Ok, so I took the painstaking time to research stanford's defense out of sheer curiosity after the USC game. Their relentless play and poise in that game struck a cord in me. Yeah i had seen a few stanford games last year, and was impressed by them then, but not at the level I was saturday. Here are the things that stood out for me:
1) they have - starting - at least 6 seniors. Makes a huge difference.
2) However, these guys are not blue chip AA. In fact the only guys that had "legit offers" were Henry Anderson (DE) Junior, and Terrence Stephens (NG) Senior. Everyone else, was at most a Three star. Heck they had a couple "NR" (Not Ranked) and a few Two Stars.
3) Defensive coaches. This struck me as unusual. In 2011 they had co-defensive coordinators (Jason Tarver and Derek Mason). After his first and only season as a DC, Jason Tarver left to coach in the NFL. That left Derek Mason. It would be splitting hairs to say Jason Tarver was the actual brains of the operation because he was the one plucked to the league. But oddly enough, last year, it too was Derek Mason's first year as a DC. Fact is, that last year Standford's defense ranked 28 in total defense (miami 45 - not that far off). This year, through three games, stanford ranks 31, and we are not in the top 50. Three games will not make anyone coach of the year. But this is only the second year under the same defense. (side fact, their DL coach has ONLY coached dline since 1973 from ohio st to notre dame, etc..I mention this because i know there is a growing resentment of our dline coach, and he has been there since the 2010 season). The difference i believe is that they have continuity in the players. All these kids were mature juniors able to grasp the 3-4 defense and are now playing well under it for their second year. That is huge.
I am simply sharing info. I know our situation is a bit different in that although we have some kids in their second year in the defense, we have mostly first-timers, and young first timers at that. The other thing i wanted to take away from this was that all these mid-tier kids (at best) rocked a stacked blue-chip high octane offense, two years in a row. I am a "star-*****". I admit it. I believe there is something to getting a ton of blue-chippers (see alabama). But i also believe that coaching, development is the key to it all (for the antithesis see Texas). So, is Stanford hitting so well on all their coaching hires that in two years they developed average-at best kids into a pretty good team? Let me be on the record as saying I DON"T WANT TO BE STANDFORD. I want to be alabama. But my point is why can they do more with seemingly less, and our defensive staff can't? AS much as this season hurts, I think the real tale will be next year. IF this team is not a jauggernaut in 2013, then changes need to be made. I would give our defensive coordinator till then. I am giving the benefit of the doubt. Because what I saw from stanford's D as far as looks, stunts, mixing blitzes, one guy with his hands down on the line while others stood, etc...I am yet to remotely see from our team, and again this is year two for both the system and the DC at that school.
Thought i'd share these thoughts.
1) they have - starting - at least 6 seniors. Makes a huge difference.
2) However, these guys are not blue chip AA. In fact the only guys that had "legit offers" were Henry Anderson (DE) Junior, and Terrence Stephens (NG) Senior. Everyone else, was at most a Three star. Heck they had a couple "NR" (Not Ranked) and a few Two Stars.
3) Defensive coaches. This struck me as unusual. In 2011 they had co-defensive coordinators (Jason Tarver and Derek Mason). After his first and only season as a DC, Jason Tarver left to coach in the NFL. That left Derek Mason. It would be splitting hairs to say Jason Tarver was the actual brains of the operation because he was the one plucked to the league. But oddly enough, last year, it too was Derek Mason's first year as a DC. Fact is, that last year Standford's defense ranked 28 in total defense (miami 45 - not that far off). This year, through three games, stanford ranks 31, and we are not in the top 50. Three games will not make anyone coach of the year. But this is only the second year under the same defense. (side fact, their DL coach has ONLY coached dline since 1973 from ohio st to notre dame, etc..I mention this because i know there is a growing resentment of our dline coach, and he has been there since the 2010 season). The difference i believe is that they have continuity in the players. All these kids were mature juniors able to grasp the 3-4 defense and are now playing well under it for their second year. That is huge.
I am simply sharing info. I know our situation is a bit different in that although we have some kids in their second year in the defense, we have mostly first-timers, and young first timers at that. The other thing i wanted to take away from this was that all these mid-tier kids (at best) rocked a stacked blue-chip high octane offense, two years in a row. I am a "star-*****". I admit it. I believe there is something to getting a ton of blue-chippers (see alabama). But i also believe that coaching, development is the key to it all (for the antithesis see Texas). So, is Stanford hitting so well on all their coaching hires that in two years they developed average-at best kids into a pretty good team? Let me be on the record as saying I DON"T WANT TO BE STANDFORD. I want to be alabama. But my point is why can they do more with seemingly less, and our defensive staff can't? AS much as this season hurts, I think the real tale will be next year. IF this team is not a jauggernaut in 2013, then changes need to be made. I would give our defensive coordinator till then. I am giving the benefit of the doubt. Because what I saw from stanford's D as far as looks, stunts, mixing blitzes, one guy with his hands down on the line while others stood, etc...I am yet to remotely see from our team, and again this is year two for both the system and the DC at that school.
Thought i'd share these thoughts.
