09-29-2024, 12:36 PM
7. We have to talk about QB1. Taylor - assiduous about compliment sandwiches and touting silver linings for players he knows are doing their best with inherent limitations - has had one word stand out above all in the word cloud of his comments on Daniels in the last 2-3 interviews (most notably the Tuesday press conference and last night's post-game press conference): rough. That's the word Taylor keeps coming back to. He says it wrapped around truthful praise about Daniels in the run game and compassionate tacit acknowledgment that nobody is more down on Daniels than Daniels but yeah, he keeps calling Daniels' play "rough." Coach has eyes. Daniels was #82 of 107 QBs nationally in Total QBR this week (for those who think that's too high in light of the three terribly costly interceptions, Total QBR rightly credits Daniels' excellent running last night, which they deem the 14th best in the country this week, not something the metrics always credit him with as adding value, as he is 75th on the season). On the season, Daniels is #116 of 129 in Total QBR, literally the worst non-Northwestern QB in Power Four football. He has been so bad that his Total QBR went up after last night. It's only recognizing reality to view the extent to which Daniels is holding this team back as one of the biggest storylines of the season. It's really a killer. Daniels continues to play at as low a level as we've ever seen at Stanford. This really should not happen at Stanford. The question is what to do about it and it seems like 2024 has not been the season for decision space. First, Elijah Brown went down and is going to miss a big chunk of a season that probably should have seen him starting by now. Then Daniels got hurt last night, which may make Taylor's decision for him for next week and potentially for some weeks to come. I am pretty dispirited that Taylor evidently feels Jackson is such a zero as to never mention him or play him during garbage time or deviate from Lamson time in which we are plainly loath to throw. But it is what it is. We are probably entering a stretch of Lamson time. For what it's worth, I'm not despondent about it. Daniels being so bad gets us close to it couldn't be worse territory (though there is no such thing as it could always be worse, perhaps personified/challenged by Jack West). Moreover, I am ok with giving Lamson some practice time as QB1 to broaden the parts of the offense we drill him on/entrust him with. He has been visibly limited in what we've allowed him to do this season, but he's been successful with two bona fide touchdown throws. Maybe Lamson can be better than Daniels. I'm not predicting that (I am predicting we will continue to have among the worst QB play in the nation) but I'm ok seeing what Lamson could do, just as I would be ok seeing what Jackson could do (in an alternate reality in which Taylor didn't want to hurtle the young QB into the sun). And of course Brown's recovery will be of keen interest to all fans in the coming weeks.
8. How about Micah Ford! That was an awesome coming out party. Clemson's run defense is flawed, as I have said, but that was a big performance. I was pretty shocked (stat of the week/month warning) to see that Ford is Stanford's first freshman running back with over 100 yards rushing since Kenneth Tolon in 2001. Whoa. This was our first 100 yard rushing game by any running back since Filkins got exactly 100 against Washington State over two years ago and the most for any running back since Jones back-to-back great games against Washington and Oregon State in 2021. This was really a quite notable performance for any back and especially a freshman in September of his first year running behind one of the worst run blocking lines in America. Considering that PFF puts our run blocking for the season at #126, one can only imagine what Ford could do with a competent line. I have liked what I have seen from Davis at times this season but we appear to have RB1 locked up. Elsewhere at the skill positions, I see some sparks at wide receiver and a toxic wasteland at tight end (bummed to have been so right about that). Despite a touchdown and some first downs I thought it was not a good game for Ayomanor and I am starting to raise my eyebrows at our hardest worker/best player's body language. While a lot of it may be frustration directed at himself, it's not great vibes for an offense trying to slowly build confidence and winning attitudes. Nice to see Mosley get his feet wet and contribute meaningfully, even if the touchdown was garbage time. [Moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (5), Daniels (4), Ayomanor (3, also drew a pass interference), Lamson (2), Mosley (2), Cisse, Irvin] In terms of the offensive line, PFF thought our run blocking was extraordinarily poor (making Ford's performance even more impressive) and the pass blocking elite (a surprise to me as four sacks allowed is pretty bad against a defense that had that many in the three previous games combined), perhaps a reflection of QB onus on some sacks. The biggest individual OL story I see on PFF is House getting better each week. He's yet to grade well in a game but he's taking steps. Maikkula seemed to supplant Leyrer, which makes sense given Leyrer's struggles, but Maikkula isn't playing well either. We generally seem more disciplined than one might fear with over-matched linemen. As a team (so the defensive pass interference penalties contribute), yesterday was the most penalty yards we've given up but in a very normal range and on the season we are 27th in fewest penalties.
