[DC 86]

I don't think we really viewed him as a legitimate QB and that ended up having really ugly results by the end of the season, which was frustrating because he was a proven legitimate QB at another school.

I'm not sure why we limited our use of Sanders as we did. Even in his designated packages it seemed as if he wasn't given any passing options and was strictly viewed as a wildcat runner, which defenses loaded up against.

But characterizing him as a "proven legitimate QB" is a stretch. He played at Air Force for three years and finished with four passing touchdowns and four interceptions. He split time with Donald Hammond in 2018 and then Hammond won the full time job in 2019. Indeed he played really well against UNLV and BSU as you said, but those are the only two games in his entire career in which he recorded over 200 total yards (passing + rushing). He only had two other games in his career in which he recorded over 100 total yards.

I do think he could have been used much more creatively at Stanford but there's no evidence to suggest that he was the solution to Stanford's quarterback problems. He wasn't a legitimate competitor to Davis Mills or Tanner McKee and as an option quarterback he would have required a fundamental restructuring of Stanford's offense. There are many legitimate criticisms of Shaw/Pritchard but usage of Sanders ranks pretty low for me.

[DC 86]

I don't think we really viewed him as a legitimate QB and that ended up having really ugly results by the end of the season, which was frustrating because he was a proven legitimate QB at another school.

I'm not sure why we limited our use of Sanders as we did. Even in his designated packages it seemed as if he wasn't given any passing options and was strictly viewed as a wildcat runner, which defenses loaded up against.

But characterizing him as a "proven legitimate QB" is a stretch. He played at Air Force for three years and finished with four passing touchdowns and four interceptions. He split time with Donald Hammond in 2018 and then Hammond won the full time job in 2019. Indeed he played really well against UNLV and BSU as you said, but those are the only two games in his entire career in which he recorded over 200 total yards (passing + rushing). He only had two other games in his career in which he recorded over 100 total yards.

I do think he could have been used much more creatively at Stanford but there's no evidence to suggest that he was the solution to Stanford's quarterback problems. He wasn't a legitimate competitor to Davis Mills or Tanner McKee and as an option quarterback he would have required a fundamental restructuring of Stanford's offense. There are many legitimate criticisms of Shaw/Pritchard but usage of Sanders ranks pretty low for me.