Stanford Football

Stanford lost to USC by three points for the second consecutive season—this time falling 13-10 instead of 20-17—and the final margin was not the only similarity.

For the second consecutive season, the Cardinal floundered at finishing drives, failing to score points when they got near the USC end zone. It was an area the team highlighted before the game, knowing it would have to improve there to win: would have to maximize its chances.

Unfortunately, it couldn't have been more right.

The specifics? I warn you, they’re pretty ugly.

In 2013, Stanford scored 10 points on four trips inside the Trojans’ 25-yard line, which was thought to be a definite nadir. There was nowhere to go but up—or so it seemed. But then, on Saturday, the Cardinal scored 10 points on nine trips inside the Trojans’ 25, an average that comes up barely above one point per attempt.

That makes for seven empty trips down near the end zone:

Simply inexcusable RT @MichaelDavSmith Stanford had seven scoreless trips inside the USC 35

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 6, 2014

Its hard to say which near-miss was the most egregious.

The shanked 26-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson was a clinic in #CollegeKickers, and the miscommunicated fumble on a pitch from Kevin Hogan to Remound Wright was ugly, too.

Ultimately, though, the coup de grace was a blindside sack by J.R. Tavai on what should have been (at least) the game-tying drive, a hit that dislodged the ball from Hogan's right hand and sealed the game in poetically apropos fashion:

DOWN GOES STANFORD pic.twitter.com/yrkItKYRGY

— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) September 6, 2014

Stanford outgained USC by more than 100 yards, 413-291, but still lost as a favorite on its home field. That's the sort of thing that does not happen to a mentally adept team. Stanford is young along the offensive line, which is a fair-enough excuse, but it is also ranked in the national top 15. It cannot be so unsound with mental mistakes near the end zone.

"Bottom line, if you don't take advantage of opportunities, you're going to lose to a good football team," said head coach David Shaw—who also refused to admit that his play-calling was conservative—per Stanford beat reporter David Lombardi.

Shaw did, however, accept his share of the blame:

https://twitter.com/DavidMLombardi/status/508390555508690945

There's a discord between how Stanford plays and how it finishes drives, and it's existed for more than a season.

The Cardinal win by running the ball, controlling the clock and disrupting opponents' offensive efficiency, which is usually the mark of a team that does well near the end zone. Playing downhill and wearing out an opponent's defensive line are supposed to fashion success at the end of drives, and in many cases they do.

But Stanford couldn't get out of its way against USC, just like it couldn't get out of its own way for most of 2013. Here is how Bill Connelly of SB Nation described Stanford in his season preview:

As much as we want to fit teams into a neat little box, it doesn't always work that way.

[...]

In 2013, the Cardinal were a bit surprising from a statistical perspective, and not necessarily in a good way. For one thing, they were wholly mediocre at closing out drives. Rushing teams have the reputation for being good near the goal line, but they averaged only 4.3 points per trip inside the opponent's 40-yard line.

Despite these manifest deficiencies, Shaw and his staff have a lot to feel good about after Saturday's game.

After a 12-play, 68-yard touchdown drive on their first possession, USC's offense was held to 41 yards and zero points on its next 21 plays. It didn't score a touchdown in the final 49 minutes of the game.

How many defenses in the Pac-12—much less the country—can suffocate an offense this talented?

The Cardinal proved Saturday that they're good enough to contend for a Pac-12 title, and although their chances of doing that (and of making the College Football Playoff) took a major hit with an 0-1 start in conference play, they are not crazy for keeping that as a goal.

They are crazy, however, if they keep that as a goal without fixing their mental deficits. Whether it's Shaw doing his best (pre-2013) Ron Rivera impression by punting on the 29-yard line or Hogan and Wright colliding for an ill-timed fumble, there were too many lapses Saturday that a legitimate contender wouldn't make.

A legitimate contender would be heading into Sunday 2-0.

There are a lot of college football coaches who care about being mentors to their players. There are plenty more who lose sleep at night trying to figure out ways to help their players succeed on and off the field. However, there’s no coach who exemplifies these traits better than Stanford’s David Shaw.

Shaw, who is entering his fourth season as head coach of the Cardinal, is far more than a football coach, though he’s done a pretty good job with that gig so far. Under his leadership, the Cardinal have gone 35-7, made it to three straight BCS Bowl Games and haven’t won fewer than 11 games in a season. To put that into perspective, Stanford has only won 11 or more games four times. Unsurprisingly, Shaw was on the staff in each of those four campaigns.

It’s premature to call Shaw the most successful coach in the history of Stanford football—after all he’s only been running the place for three plus years. But he’s moving in that direction, and it’s not like Stanford has employed mediocre coaches.

Stanford has seen Hall of Fame coaches lead the school onto the field. Names like Walter Camp, Pop Warner and Bill Walsh are synonymous with the game of football. Jim Harbaugh, Shaw’s predecessor and former boss, is one of the best coaches in the NFL.

The NFL will undoubtedly come calling for Shaw’s services, if teams haven’t already. No one would blame Shaw if he left, but college football would be losing a great asset. 

Shaw is a coach who's committed to mentoring young men first and football players second. In a day where money trumps all, Shaw is focused on building children—which is what some players are when they enter his program as freshmen—into grown men with bright futures.

When asked about how he intends continue Stanford's success on the field going for the foreseeable future, he de-emphasizes the football part of the equation and instead focuses on the human element.

“… It’s about people, first. Having the right coaches and recruiting the right guys. Not just great football players, but tough kids, smart kids, kids that understand the game, kids that get it on and off the field."

https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/498308472199319552

Shaw feels a personal responsibility to impact his players at a deeper level. Sure, he can coach them on the field and extract their best when they don the Stanford uniform. However, he's compelled to have an impact on their lives beyond the field because he received that sort of mentorship growing up. 

“It’s huge the impact that we have on these young people and so much about what is being talked is about money and what they can get and all those things; but the biggest thing I think they can get through team sports, but also coaching, is preparing these guys for life, preparing these guys for the challenges that are going to arise,” Shaw said. “People did that for me growing up, my dad, of course, and Bill Walsh were mentors to me early on, and I want to be mentors to our guys going forward."

Shaw is one the best football minds at the collegiate level, molded by the likes of Walsh and his father Willie, a longtime assistant coach in the NFL and at Stanford. He also has an incredible grasp of the college football landscape, but his focus continues to be on the students and not the business.

The NCAA recently instituted the “autonomy” rules, thus giving the power five conferences control of how they operate, which will at some point mean increased benefits for players, including full-cost scholarships, four-year scholarships and educational trusts, at the very least. When asked about the new rules, Shaw stayed on message and said while the new rules are great for student-athletes, the coaches and athletic departments must remember they are mentors first and foremost.

“I think [the autonomy rules] are going to be really good for college football players. But at the same time, I think the emphasis still has to be on us being mentors, being teachers and preparing these guys for life. This can’t be just about the money they get to put in their pocket. People need to decide what kind of impact college coaches, but all coaches have on these young people."

There’s a little bit of John Wooden in Shaw’s persona, although you have to tread cautiously when using the Wizard of Westwood as a point of comparison.

Wooden, who won 10 national titles as head coach of the UCLA basketball team, once said about life, “You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." Well, I don’t know how many perfect days David Shaw has had, but you can bet he’s focused on doing something for someone who will never be able to pay him back. Not that he’d admit it. Shaw, in his mind, is just trying to pass on what was given to him.

Yes, Shaw is focused on winning Pac-12 titles and national championships. Every coach in the conference is. He knows that he’s in for the toughest battle of his head coaching career this year. The Pac-12 returns 10 starting quarterbacks and, according to Shaw, is even with the SEC in terms of competitiveness and might be deeper overall.

“I think [the SEC and Pac-12] are even, for the most part. I think maybe the Pac-12 has more depth. I think what you’ll see in the Pac-12 also is some the teams you’d say are ‘lower teams’ are going to beat the ‘upper teams.' That doesn’t happen in most of the other conferences. You know every week in our conference there’s a good chance someone is going to get knocked off. That’s what makes our conference so tough."

Indeed, the Pac-12 is going to be as competitive as it has ever been from top to bottom this season. It’s not like Shaw has a lot of time to prepare his young team for the battle. The USC Trojans, fresh off a 52-13 victory over Fresno State, come to Palo Alto, Calif. this weekend.

But the opponent doesn’t necessarily concern Shaw because he’s more interested in making sure his team is ready and motivated for every game, every week. When asked about Stanford’s goals for the 2014-15 season, Shaw said that he wants his players to “de-emphasize the end goal and focus on what we can control and what we can control is our effort and our execution."

Wooden once said, "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." Shaw agrees, suggesting that by controlling effort and execution and doing everything in your power to achieve your goal, you'll be successful regardless of the result.

It’s another life lesson from a coach who is more interested in the future success of his players than the spotlight for himself. Shaw is a mentor first, a teacher second and a football coach third.

That’s the way college football coaches should operate, isn’t it?

Stanford head coach David Shaw has partnered with Dove Men+Care Deodorant to promote the “Care Always Wins” campaign, which honors coaches who foster a caring environment on and off the field. Share the story of a caring coach in your life at Dovemencare.com, and you could win a trip to Atlanta, Ga. and be honored by the College Football Hall of Fame. 

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Jason Gold on twitter @TheSportsGuy33. 

 

 

The final dark days of Stanford football began and ended with former coach Walt Harris.

In his first home game with the Cardinal in 2005, Harris allowed his team to blow a 17-point lead to UC Davis and give up a go-ahead score with eight seconds left. Stanford lost 20-17, and the Aggies became the first non-Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team ever to beat Stanford.

The Cardinal would win just five more games with Harris in control before he was subsequently, and rightfully, fired in December of 2006.

Fast-forward eight years, and it's a completely different story. Stanford opened its 2014 home schedule with UC Davis but handled the game with absolute ease, winning 45-0. The fact that there was no news was good news. That's what one should expect from a program that has won back-to-back Pac-12 championships.

The quest for a third straight conference title is approaching in earnest. A Saturday game against No. 14 USC at Stanford Stadium has early-season playoff implications...as does an October road trip to Notre Dame...and an Oct. 18 visit to Arizona State...and a Nov. 1 road game at Oregon...and a season-ending game at UCLA.

This is what Stanford is now: a program whose weekly goal is to win in order to satisfy a realistic goal to be one of the four teams playing for a national championship.

Here's how it happened.

Jim Harbaugh

A bad hire can set a program back just as much as a good hire can launch it forward. Stanford made a bad hire with Harris, who went 6-17 in two years.

Then Jim Harbaugh happened, and he put Stanford on the national map.

Harbaugh came to Stanford from the University of San Diego two weeks after the Cardinal fired Harris. Many applauded the hire, with Michelle Smith of the San Francisco Chronicle writing that Harbaugh was "young, energetic and charismatic. He has impressive college and NFL resumes as a player, name recognition and success at running a college football program."

It wasn't just lip service either. It took just five games before Harbaugh recorded his first signature win: a 24-23 stunner over No. 2 USC, to which Stanford was a 41-point underdog, in the Coliseum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujs7olBEVxE

The 2007 season was one unlike any other in recent college football history. It was a time when the sport apparently turned 21 in human years and partied too hard. While nothing may top Appalachian State-Michigan on the surreal upset meter, Stanford-USC was up there among the wildest endings that season.

If nothing else, it brought about the end of a 35-game home win streak for the Trojans while simultaneously ushering in a new era at Stanford. As it turned out, beating USC by one point was only the beginning. Stanford toppled the Trojans again in 2009, 55-21, one week after beating Oregon, 51-42, for the first time since 2001.

For those keeping track, that means Harbaugh recorded wins over Pete Carroll, who is coming off a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks, and Chip Kelly, an innovator in every aspect of the game. By the time Harbaugh left for the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, the Cardinal had won the Orange Bowl with a 12-1 record.

Recruiting

Harbaugh took a program that hadn't had a winning season since 2001 and started beating the nonsense out of opponents. That requires a massive attitude adjustment, but just as importantly, it necessitates a recruiting boost. In a time when offenses want to spread the field, Stanford opted to run over defenses.

Defensively, the Cardinal built itself to handle spread offenses like Oregon's.

Tight end Coby Fleener, wide receiver Doug Baldwin and fullback/linebacker Owen Marecic, all of whom are playing, or have played, in the NFL, were the highlights of Stanford's 2007 class.

The 2008 class is the group that really got things rolling. Quarterback Andrew Luck was the prize recruit, but offensive linemen David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin were also part of that class, as was receiver Chris Owusu. