09-14-2019, 07:00 PM
(09-14-2019, 06:51 PM)cardcrimson Wrote: Not sure if it was planned or not, but a decade or so, Stanford seemed to put together a very viable competitive strategy.
Offensive linemen tend to be the smartest players on the field. Defensive linemen tend to be the smartest on D (per several studies--google it). Harbaugh built the program around really good linemen that could get into, and would be attracted to, a school like Stanford. We were line focused and line driven--what prospect wouldn't want to play in that scheme? After the line, he filled in the rest of the team with smart kids, with talent sure, but a lot of heart--kids that were incredibly driven (like Shayne Skov).
It worked then. And could still work now. Own the line of scrimmage. That's where the smart kids are.
Absolutely OL play is most important to winning football. But effective OL play is very hard to achieve. I'm not sure how Harbaugh did it but he had the OL playing great at Stanford and then he did it again in his early years as 49ers coach.
Before Harbaugh did Stanford coaches such as Wiggin, Elway, Green, Willingham etc... produce good , effective OL play? It's very hard to do.