10-30-2011, 07:08 AM
Wow. 56-48.
If someone had told me before the game that Stanford would have zero sacks on Barkley and score less than 30 in regulation, I would have surely predicted a loss.
But as much as we can all see the difficulty this defense has with certain things (LBs shedding blocks, secondary struggling to tackle large and athletic guys past the line of scrimmage, our best cover guys consistenly a half-step to a full step slower than the best Pac-12 wideouts), it's time to praise the defense for being a high-effort, opportunistic bunch. We'll see how much of a difference Howell makes if he starts against Oregon. I'm optimistic he can do a lot to stop those plays of 20+ yards.
As a fan, I had steeled myself for defeat when Luck threw the INT returned for a TD. I thought, well, if USC gets this one, they will have earned it. On the last play, I smiled, sure, but it wasn't until I saw the guys running around and jumping for joy that I realized I was being a grump. This is a great victory in a gutty game won by a bunch of guys who overcame various injuries at times and certainly fatigue (both mental and physical) to outlast a determined opponent.
*I give Shaw a C on time management, which is always one of those great unknowns for a first-year coach. Circumstances worked out well for the team on Stanford's final drive in regulation, but he had already burned a timeout while considering the 4th down decision earlier in the game. Kiffin gets a D, however, for running out of time on SC's final drive while still having one timeout to burn (no, you can't count on getting the benefit of the doubt when you're trying to call a timeout with one second left on the clock, and you were wrong to call such a slow-developing play at the end).
*Chris Owusu, this game has been terribly unkind to you. All Stanford fans want you to have a healthy and normal life far more than score another TD or make an electric kickoff return. It's time to think wisely about the future, but you have sacrificed plenty. Maybe I'm making too much of things...but maybe I'm not.
*Ty Montgomery is a MAN. This kid is going to be a good one. Whalen looked pretty good to me, as well. It's a solid group, with or without Owusu.
*Watching Toilolo and Fleener in OT, it was just men vs. boys.
*I liked the playcalling by Shaw, overall (I missed most of the first half). The trick stuff generally worked, and that's a great credit to the players for executing.
*Let's give our backup FG kicker some CREDIT. 2-2 on FGs, perfect on six PATs in a very intense, pressure-packed game in a hostile environment.
*Both Barkley and Luck had some throws I'm sure they'd like to have back, but Luck was great on the last drive in regulation and
All in all, after Washington I was down on our chances against Ore. because of poor tackling. Someone posted this game was played with house money as far as the Rose Bowl goal, and I think that's the proper view. But anytime a team (and a coach) can keep their head and come back from 10 points down in the second half to win on the road against a good opponent, you should think more highly of them than before.
If someone had told me before the game that Stanford would have zero sacks on Barkley and score less than 30 in regulation, I would have surely predicted a loss.
But as much as we can all see the difficulty this defense has with certain things (LBs shedding blocks, secondary struggling to tackle large and athletic guys past the line of scrimmage, our best cover guys consistenly a half-step to a full step slower than the best Pac-12 wideouts), it's time to praise the defense for being a high-effort, opportunistic bunch. We'll see how much of a difference Howell makes if he starts against Oregon. I'm optimistic he can do a lot to stop those plays of 20+ yards.
As a fan, I had steeled myself for defeat when Luck threw the INT returned for a TD. I thought, well, if USC gets this one, they will have earned it. On the last play, I smiled, sure, but it wasn't until I saw the guys running around and jumping for joy that I realized I was being a grump. This is a great victory in a gutty game won by a bunch of guys who overcame various injuries at times and certainly fatigue (both mental and physical) to outlast a determined opponent.
*I give Shaw a C on time management, which is always one of those great unknowns for a first-year coach. Circumstances worked out well for the team on Stanford's final drive in regulation, but he had already burned a timeout while considering the 4th down decision earlier in the game. Kiffin gets a D, however, for running out of time on SC's final drive while still having one timeout to burn (no, you can't count on getting the benefit of the doubt when you're trying to call a timeout with one second left on the clock, and you were wrong to call such a slow-developing play at the end).
*Chris Owusu, this game has been terribly unkind to you. All Stanford fans want you to have a healthy and normal life far more than score another TD or make an electric kickoff return. It's time to think wisely about the future, but you have sacrificed plenty. Maybe I'm making too much of things...but maybe I'm not.
*Ty Montgomery is a MAN. This kid is going to be a good one. Whalen looked pretty good to me, as well. It's a solid group, with or without Owusu.
*Watching Toilolo and Fleener in OT, it was just men vs. boys.
*I liked the playcalling by Shaw, overall (I missed most of the first half). The trick stuff generally worked, and that's a great credit to the players for executing.
*Let's give our backup FG kicker some CREDIT. 2-2 on FGs, perfect on six PATs in a very intense, pressure-packed game in a hostile environment.
*Both Barkley and Luck had some throws I'm sure they'd like to have back, but Luck was great on the last drive in regulation and
All in all, after Washington I was down on our chances against Ore. because of poor tackling. Someone posted this game was played with house money as far as the Rose Bowl goal, and I think that's the proper view. But anytime a team (and a coach) can keep their head and come back from 10 points down in the second half to win on the road against a good opponent, you should think more highly of them than before.