[Langdude]

I don't think that all these comments about suddenly this year opposing teams are selling out to stop our run game are remotely true, and doubt Shaw really believes it. While it's true that the scheme SDSU runs is unique, it looks to me as if their approach last year was basically the same. More broadly, every team that plays Stanford for a decade now believes that first and foremost their job is to stop our run game. There are wrinkles of course, there always are - but fundamentally Stanford is seeing what Stanford teams have seen for some time. 

Thus, my take is that right now Shaw believes that the OL needs some bucking up of their confidence. Thus the comments about extreme defensive approaches, "it's my fault for being stubborn", etc. are more about trying to protect the individuals on the line more than a candid evaluation of the problems and intended solutions.

I agree. I think other teams in years past have "sold out" to stop the run, too. I would be amazed if opposing coaches suddenly realized this year, "Hey! We just need to move up the safeties! I wish I would have thought of that when McCaffrey played!" I think that long runs by Love and CM most definitely inflated stats against stacked boxes. But I also think this year's version of the OL has lacked push and discipline, at least to my admittedly-amateur eye. Obviously, injuries compound the problem, as does a new FB.

-m.

[Langdude]

I don't think that all these comments about suddenly this year opposing teams are selling out to stop our run game are remotely true, and doubt Shaw really believes it. While it's true that the scheme SDSU runs is unique, it looks to me as if their approach last year was basically the same. More broadly, every team that plays Stanford for a decade now believes that first and foremost their job is to stop our run game. There are wrinkles of course, there always are - but fundamentally Stanford is seeing what Stanford teams have seen for some time. 

Thus, my take is that right now Shaw believes that the OL needs some bucking up of their confidence. Thus the comments about extreme defensive approaches, "it's my fault for being stubborn", etc. are more about trying to protect the individuals on the line more than a candid evaluation of the problems and intended solutions.

I agree. I think other teams in years past have "sold out" to stop the run, too. I would be amazed if opposing coaches suddenly realized this year, "Hey! We just need to move up the safeties! I wish I would have thought of that when McCaffrey played!" I think that long runs by Love and CM most definitely inflated stats against stacked boxes. But I also think this year's version of the OL has lacked push and discipline, at least to my admittedly-amateur eye. Obviously, injuries compound the problem, as does a new FB.

-m.