford lands another DL in this class, the Soph and Junior classes are scary small and unproven.

[OutsiderFan]

Everyone who follows this stuff closely knows how critical DL were to land in the 2015 class and how many Stanford has missed on.  Here's a class-by-class inventory of DL for 2015 as of now, as far as I can read it:

Senior*  Shittu** Callihan** Hayes  Kaumatule  Yazdi 
Junior    Watkins Lohn
Soph      Phillips (Can fill in at NT in certain situations, but not a starter there)
Frosh    Thomas  Annan**

* Last year of eligibility
** Legit NT possibility

As of now, Stanford has 10 DL slated to be on the roster in 2015.  Half of them will be gone after the 2015 season.  Even if Stanford lands another DL in this class, the Soph and Junior classes are scary small and unproven.

[StannyBoy]

Dylan Jackson is a must get.

[StannyBoy]

Dylan Jackson is a must get.

[TrumpCard]

We haven't seen Sean Barton is a while.  Maybe he gained 70 pounds of mostly good weight.

[TrumpCard]

We haven't seen Sean Barton is a while.  Maybe he gained 70 pounds of mostly good weight.

[StannyBoy]

Barton could have added a few inches. I remember his dad saying he was pretty tall. I think he said he was 6 foot 6. Was 2 years ago so don't remember exactly.

[StannyBoy]

Barton could have added a few inches. I remember his dad saying he was pretty tall. I think he said he was 6 foot 6. Was 2 years ago so don't remember exactly.

[Fresbone]

Maybe this is a placed where we need to look to junior colleges.

[Fresbone]

Maybe this is a placed where we need to look to junior colleges.

[Stymie]

Is there any reason we can't go to a 4-3, maximizing Thomas and Phillip's skills and bringing some of our surfeit of strong OLB's into play, or are we just stuck in the middle with a 3-4 mentality?

Just asking.

[Stymie]

Is there any reason we can't go to a 4-3, maximizing Thomas and Phillip's skills and bringing some of our surfeit of strong OLB's into play, or are we just stuck in the middle with a 3-4 mentality?

Just asking.

[StannyBoy]

A move to a 4-3 is possible. Notre Dame did it last season.

[StannyBoy]

A move to a 4-3 is possible. Notre Dame did it last season.

[OutsiderFan]

A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Annan
LDT: Phillips - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Annan
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

[OutsiderFan]

A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Annan
LDT: Phillips - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Annan
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

[donkey687]

We may play a lot of nickel that only requires two true DL

[donkey687]

We may play a lot of nickel that only requires two true DL

[BostonCard]

Is there any reason we can't go to a 4-3, maximizing Thomas and Phillip's skills and bringing some of our surfeit of strong OLB's into play, or are we just stuck in the middle with a 3-4 mentality?

Just asking.

The reason we went from a 4-3 to a 3-4 initially was the difficulty in recruiting defensive tackles.  A 3-4 allows you to get by with one true NT, while in a 4-3, you need two DT's.  Of course, in a 3-4, you need oversized defensive ends, while a 4-3 would allow you to use a rush end that we currently employ as an OLB.  Still, it seems that we are able to recruit linebackers a bit easier than defensive linemen, so a 3-4 is probably a better match for us.

As someone else noted, we probably spend more snaps in a nickel than in the base offense, which reduces the impact of our dearth of defensive linemen.  We are doing fine in defensive backs and athletic linebackers.

BC

[BostonCard]

Is there any reason we can't go to a 4-3, maximizing Thomas and Phillip's skills and bringing some of our surfeit of strong OLB's into play, or are we just stuck in the middle with a 3-4 mentality?

Just asking.

The reason we went from a 4-3 to a 3-4 initially was the difficulty in recruiting defensive tackles.  A 3-4 allows you to get by with one true NT, while in a 4-3, you need two DT's.  Of course, in a 3-4, you need oversized defensive ends, while a 4-3 would allow you to use a rush end that we currently employ as an OLB.  Still, it seems that we are able to recruit linebackers a bit easier than defensive linemen, so a 3-4 is probably a better match for us.

As someone else noted, we probably spend more snaps in a nickel than in the base offense, which reduces the impact of our dearth of defensive linemen.  We are doing fine in defensive backs and athletic linebackers.

BC

[StannyBoy]

A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Phillips
LDT: Hayes - Yazdi
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Hayes
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

Both the above depth charts assume no true frosh DL plays in 2015.  However, given the depth issues after 2015, it might actually not be a bad idea to get the true frosh DL playing in 2015.

Hayes can't start next year if he isn't going to be on the team. And Thomas would never start over Kalambayi at DE.

[StannyBoy]

A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Phillips
LDT: Hayes - Yazdi
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Hayes
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

Both the above depth charts assume no true frosh DL plays in 2015.  However, given the depth issues after 2015, it might actually not be a bad idea to get the true frosh DL playing in 2015.

Hayes can't start next year if he isn't going to be on the team. And Thomas would never start over Kalambayi at DE.

