* STRAIGHT INTO MY VEINS with Starr not even waiting for his turn and answering with just a name - "Collin Wright" - and a head shake when Ben asked about standout DBs and Humphreys started to answer. Then Wright was also the first name Humphreys mentioned. I don't think for the rest of my life I'll ever be as right about anything related to Stanford football as when I called from Richard Sherman's high school days and then doubled down his first fall on campus that Sherman was one of the best athletes and football players to ever set foot on our campus, but with each data point this summer it's sure sounding like my longstanding love affair with Collin Wright is going to end up looking very prescient. The buzziest player on our roster right now. Again, straight into my veins.
* Humphreys and Starr both seem to think very highly of the current DBs, noting they've played against good ones at Stanford and are comparing against that bar. This is something I've been saying all offseason: this actually looks like a good CB room with my love for Wright and with Manley being a very solid proven guy (which was nice to hear Humphreys reinforce as you never know what kind of impact all the time off could have). What is more surprising and nice to hear is these WRs appear to be sincere in applying the praise to the DB room generally, with Humphreys also mentioning Wyrick (proven solid guy in his own right to an extent, but I do wonder about playing a different position than he did in 2021 since it seems Wyrick may now be more safety than nickel), Gilman, Leigber, Porter, and Thompson, and Starr nodding along and also throwing in Edwards' name. I will caveat this, though, in saying that the more Humphreys turned it into basically naming most of the returning DBs the more worry crept in for me that it's a mediocre WR room feeling challenged by a mediocre DB group. Ultimately I think the main takeaway here is Wright is opening everybody's eyes and the rest may be some grade inflation. If there's a second takeaway it may be a reinforcing of my pro-CB room views since Humphreys paired the Thompson praise with the opinion that Williams has his room playing right....didn't say Williams and Gregory.
* Not sure I have anything to add but it was fun to hear both talk about the camaraderie and desire to sharpen one another they feel with the DBs.
* Very interesting to hear Humphreys talk about how practice under Taylor is "real football." He hemmed and hawed when pressed on whether that's in contrast to Shaw but I think we all know there are differences in how Taylor is running this railroad.
Osborne:
* Another coach where the theme is improvement since the spring. These don't appear to be hard ass, never satisfied coaches, nor coaches particularly worried about lowering expectations. All the interviews sound different than the ones in the spring. Seems to be an upbeat mindset of positive reinforcement and steady improvement.
* The point of emphasis was no surprise after hearing Humphreys and Starr: releases and route breaks to get separation. I am realizing that despite the reasons for optimism with the new offensive coaching staff I am psychologically not ready to expect/assume receivers will get separation. That's just been such a problem for so long. If and when we start seeing it consistently that will be so refreshing, and obviously hopefully conducive to more explosive offense.
* Tempo....drink!
* With regard to Humphreys, Osborne talked about leadership, steadiness, and consistency. That seems about right. A reliable, consistent player. As I said in another thread, the player that comes to mind for me is Trent Irwin. In terms of Humphreys' play on the field, Osborne talked about Humphreys making plays in practice that day with some contested catches. I think this may be illustrative. Contested catches strike me as more of a Shaw trait for a receiver whereas Taylor is more about releases, separation, and spacing, though it was encouraging to hear Osborne talk about Humphreys understanding "spacing and zones" to find open windows. I think it may be the case that Humphreys has a nice year given the more dynamic offensive scheme but nonetheless is not the true prototypical receiver for this offense. I don't know who is or if that player is in the program yet. And of course I go into all of this with a high degree of humility that things may look differently than I'm projecting.
* I keep trying to decide whether Ayomanor is Ben's version of trying to make fetch a thing or if Ayomanor is poised to be one of our big breakout players. I just don't know. I don't love solicited comments on players independent of coaches providing their own indication of separation in the competition but the comments on Ayomanor were positive and went on at some length (though Osborne also doesn't seem the terse type). It is interesting to hear Ayomanor willing to dish out some praise when Ayomanor had practiced so very little at the time of this interview. If he missed spring and was still rehabbing in the summer....we're talking like a week of solid data points. Given Ayomanor's injury history I am waiting with somewhat bated breath to see if he can be a real, reliable option, but given the raw athleticism, size/speed combo, and reputed work ethic he seems like one of the highest ceiling players on the roster. Having a breakout WR would be fun.
* We've talked in the past about the Taylor offense taking what the defense gives and how the WR route trees will have different options on given plays. It sounds like it will look very different from Shaw. Like the defensive scheme I can't wait to unwrap this present.
* Upbeat answer on the QBs and their rhythms with the WRs. I'm glad Osborne thinks the rhythm is getting there but it was a pretty generic answer that's hard to glean much from. One petty reaction: I chuckled when Osborne said the QBs "haven't really played a ton in college games specifically." Umm, coach, they haven't played a ton in high school games either.
