Stanford Blogger Answers Questions

These were pulled directly from the prior thread. My answers will be up on his site (gomightycard) shortly, so be sure to check that out. Enjoy.

What’s the reason for the mass exodus from there this summer (transfers)? If its covid or something else. Covid needs no explanation.

This is a tricky question, and there are many theories. Like many programs, there are players who opted out of this season for Covid reasons — notably left tackle Walker Little, a likely top fifteen pick in the NFL draft, and cornerback Paulsen Adebo, who could go as high as the end of the first round. But there were others who announced their departures before Covid was an issue. One optimistic argument explains this away by saying that most Stanford football players commit to the university just as much as they’re committing to the football program. Once they’ve got their degree, if they can find another program that might allow them more playing time along with a master’s degree, they take that opportunity. The argument against this is that players used to stay and get that master’s degree at Stanford. Some fans have theorized that it’s possibly become more difficult for football players to gain acceptance into Stanford masters programs, but that doesn’t feel right to me. I think these young men are independent thinkers who are simply looking to maximize their football experience and academic gain. This leads to the larger concern — there are whispers that players aren’t as connected to the program as they once were. This could be because of coaching departures that have changed the culture of the program, or it could be because the level of success has fallen, but it’s still a real concern. The cries from the fan base reached a fever pitch as K.J. Costello was setting an SEC single-game passing record in Week 1 at Mississippi State, but the reality is that Costello left because Davis Mills is better. I’m sure he was told that he’d have an opportunity to compete for what had been his starting job, but I’m certain nothing was guaranteed. His early success under Mike Leach made everyone forget that, but he hasn’t seen the field for a few weeks. To sum all this up, it’s something that I find mildly concerning, and certainly something to watch in future off seasons.

What are the main differences in Stanford’s play between the losses vs UofNike and Colorado and the wins against Cal and UofW?

There are two main differences. The first is Davis Mills. He’s a skilled quarterback with an NFL future, and we’re finally beginning to see why he was the top rated pro-style quarterback in the 2017 national signing class. A Covid testing error on the morning of the Oregon game kept him out of that game and quarantined through much of the following week until the error was realized. He was able to practice a little bit on Thursday night and go through the walk through on Friday, but that was his only preparation before the Colorado game. Oregon and Colorado are two of the top teams in the conference, so Stanford may very well have lost those games anyway, but they missed four field goals against Oregon, and they only lost by three to Colorado. Without that botched test, the Cardinal could be 4-0.

The second difference is the play offensive line. Stanford’s Rose Bowl teams were built around the strength of dominant offensive lines, sometimes among the best in the country. The last few years has seen a precipitous fall from those levels. Two years ago the injuries along the offensive line were so debilitating that when Coach Shaw looked back at it during Media Day in the summer of 2019 he said it was unlike anything he’d seen in his career. What happened in 2019 was even worse. Three true freshmen logged starts, and at one point, with only six scholarship linemen available, they had tight ends taking reps at guard during practice. It was awful, and the result was a 4-8 season.

If there’s a benefit to all that, it’s that the current (healthy) line is young but also experienced. Shaw has talked about being hamstrung by their inexperience last year and  not being able to run what they usually do, but this year — and especially last week against Washington — we saw what we’re used to seeing from a Stanford offensive line, not just the results but the process. Guards were pulling, and they were able to run power, their signature running play. Second string linemen rotated in to keep the starters fresh, and they were also available for jumbo sets calling for extra linemen. None of that was possible last season. All of that produced the most Stanford-like win in at least two years, culminating with the final drive. Clinging to a five-point lead, the Cardinal took over with 7:47 to play. They burned all of that time, along with three Washington timeouts, without giving the ball back. It was a vintage display, but I don’t think we’re ready to declare that Stanford bullyball is back. This week will tell us a lot.

How does he gauge the effect of being forced to stay away from Santa Clara County?

We’ll know an awful lot about this after this week’s game. Since they’ve been unable to practice at home, Stanford football operations moved to Seattle on Tuesday. They practiced that day at the University of Washington, and through the rest of the week they were at an area high school or two. They tried a walkthrough in a parking garage, but they were kicked out by security and ended up in a public park. Shaw said afterwards that the players are fine with all this — kids are flexible. There might even be a short-term benefit, an us-against-the-world type of feeling as they go through this three-week road trip. They’re already in Corvallis right now, so it’s possible that the novelty could wear off. We’ll see.

I have a lot of respect for Shaw – does Hank think he is at the top of his game this year?

David Shaw has become a rather polarizing figure in the Stanford fanbase. The truth is that I can’t imagine anything short of a program scandal moving him out, but there are those who have been calling for a change. If you’d asked me this question a week ago, I’d have talked about the unimaginative offense, questions about player development, and a dropoff in recruiting. Last week’s game plan and execution, however, was such a seismic shift from what we saw during the first three games that I think we have to reserve judgment. So I’m not ready to say that he’s at the top of his game, but I will say this — there’s no one else in America that I’d prefer over Shaw as head coach of my team. That being said, I’d love it — absolutely love it — if he were to look outside the program to hire a new offensive coordinator. I don’t imagine that will ever happen, however.

How well known was it in the Stanford circle of fans that Shaw’s brother was in such dire straits or the coach’s role in his comeback?

I don’t think anyone knew about this until it was reported by ESPN earlier this season. I think it was kept quiet even with the program, with only a handful of people aware of what was going on, even down to the logistical details of getting Shaw to the hospital for testing and the eventual bone marrow donation in between practices. It’s an amazing story, and I’m glad they made it public this fall.

Could Shaw have rehabilitated Stanford football without the head start Harbaugh gave him? What’s Harbaugh’s legacy reputation there now?

I’ve said this before. Jim Harbaugh was the perfect person to pull Stanford Football out of the depths. Before he arrived, there were people within the athletic department who no longer believed Stanford could field a competitive Division I football team, and then Harbaugh announced in his opening press conference that he was ready to build a team that would compete for championships. It was amazing to watch.

David Shaw, meanwhile, has been the perfect person to maintain that success. There are still fans who miss Harbaugh, often saying that Stanford has lost its edge. The truth, though — and I think people have come to realize this — is that Harbaugh left before people got tired of him or even questioned anything he was doing. There was never any adversity. I don’t think anyone wants him back, but his legacy is secure — he believed in Stanford Football when no one else did.