[BostonCard]

I think it has been about 20 years.  I believe the last true* Juco transfer was Greg Clark in 1996.

BC

* I say "true" Juco transfer because we've had one or two guys transfer from another program via a junior college.  Most recently, it was Konrad Reuland who sat out a year at Saddleback college after transferring from Notre Dame.

[BostonCard]

I think it has been about 20 years.  I believe the last true* Juco transfer was Greg Clark in 1996.

BC

* I say "true" Juco transfer because we've had one or two guys transfer from another program via a junior college.  Most recently, it was Konrad Reuland who sat out a year at Saddleback college after transferring from Notre Dame.

[BobK]

Well actually Zimmerman from Santa Clara to Foothill to Stanford and Konrad Rueland from ND to JC to Stanford.  But for Stanford 2001 a baseball player who never played. 

[BobK]

Well actually Zimmerman from Santa Clara to Foothill to Stanford and Konrad Rueland from ND to JC to Stanford.  But for Stanford 2001 a baseball player who never played. 

[TrumpCard]

I was going to say that I knew a non-athlete transfer from a juco who was more recent.  Then I remembered that I am actually older than I think. >:(

[TrumpCard]

I was going to say that I knew a non-athlete transfer from a juco who was more recent.  Then I remembered that I am actually older than I think. >:(

[OutsiderFan]

[quote author=OutsiderFan link=topic=11585.msg111356#msg111356 date=1421874917]
A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Annan
LDT: Phillips - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

Hayes can't start next year if he isn't going to be on the team. And Thomas would never start over Kalambayi at DE.
[/quote]

OK, replaced Hayes with Callihan/Annan.  As for Thomas not starting over Kalambayi, I'm considering Kalambayi a WDE and Thomas a SDE.  When you look at it, Stanford is probably better off with a 3-4 this year due to the make-up of the roster, specifically the lack of big bodies to have depth at DT.

[OutsiderFan]

[quote author=OutsiderFan link=topic=11585.msg111356#msg111356 date=1421874917]
A 4-3 might actually make some sense.  A possible 4-3 depth chart:

RDE: Anderson - Kalambayi
RDT: Shittu - Annan
LDT: Phillips - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Kuamatule
SLB: Davis - Okereke
MLB: Martinez - Palma
WLB: Alfieri - Perez

But a projected 3-4 isn't horrible.  As suggested in the original post, it's 2016 and 2017 that are scary thin on the DL.

RDE:Phillips - Kaumatule
NT: Shittu - Callihan
LDE: Thomas - Watkins
ROLB: Kalambayi - Tyler
RILB:  Martinez - Davis
LILB: Palma - Davis
LOLB: Anderson - Alfieri

Hayes can't start next year if he isn't going to be on the team. And Thomas would never start over Kalambayi at DE.
[/quote]

OK, replaced Hayes with Callihan/Annan.  As for Thomas not starting over Kalambayi, I'm considering Kalambayi a WDE and Thomas a SDE.  When you look at it, Stanford is probably better off with a 3-4 this year due to the make-up of the roster, specifically the lack of big bodies to have depth at DT.

[BostonCard]

[quote author=TrumpCard link=topic=11585.msg111384#msg111384 date=1421882480]
I was going to say that I knew a non-athlete transfer from a juco who was more recent.  Then I remembered that I am actually older than I think. >:(

Well I had a friend and frat brother who went to Menlo School (?) before getting in.  Does that count?  He was a walk-on sexual athlete I think.
[/quote]

I can't wait for CowboyIndian to come on... unless you meant that.

BC

[BostonCard]

[quote author=TrumpCard link=topic=11585.msg111384#msg111384 date=1421882480]
I was going to say that I knew a non-athlete transfer from a juco who was more recent.  Then I remembered that I am actually older than I think. >:(

Well I had a friend and frat brother who went to Menlo School (?) before getting in.  Does that count?  He was a walk-on sexual athlete I think.
[/quote]

I can't wait for CowboyIndian to come on... unless you meant that.

BC

[BobK]

I know two transfers from Foothill about 2005 or so.   

[BobK]

I know two transfers from Foothill about 2005 or so.   

[socalstanfan1]

In Randy Hart We Trust.  Somehow, I figure that Hart and the rest of the coaching staff will figure things out, whether it means a combination of running more 4-3 to lessen the wear-and-tear on a NT, or switching over a willing OL to NT. 

But the failure to land several of our targets is troublesome.

[socalstanfan1]

In Randy Hart We Trust.  Somehow, I figure that Hart and the rest of the coaching staff will figure things out, whether it means a combination of running more 4-3 to lessen the wear-and-tear on a NT, or switching over a willing OL to NT. 

But the failure to land several of our targets is troublesome.

[BobK]

Or we continue to run a 2-4-5 half the time. 

[BobK]

Or we continue to run a 2-4-5 half the time. 

[SUBuddha]

Not more recent, but I do believe Ryan Wetnight was a JUCO transfer in the early '90's as well.

[SUBuddha]

Not more recent, but I do believe Ryan Wetnight was a JUCO transfer in the early '90's as well.