* I was trying to get a sense of Osborne's reflection on coaching WRs because it's what Taylor had an open position for at Sacramento State. I can't quite tell if the takeaway is how fortunate that what he happened to interview for despite more of a QB background has been a position he's loved coaching or WR coaching is just a stop on his climb up the coaching ladder. Given his apprenticeships under Chip Kelly, Chris Petersen, and Taylor and now having numerous years working so closely with Taylor on QB/WR play and the spacing concepts in the Taylor offense, I wouldn't be surprised if he's an offensive coordinator in training.
* Humphreys and Starr both seem to think very highly of the current DBs, noting they've played against good ones at Stanford and are comparing against that bar. This is something I've been saying all offseason: this actually looks like a good CB room with my love for Wright and with Manley being a very solid proven guy (which was nice to hear Humphreys reinforce as you never know what kind of impact all the time off could have). What is more surprising and nice to hear is these WRs appear to be sincere in applying the praise to the DB room generally, with Humphreys also mentioning Wyrick (proven solid guy in his own right to an extent, but I do wonder about playing a different position than he did in 2021 since it seems Wyrick may now be more safety than nickel), Gilman, Leigber, Porter, and Thompson, and Starr nodding along and also throwing in Edwards' name. I will caveat this, though, in saying that the more Humphreys turned it into basically naming most of the returning DBs the more worry crept in for me that it's a mediocre WR room feeling challenged by a mediocre DB group. Ultimately I think the main takeaway here is Wright is opening everybody's eyes and the rest may be some grade inflation. If there's a second takeaway it may be a reinforcing of my pro-CB room views since Humphreys paired the Thompson praise with the opinion that Williams has his room playing right....didn't say Williams and Gregory.
* Not sure I have anything to add but it was fun to hear both talk about the camaraderie and desire to sharpen one another they feel with the DBs.
* Very interesting to hear Humphreys talk about how practice under Taylor is "real football." He hemmed and hawed when pressed on whether that's in contrast to Shaw but I think we all know there are differences in how Taylor is running this railroad.
Osborne:
* Another coach where the theme is improvement since the spring. These don't appear to be hard ass, never satisfied coaches, nor coaches particularly worried about lowering expectations. All the interviews sound different than the ones in the spring. Seems to be an upbeat mindset of positive reinforcement and steady improvement.
* The point of emphasis was no surprise after hearing Humphreys and Starr: releases and route breaks to get separation. I am realizing that despite the reasons for optimism with the new offensive coaching staff I am psychologically not ready to expect/assume receivers will get separation. That's just been such a problem for so long. If and when we start seeing it consistently that will be so refreshing, and obviously hopefully conducive to more explosive offense.
* Tempo....drink!
* With regard to Humphreys, Osborne talked about leadership, steadiness, and consistency. That seems about right. A reliable, consistent player. As I said in another thread, the player that comes to mind for me is Trent Irwin. In terms of Humphreys' play on the field, Osborne talked about Humphreys making plays in practice that day with some contested catches. I think this may be illustrative. Contested catches strike me as more of a Shaw trait for a receiver whereas Taylor is more about releases, separation, and spacing, though it was encouraging to hear Osborne talk about Humphreys understanding "spacing and zones" to find open windows. I think it may be the case that Humphreys has a nice year given the more dynamic offensive scheme but nonetheless is not the true prototypical receiver for this offense. I don't know who is or if that player is in the program yet. And of course I go into all of this with a high degree of humility that things may look differently than I'm projecting.
* I keep trying to decide whether Ayomanor is Ben's version of trying to make fetch a thing or if Ayomanor is poised to be one of our big breakout players. I just don't know. I don't love solicited comments on players independent of coaches providing their own indication of separation in the competition but the comments on Ayomanor were positive and went on at some length (though Osborne also doesn't seem the terse type). It is interesting to hear Ayomanor willing to dish out some praise when Ayomanor had practiced so very little at the time of this interview. If he missed spring and was still rehabbing in the summer....we're talking like a week of solid data points. Given Ayomanor's injury history I am waiting with somewhat bated breath to see if he can be a real, reliable option, but given the raw athleticism, size/speed combo, and reputed work ethic he seems like one of the highest ceiling players on the roster. Having a breakout WR would be fun.
* We've talked in the past about the Taylor offense taking what the defense gives and how the WR route trees will have different options on given plays. It sounds like it will look very different from Shaw. Like the defensive scheme I can't wait to unwrap this present.
* Upbeat answer on the QBs and their rhythms with the WRs. I'm glad Osborne thinks the rhythm is getting there but it was a pretty generic answer that's hard to glean much from. One petty reaction: I chuckled when Osborne said the QBs "haven't really played a ton in college games specifically." Umm, coach, they haven't played a ton in high school games either.
* I was trying to get a sense of Osborne's reflection on coaching WRs because it's what Taylor had an open position for at Sacramento State. I can't quite tell if the takeaway is how fortunate that what he happened to interview for despite more of a QB background has been a position he's loved coaching or WR coaching is just a stop on his climb up the coaching ladder. Given his apprenticeships under Chip Kelly, Chris Petersen, and Taylor and now having numerous years working so closely with Taylor on QB/WR play and the spacing concepts in the Taylor offense, I wouldn't be surprised if he's an offensive coordinator in training.