[gailtate]

Conditioning.

Injuries.

Stupid mistakes.

Complacency.

Heart.

All disasters today and thus far this season.

Can he fix it? Will he even try? Complacency seems to start at the top with our program these days.
[/quote]

He could fix it, but it would require more change that I think he's willing to make:
- He needs new DC & OC. The OC needs to come from outside the Stanford family and needs to be given full playcalling authority. DC should too.
- He needs a new recruiting leader
- He needs some position coaches who will coach up nastiness
- He need to hire the next Turley

That'd be for starters. If we got one of these I'd consider it a major step forward.
[/quote]

Correct, winflop.  In my view, Shaw has created a far too cozy family coaching culture, by promoting from within and not seeking outside talent.  This is his biggest mistake.  The right coaches turn 3 star players into 4 star players; and the 4-5 star players become superstars.  The opposite dynamic now appears to plague us: talented players that cannot seem to pull it together.  If anybody doubts this, ask yourself which coach on the current staff would be seriously targeted by another FBS program for a bigger job.  Maybe Pete Alamar.  Maybe.  After that, no one.  In the past, Harbaugh's and Shaw's lieutenants were always getting poached: Fangio, Mason, Hamilton, even Bloomgren.  Ultimately, it all comes down to the coaches.  As successful as Shaw has been, what will his coaching tree ultimately look like?  Truly successful organizations spawn talented leaders.  We have ceased to do this.  And that is the ultimate cause of our downward trajectory and hits everything: recruiting, player development, game preparation, work ethic, toughness, etc.  Harbaugh may have been the man who instilled "intellectual brutality" into Stanford football; but his most important accomplishment was assembling an excellent coaching staff, which has unfortunately atrophied since his departure.  Until Shaw fixes this, the downward spiral will continue.
[/quote] I too agee that Shaw has created an atmosphere of family rather than going after a new breed of coaching style. And that maybe ,Duane and Pete might be reached out to by other programs, but really, he is not recruiting the Harbaugh type guy and the toughness is gone. Passion is missing and offensive creativity is missing. Tavita is not the guy to diagram X's and O's. Very sad to see this program beginning to head towards the pre-Harbaugh era. Also, if you lookout K.J. junior highlights at Santa Margarita his passes were crisp and on target. He did not sling the ball as he does now which prompts me to think he has shoulder issues. Lastly, why are freshman in other power 5 programs stepping into starting positions when it takes our QB 3 years to "master the offense"?? Very disappointing. I do not mind losing games when we play entertaining fun  to watch offense...
[/quote]

I will take a boring win over an exciting loss every time. In 50 years, I've never walked out of the stadium after a loss, feeling compensated just because I saw lots of scoring and gadget plays.BTW, Harbaugh destroyed the myth of the "limited pool"of recruits (which is code for recruiting hamstrung by ineffective recruiting strategies and tactics). With the right head coach and staff, Stanford can recruit the Gerharts, Gaffneys, Taylors, Hogans, Skovs, Murphys, Thomases, DeCastros, Ertzes, Fleeners, JJAWs, Cajustes, etc., etc., etc. Every Year. But only IF it chooses to expend the effort to identify and pursue them. With CHAMPIONSHIPS in mind. These efforts--and this mindset--are no longer operative and I see no evidence that David Shaw is the leader to make it happen. The trend is there for all to see.

[gailtate]

Conditioning.

Injuries.

Stupid mistakes.

Complacency.

Heart.

All disasters today and thus far this season.

Can he fix it? Will he even try? Complacency seems to start at the top with our program these days.
[/quote]

He could fix it, but it would require more change that I think he's willing to make:
- He needs new DC & OC. The OC needs to come from outside the Stanford family and needs to be given full playcalling authority. DC should too.
- He needs a new recruiting leader
- He needs some position coaches who will coach up nastiness
- He need to hire the next Turley

That'd be for starters. If we got one of these I'd consider it a major step forward.
[/quote]

Correct, winflop.  In my view, Shaw has created a far too cozy family coaching culture, by promoting from within and not seeking outside talent.  This is his biggest mistake.  The right coaches turn 3 star players into 4 star players; and the 4-5 star players become superstars.  The opposite dynamic now appears to plague us: talented players that cannot seem to pull it together.  If anybody doubts this, ask yourself which coach on the current staff would be seriously targeted by another FBS program for a bigger job.  Maybe Pete Alamar.  Maybe.  After that, no one.  In the past, Harbaugh's and Shaw's lieutenants were always getting poached: Fangio, Mason, Hamilton, even Bloomgren.  Ultimately, it all comes down to the coaches.  As successful as Shaw has been, what will his coaching tree ultimately look like?  Truly successful organizations spawn talented leaders.  We have ceased to do this.  And that is the ultimate cause of our downward trajectory and hits everything: recruiting, player development, game preparation, work ethic, toughness, etc.  Harbaugh may have been the man who instilled "intellectual brutality" into Stanford football; but his most important accomplishment was assembling an excellent coaching staff, which has unfortunately atrophied since his departure.  Until Shaw fixes this, the downward spiral will continue.
[/quote] I too agee that Shaw has created an atmosphere of family rather than going after a new breed of coaching style. And that maybe ,Duane and Pete might be reached out to by other programs, but really, he is not recruiting the Harbaugh type guy and the toughness is gone. Passion is missing and offensive creativity is missing. Tavita is not the guy to diagram X's and O's. Very sad to see this program beginning to head towards the pre-Harbaugh era. Also, if you lookout K.J. junior highlights at Santa Margarita his passes were crisp and on target. He did not sling the ball as he does now which prompts me to think he has shoulder issues. Lastly, why are freshman in other power 5 programs stepping into starting positions when it takes our QB 3 years to "master the offense"?? Very disappointing. I do not mind losing games when we play entertaining fun  to watch offense...
[/quote]

I will take a boring win over an exciting loss every time. In 50 years, I've never walked out of the stadium after a loss, feeling compensated just because I saw lots of scoring and gadget plays.BTW, Harbaugh destroyed the myth of the "limited pool"of recruits (which is code for recruiting hamstrung by ineffective recruiting strategies and tactics). With the right head coach and staff, Stanford can recruit the Gerharts, Gaffneys, Taylors, Hogans, Skovs, Murphys, Thomases, DeCastros, Ertzes, Fleeners, JJAWs, Cajustes, etc., etc., etc. Every Year. But only IF it chooses to expend the effort to identify and pursue them. With CHAMPIONSHIPS in mind. These efforts--and this mindset--are no longer operative and I see no evidence that David Shaw is the leader to make it happen. The trend is there for all to see.