[CTcard]

1.  CT, let's see where the season numbers end up (we have some good defenses awaiting the Cardinal) - and nice job cherry picking the 2 best other seasons;

This year's numbers may get better, or may get worse, but weren't really the crux of the post - just thrown in because some may be interested.

You picked the two best of the Willingham years. He coached at Stanford for seven years.
To compare, I picked the two best of Shaw's first six years, which not only seems to be the appropriate comparison, but I stated exactly that I picked the two best Shaw years.


If you wish to compare all years of Willingham vs Shaw, those are listed below. It's not all that close.

Willingham*
1995: 381 yds/gm; 5.42 yds/play; 58% run plays; 73.2 plays/gm; 28.7 pts/gm
1996: 330 yds/gm; 4.62 yds/play; 53% run plays; 68.4 plays/gm; 20.6 pts/gm
1997: 363 yds/gm; 5.01 yds/play; 51% run plays; 72.4 plays/gm; 25.1 pts/gm
1998: 395 yds/gm; 5.06 yds/play; 40% run plays; 78.1 plays/gm; 23.7 pts/gm
1999: 450 yds/gm; 6.48 yds/play; 51% run plays; 72.1 plays/gm; 34.8 pts/gm
2000: 376 yds/gm; 4.94 yds/play; 54% run plays; 76.1 plays/gm; 23.7 pts/gm
2001: 443 yds/gm; 5.91 yds/play; 60% run plays; 76.4 plays.gm; 35.2 pts/gm

* yds/gm and pts/gm numbers come from Stanford media guide and include bowls. Other numbers come from sportsreference.com, and do not include bowls per NCAA policy.

Shaw
2011: 489 yds/gm; 6.80 yds/play; 55% run plays; 71.9 plays/gm; 43.2 pts/gm
2012: 374 yds/gm; 5.53 yds/play; 58% run plays; 67.7 plays/gm; 27.9 pts/gm
2013: 406 yds/gm; 6.35 yds/play; 65% run plays; 63.9 plays/gm; 32.3 pts/gm
2014: 389 yds/gm; 5.89 yds/play; 55% run plays; 66.0 plays/gm; 27.2 pts/gm
2015: 436 yds/gm; 6.57 yds/play; 66% run plays; 66.3 plays/gm; 37.8 pts/gm
2016: 367 yds/gm; 5.77 yds/play; 63% run plays; 63.6 plays/gm; 26.3 pts/gm
2017: 457 yds/gm; 7.61 yds/play; 56% run plays; 59.9 plays/gm; 38.1 pts/gm


[Most of these stats are best considered on a per drive basis, but I don't know how to find those pre-2007.]

[CTcard]

1.  CT, let's see where the season numbers end up (we have some good defenses awaiting the Cardinal) - and nice job cherry picking the 2 best other seasons;

This year's numbers may get better, or may get worse, but weren't really the crux of the post - just thrown in because some may be interested.

You picked the two best of the Willingham years. He coached at Stanford for seven years.
To compare, I picked the two best of Shaw's first six years, which not only seems to be the appropriate comparison, but I stated exactly that I picked the two best Shaw years.


If you wish to compare all years of Willingham vs Shaw, those are listed below. It's not all that close.

Willingham*
1995: 381 yds/gm; 5.42 yds/play; 58% run plays; 73.2 plays/gm; 28.7 pts/gm
1996: 330 yds/gm; 4.62 yds/play; 53% run plays; 68.4 plays/gm; 20.6 pts/gm
1997: 363 yds/gm; 5.01 yds/play; 51% run plays; 72.4 plays/gm; 25.1 pts/gm
1998: 395 yds/gm; 5.06 yds/play; 40% run plays; 78.1 plays/gm; 23.7 pts/gm
1999: 450 yds/gm; 6.48 yds/play; 51% run plays; 72.1 plays/gm; 34.8 pts/gm
2000: 376 yds/gm; 4.94 yds/play; 54% run plays; 76.1 plays/gm; 23.7 pts/gm
2001: 443 yds/gm; 5.91 yds/play; 60% run plays; 76.4 plays.gm; 35.2 pts/gm

* yds/gm and pts/gm numbers come from Stanford media guide and include bowls. Other numbers come from sportsreference.com, and do not include bowls per NCAA policy.

Shaw
2011: 489 yds/gm; 6.80 yds/play; 55% run plays; 71.9 plays/gm; 43.2 pts/gm
2012: 374 yds/gm; 5.53 yds/play; 58% run plays; 67.7 plays/gm; 27.9 pts/gm
2013: 406 yds/gm; 6.35 yds/play; 65% run plays; 63.9 plays/gm; 32.3 pts/gm
2014: 389 yds/gm; 5.89 yds/play; 55% run plays; 66.0 plays/gm; 27.2 pts/gm
2015: 436 yds/gm; 6.57 yds/play; 66% run plays; 66.3 plays/gm; 37.8 pts/gm
2016: 367 yds/gm; 5.77 yds/play; 63% run plays; 63.6 plays/gm; 26.3 pts/gm
2017: 457 yds/gm; 7.61 yds/play; 56% run plays; 59.9 plays/gm; 38.1 pts/gm


[Most of these stats are best considered on a per drive basis, but I don't know how to find those pre-2007.]