11-30-2024, 10:03 AM
5. It's a reflection of the profound limitations of Daniels' season that he cost us the game with an epically boneheaded interception to cap a three interception day and it still netted out as an above-average day for him in Total QBR. On the season, he is now 83rd in America after being 85th last year. We'll see where it settles out after the season is complete for everybody else but three quarters of the way through Daniels' college eligibility he seems quite clearly a below-average QB for the level of football we ostensibly play. I think a serious program would look seriously at trying to upgrade via the transfer portal. I don't expect that to happen and instead think the focus will be on trying to get him better OL play and seeing what that unlocks....if we can succeed in getting better OL play. [There is also a possibility Brown is QB1 next year but at this point I think it is more likely Daniels remains the leader]
6. With this season in the books, the picture on our OL play is clear. In traditional stats, we are 123rd in sacks allowed per game and 106th in yards per carry. In PFF's estimation, we are 97th in pass blocking and 121st in run blocking, which is one of the worst lines in the nation. As for the San Jose State game, it was more of the same with nobody playing at an above-average level for this level of football. PFF judged it a career day for Baklenko, a mediocre return for Rogers, Pale's third straight performance slightly above his season norm, and sub-par but pretty normal for them performances by Maikkula and Leyrer. On the year, our linemen currently rank among 439 power conference linemen as #215 McLaughlin, #238 Rogers, #340 Maikkula, #359 Pale, #371 Baklenko, #397 Leyrer, and #432 House. That compares to last year's #207 Rogers, #213 McLaughlin, #276 Maikkula, #380 Mayberry, #390 Pale, #409 Anderson, and #418 Baklenko. This doesn't feel like year-to-year growth on the line. We have to seriously and critically evaluate our offensive line personnel, concept, and coaching. Running it back just expecting improvement year-over-year doing the same thing with the same people doesn't seem like a recipe for success. The most optimistic I can muster is that Pale and Baklenko took modest strides. Hopefully we have a few returning starters next year who take strides but also a few newcomers via the transfer portal. I don't have a lot to say about skill position talent this week other than to acknowledge the big performances by Ayomanor and Mosley, now 6th and 14th in the ACC in receiving on the year (giving us the most prolific duo outside of Syracuse), and to say Daniels also helped with his feet in moving the chains. [Moving the chains (first down) leader board: Ayomanor (6), Daniels (6), Mosley (5), Lamson (2), Tabb, Roush] One of the most important storylines of our off-season is trying to keep Ayomanor and Mosley. It was interesting that Taylor indicated Ayomanor would be back. I don't know why he would be but hopefully Luck can work magic or maybe Ayomanor is already so inclined for whatever reason.
7. Not super impressed by the defense's performance against San Jose State. Our players who showed up positively multiple times in the box score were Wright, Bernadel, Bailey, Edwards, Cooper, Galvan, and Buckey (Rowell if the blocked punt gets tallied as defense). Wright made the most and the most spectacular plays but also cost us dearly getting beat a few times, which as I noted last week happens a fair bit. The interception and return was our play of the game and he also defended other passes but one can't say it was a great game overall. Buckey's late season emergence has been nice and hopefully he is back next year and builds on it. I feel ok about Galvan sliding in at linebacker next year but will miss Bernadel and Sinclair, the latter of whom I am somewhat heartsick he went out on such a bad game for him. Our best defensive player is far and away Bailey, now 64th in the nation in sacks and second in forced fumbles (I look on a per game basis but on an absolute basis he is actually currently tied for number one). Along with Ayomanor and Mosley Bailey ranks as a critically important retention challenge.
8. Special teams did its job admirably enough. Flintoft had a net punt of 43 yards to the 7 (nice) on his one chance. Kenney made a chip shot field goal attempt from 24 yards. Rowell had the blocked punt. Bachmeier had the 15 yard return, now 14th in the nation in punt return average; have to recognize a nice year for him in that phase to go with a brutal year for him on offense.
9. Game balls: Ayomanor, Bailey, Rowell, Osborne
10. No choice but to flush this season and move on, hoping for better days ahead. It's hard to see where the optimism is going to come from aside from the vague hope that Andrew Luck and a renewed administration focus on getting football right will be a gamechanger. But that's at least something. Today's Gameday announcement is an attempt at innovation and relevance. We are trying to turn the page and as fans of this enterprise all of us can support that attempt and hope it gets us out of this wilderness. Let's see what the coming weeks bring in terms of retention, transfers, recruiting, any changes to the staff (don't think I'd bet on it), and university signaling on revenue sharing. These will be big moments for Stanford football, more consequential than anything we saw this season in another wasted year of abject irrelevance and pitiful play. In Andrew we trust!
