08-19-2022, 02:12 PM
Yeah, the more I dug into that Cal game the more it appeared to be a genuine contender for both our worst defensive game ever and our worst game ever, period, at least in terms of how much we were dominated on the average play. A few of the thoughts I wrote the morning after:
2. After the Utah game, I pointed out that the yard per play differential (5.4) was not only the worst I was able to find in our history but 23 percent worse than the next worst (4.4 against Notre Dame in 2003). Last night the team was significantly more dominated than even that, a whopping 6.1 yard per differential. This is what I mean when I say possibly the two worst games in Stanford history. I don't know if I can emphasize enough how astounding a 6.1 yard per play differential is. A lot of folks watched Ohio State's 56-7 annihilation of Michigan State yesterday, right? 3.8 yard differential. When Stanford beat Rice 62-7 in Australia that was a 5.1 yard differential. You can't belong on a football field less than Stanford last night. AND THAT WAS AGAINST A FOUR WIN TEAM!
3. The biggest story is the incredible incompetence of the Stanford defense against an offense that came into the game with the #105 scoring offense in the nation. We gave up 10.1 yards per play allowed. Let me say that again: an average of a first down per play. 636 yards is the eighth most we've ever given up in a game (1981 Arizona State, 1999 Washington, 1998 Oregon, 2003 Oregon State, 2005 Notre Dame, 1982 UCLA, 1973 UCLA) but (as coaches of yesteryear didn't intentionally suck the energy out of the game and guarantee there would be so few plays by either team) I suspect it may be the case we've never given up so many yards on so few plays. The all-time worst performances for which stats are available weren't even close: the 1999 Washington game had 7.8 yards per play allowed, 2003 Oregon State was 7.4, and 2005 Notre Dame was 7.5. Hard to put into words how historic a first down allowed per play is. 41 points is a lot to give up too but it could have been much, much worse. The Wade-Perry forced fumble was an awesome, momentum-reversing individual play in which everybody else's failures and how many home runs Cal hit subsequently would have made that another likely Cal house call were it not for that play (and even if he made the tackle a touchdown drive would have of course been likely). And then McGill's interception in the end zone also took points off the board. Those are two of the biggest plays of the season for the Stanford defense and we still gave up 41 points. I just need to say again this was against Cal.
2. After the Utah game, I pointed out that the yard per play differential (5.4) was not only the worst I was able to find in our history but 23 percent worse than the next worst (4.4 against Notre Dame in 2003). Last night the team was significantly more dominated than even that, a whopping 6.1 yard per differential. This is what I mean when I say possibly the two worst games in Stanford history. I don't know if I can emphasize enough how astounding a 6.1 yard per play differential is. A lot of folks watched Ohio State's 56-7 annihilation of Michigan State yesterday, right? 3.8 yard differential. When Stanford beat Rice 62-7 in Australia that was a 5.1 yard differential. You can't belong on a football field less than Stanford last night. AND THAT WAS AGAINST A FOUR WIN TEAM!
3. The biggest story is the incredible incompetence of the Stanford defense against an offense that came into the game with the #105 scoring offense in the nation. We gave up 10.1 yards per play allowed. Let me say that again: an average of a first down per play. 636 yards is the eighth most we've ever given up in a game (1981 Arizona State, 1999 Washington, 1998 Oregon, 2003 Oregon State, 2005 Notre Dame, 1982 UCLA, 1973 UCLA) but (as coaches of yesteryear didn't intentionally suck the energy out of the game and guarantee there would be so few plays by either team) I suspect it may be the case we've never given up so many yards on so few plays. The all-time worst performances for which stats are available weren't even close: the 1999 Washington game had 7.8 yards per play allowed, 2003 Oregon State was 7.4, and 2005 Notre Dame was 7.5. Hard to put into words how historic a first down allowed per play is. 41 points is a lot to give up too but it could have been much, much worse. The Wade-Perry forced fumble was an awesome, momentum-reversing individual play in which everybody else's failures and how many home runs Cal hit subsequently would have made that another likely Cal house call were it not for that play (and even if he made the tackle a touchdown drive would have of course been likely). And then McGill's interception in the end zone also took points off the board. Those are two of the biggest plays of the season for the Stanford defense and we still gave up 41 points. I just need to say again this was against Cal.