9. Wright made himself some money last night. He is such an all-around DB who adds so much in tackling in space. Lucky to have him. The secondary would be very rough otherwise, and if Leigber and Morris are better than the alternatives (which I have no reason to doubt) I fear what a post-Wright secondary looks like. Hopefully that's not for another few years. This game may have had our most players contribute multiple positive box score plays that we've had yet this season (Wright, Edwards, Sinclair, Rose, Bailey, Bernadel, Aybar, Manley, Leigber, Galvan), though several of them did much more negative than positive. What most jumped out to me, despite Sinclair's Jekyll and Hyde game, was that I think the inside linebackers is the best and deepest group I can remember us having at that position in a while. It is so great to get Galvan to make his debut and add a spark with a sack that got the defense off the field (the only sack we had but Clemson does not give up many sacks against anybody) as well as another tackle to force another punt. Bernadel was quieter but contributed meaningfully in run defense. Even with the room being deeper than before, Rose made a tackle for loss in the second quarter (quite interesting he was rotating in so early in the game even in a game Galvan made his debut) and then was a maniac in garbage time, one of the more dominating stretches we've seen from a defender in a while, though of course it was garbage time. I am feeling pretty good about ILB this season and significantly increasing my optimism for next year's Galvan/Rose era. On the edge, Bailey is the most talented guy by far and makes his impact known consistently (and would have had a brobdingnagian game if the sack/forced fumble wasn't reversed to a pass breakup), but his usage has decreased literally every game this season. Couldn't believe my eyes to see only 16 snaps for him yesterday. Don't know what's up with that but it's troubling. Aybar, Tafiti, and Cooper give us nothing compared to Bailey.
10. Not the best game for the special teams though a lot of it was Taylor's decisions and Daniels' ineptitude taking plays off of Kenney's foot. Flintoft had net punts of 56 to the 5 (!), 41 to the 39, 39 to the 46 (12 yard return), 48 to the 7, 18 to our own 35 (blocked punt), and 41 to the 24, a very solid day overall but I am sure any day you get one blocked is a terrible day. The way it was shown on tv I couldn't really see what happened. It was nice for us to get our own block, and Aristotle Taylor is now tied for the national lead in blocks and the first Card since Thomas Booker to have multiple in a season. Dubre was excellent in kick coverage (two good tackles) and Butler was very good (a good one and a decent one). Bachmeier had an ugly stat line (to go with his weekly ugly receiving line) of a zero yard return and a negative one yard return, plus he just makes me nervous back there. I get the sense we are going to muff a punt back to the other team at some point.
11. Game balls: Ford, Wright, Dubre, D'Onofrio
12. We have seen enough fight and competence this season that I am genuinely looking forward to the Virginia Tech game. Doubt around Daniels' status and lack of any sense we have an answer at QB regardless of Daniels' status casts a bit of a pall over it, but I think the team we have seen this season has a decent chance of winning. Considering that we never beat legitimate opponents in the C-House, this could be an important moment in the Taylor era and what he is trying to build. We've now strung together some games in which Stanford is, at times, actually entertaining and it would be great to have that continue Saturday, hopefully in a winning effort. It feels pretty big in terms of determining what we get out of this season.
8. How about Micah Ford! That was an awesome coming out party. Clemson's run defense is flawed, as I have said, but that was a big performance. I was pretty shocked (stat of the week/month warning) to see that Ford is Stanford's first freshman running back with over 100 yards rushing since Kenneth Tolon in 2001. Whoa. This was our first 100 yard rushing game by any running back since Filkins got exactly 100 against Washington State over two years ago and the most for any running back since Jones back-to-back great games against Washington and Oregon State in 2021. This was really a quite notable performance for any back and especially a freshman in September of his first year running behind one of the worst run blocking lines in America. Considering that PFF puts our run blocking for the season at #126, one can only imagine what Ford could do with a competent line. I have liked what I have seen from Davis at times this season but we appear to have RB1 locked up. Elsewhere at the skill positions, I see some sparks at wide receiver and a toxic wasteland at tight end (bummed to have been so right about that). Despite a touchdown and some first downs I thought it was not a good game for Ayomanor and I am starting to raise my eyebrows at our hardest worker/best player's body language. While a lot of it may be frustration directed at himself, it's not great vibes for an offense trying to slowly build confidence and winning attitudes. Nice to see Mosley get his feet wet and contribute meaningfully, even if the touchdown was garbage time. [Moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (5), Daniels (4), Ayomanor (3, also drew a pass interference), Lamson (2), Mosley (2), Cisse, Irvin] In terms of the offensive line, PFF thought our run blocking was extraordinarily poor (making Ford's performance even more impressive) and the pass blocking elite (a surprise to me as four sacks allowed is pretty bad against a defense that had that many in the three previous games combined), perhaps a reflection of QB onus on some sacks. The biggest individual OL story I see on PFF is House getting better each week. He's yet to grade well in a game but he's taking steps. Maikkula seemed to supplant Leyrer, which makes sense given Leyrer's struggles, but Maikkula isn't playing well either. We generally seem more disciplined than one might fear with over-matched linemen. As a team (so the defensive pass interference penalties contribute), yesterday was the most penalty yards we've given up but in a very normal range and on the season we are 27th in fewest penalties.
9. Wright made himself some money last night. He is such an all-around DB who adds so much in tackling in space. Lucky to have him. The secondary would be very rough otherwise, and if Leigber and Morris are better than the alternatives (which I have no reason to doubt) I fear what a post-Wright secondary looks like. Hopefully that's not for another few years. This game may have had our most players contribute multiple positive box score plays that we've had yet this season (Wright, Edwards, Sinclair, Rose, Bailey, Bernadel, Aybar, Manley, Leigber, Galvan), though several of them did much more negative than positive. What most jumped out to me, despite Sinclair's Jekyll and Hyde game, was that I think the inside linebackers is the best and deepest group I can remember us having at that position in a while. It is so great to get Galvan to make his debut and add a spark with a sack that got the defense off the field (the only sack we had but Clemson does not give up many sacks against anybody) as well as another tackle to force another punt. Bernadel was quieter but contributed meaningfully in run defense. Even with the room being deeper than before, Rose made a tackle for loss in the second quarter (quite interesting he was rotating in so early in the game even in a game Galvan made his debut) and then was a maniac in garbage time, one of the more dominating stretches we've seen from a defender in a while, though of course it was garbage time. I am feeling pretty good about ILB this season and significantly increasing my optimism for next year's Galvan/Rose era. On the edge, Bailey is the most talented guy by far and makes his impact known consistently (and would have had a brobdingnagian game if the sack/forced fumble wasn't reversed to a pass breakup), but his usage has decreased literally every game this season. Couldn't believe my eyes to see only 16 snaps for him yesterday. Don't know what's up with that but it's troubling. Aybar, Tafiti, and Cooper give us nothing compared to Bailey.
10. Not the best game for the special teams though a lot of it was Taylor's decisions and Daniels' ineptitude taking plays off of Kenney's foot. Flintoft had net punts of 56 to the 5 (!), 41 to the 39, 39 to the 46 (12 yard return), 48 to the 7, 18 to our own 35 (blocked punt), and 41 to the 24, a very solid day overall but I am sure any day you get one blocked is a terrible day. The way it was shown on tv I couldn't really see what happened. It was nice for us to get our own block, and Aristotle Taylor is now tied for the national lead in blocks and the first Card since Thomas Booker to have multiple in a season. Dubre was excellent in kick coverage (two good tackles) and Butler was very good (a good one and a decent one). Bachmeier had an ugly stat line (to go with his weekly ugly receiving line) of a zero yard return and a negative one yard return, plus he just makes me nervous back there. I get the sense we are going to muff a punt back to the other team at some point.
11. Game balls: Ford, Wright, Dubre, D'Onofrio
12. We have seen enough fight and competence this season that I am genuinely looking forward to the Virginia Tech game. Doubt around Daniels' status and lack of any sense we have an answer at QB regardless of Daniels' status casts a bit of a pall over it, but I think the team we have seen this season has a decent chance of winning. Considering that we never beat legitimate opponents in the C-House, this could be an important moment in the Taylor era and what he is trying to build. We've now strung together some games in which Stanford is, at times, actually entertaining and it would be great to have that continue Saturday, hopefully in a winning effort. It feels pretty big in terms of determining what we get out of this season.