6. With this season in the books, the picture on our OL play is clear. In traditional stats, we are 123rd in sacks allowed per game and 106th in yards per carry. In PFF's estimation, we are 97th in pass blocking and 121st in run blocking, which is one of the worst lines in the nation. As for the San Jose State game, it was more of the same with nobody playing at an above-average level for this level of football. PFF judged it a career day for Baklenko, a mediocre return for Rogers, Pale's third straight performance slightly above his season norm, and sub-par but pretty normal for them performances by Maikkula and Leyrer. On the year, our linemen currently rank among 439 power conference linemen as #215 McLaughlin, #238 Rogers, #340 Maikkula, #359 Pale, #371 Baklenko, #397 Leyrer, and #432 House. That compares to last year's #207 Rogers, #213 McLaughlin, #276 Maikkula, #380 Mayberry, #390 Pale, #409 Anderson, and #418 Baklenko. This doesn't feel like year-to-year growth on the line. We have to seriously and critically evaluate our offensive line personnel, concept, and coaching. Running it back just expecting improvement year-over-year doing the same thing with the same people doesn't seem like a recipe for success. The most optimistic I can muster is that Pale and Baklenko took modest strides. Hopefully we have a few returning starters next year who take strides but also a few newcomers via the transfer portal. I don't have a lot to say about skill position talent this week other than to acknowledge the big performances by Ayomanor and Mosley, now 6th and 14th in the ACC in receiving on the year (giving us the most prolific duo outside of Syracuse), and to say Daniels also helped with his feet in moving the chains. [Moving the chains (first down) leader board: Ayomanor (6), Daniels (6), Mosley (5), Lamson (2), Tabb, Roush] One of the most important storylines of our off-season is trying to keep Ayomanor and Mosley. It was interesting that Taylor indicated Ayomanor would be back. I don't know why he would be but hopefully Luck can work magic or maybe Ayomanor is already so inclined for whatever reason.
7. Not super impressed by the defense's performance against San Jose State. Our players who showed up positively multiple times in the box score were Wright, Bernadel, Bailey, Edwards, Cooper, Galvan, and Buckey (Rowell if the blocked punt gets tallied as defense). Wright made the most and the most spectacular plays but also cost us dearly getting beat a few times, which as I noted last week happens a fair bit. The interception and return was our play of the game and he also defended other passes but one can't say it was a great game overall. Buckey's late season emergence has been nice and hopefully he is back next year and builds on it. I feel ok about Galvan sliding in at linebacker next year but will miss Bernadel and Sinclair, the latter of whom I am somewhat heartsick he went out on such a bad game for him. Our best defensive player is far and away Bailey, now 64th in the nation in sacks and second in forced fumbles (I look on a per game basis but on an absolute basis he is actually currently tied for number one). Along with Ayomanor and Mosley Bailey ranks as a critically important retention challenge.
8. Special teams did its job admirably enough. Flintoft had a net punt of 43 yards to the 7 (nice) on his one chance. Kenney made a chip shot field goal attempt from 24 yards. Rowell had the blocked punt. Bachmeier had the 15 yard return, now 14th in the nation in punt return average; have to recognize a nice year for him in that phase to go with a brutal year for him on offense.
9. Game balls: Ayomanor, Bailey, Rowell, Osborne
10. No choice but to flush this season and move on, hoping for better days ahead. It's hard to see where the optimism is going to come from aside from the vague hope that Andrew Luck and a renewed administration focus on getting football right will be a gamechanger. But that's at least something. Today's Gameday announcement is an attempt at innovation and relevance. We are trying to turn the page and as fans of this enterprise all of us can support that attempt and hope it gets us out of this wilderness. Let's see what the coming weeks bring in terms of retention, transfers, recruiting, any changes to the staff (don't think I'd bet on it), and university signaling on revenue sharing. These will be big moments for Stanford football, more consequential than anything we saw this season in another wasted year of abject irrelevance and pitiful play. In Andrew we trust!