[CTcard]

 We tried the more four man front thing against Oregon State, Cal, and Notre Dame. Against Oregon State, the run defense was effective and the pass defense was a disaster, albeit without Kelly, McGill, and Manley. Against Cal, we had possibly the worst defensive game in Stanford history and, notably, possibly the worst run defense game in Stanford history. Against Notre Dame, the run defense was actually a relative triumph to end the season but pass defense was a disaster. 

At the end of last season, as I got busy and the team quit, I quit paying my usual level of attention. Your note made me go back to those last games. 
The description looks quite accurate. 

I'd say the run defense against OSU was the best showing of that group. OSU was a good running team last year, and we held them to well under their season average yds/carry. 
UND was not a very good running team. We didn't hold them below their average in yds/carry or yds/game, but did do better than UNC, UVa, or Ga Tech. So, being better than anybody on any bit of the defense was probably a relative success. 

I was originally thinking your cal comment (worst defensive game in Stanford history) was likely a strong exaggeration, but then I started looking at numbers. 
It was the most yds/play (9.97) given up since at least the 2008 season, by a lot. 
It was the most yds/game (628) given up since at least the 2008 season, but just barely (Oregon had 626 in 2010).
All time that would be the eighth most yards given up in a game in Stanford history. I don't think I can find number of plays in most of those. 
[The most yards given up was ASU in 1981 at 743, where legendary quarterback Make Pagel threw for 511 yards against us, Elway got hurt but combined with Steve Cottrell for a Stanford record 581 passing yards. Here is a Jim Rutter look back at that crazy game: ASU 1981]

Bottom line, is that cal game is at least in the running for the worst defensive performance in the history of Stanford football. 
Part of that is cal wasn't a particularly good offensive team: #7 in the conference in both yds/game and yds/play; #76 nationally in yds/game, #60 yds/play. 
Yuck.

[CTcard]

 We tried the more four man front thing against Oregon State, Cal, and Notre Dame. Against Oregon State, the run defense was effective and the pass defense was a disaster, albeit without Kelly, McGill, and Manley. Against Cal, we had possibly the worst defensive game in Stanford history and, notably, possibly the worst run defense game in Stanford history. Against Notre Dame, the run defense was actually a relative triumph to end the season but pass defense was a disaster. 

At the end of last season, as I got busy and the team quit, I quit paying my usual level of attention. Your note made me go back to those last games. 
The description looks quite accurate. 

I'd say the run defense against OSU was the best showing of that group. OSU was a good running team last year, and we held them to well under their season average yds/carry. 
UND was not a very good running team. We didn't hold them below their average in yds/carry or yds/game, but did do better than UNC, UVa, or Ga Tech. So, being better than anybody on any bit of the defense was probably a relative success. 

I was originally thinking your cal comment (worst defensive game in Stanford history) was likely a strong exaggeration, but then I started looking at numbers. 
It was the most yds/play (9.97) given up since at least the 2008 season, by a lot. 
It was the most yds/game (628) given up since at least the 2008 season, but just barely (Oregon had 626 in 2010).
All time that would be the eighth most yards given up in a game in Stanford history. I don't think I can find number of plays in most of those. 
[The most yards given up was ASU in 1981 at 743, where legendary quarterback Make Pagel threw for 511 yards against us, Elway got hurt but combined with Steve Cottrell for a Stanford record 581 passing yards. Here is a Jim Rutter look back at that crazy game: ASU 1981]

Bottom line, is that cal game is at least in the running for the worst defensive performance in the history of Stanford football. 
Part of that is cal wasn't a particularly good offensive team: #7 in the conference in both yds/game and yds/play; #76 nationally in yds/game, #60 yds/play. 
Yuck.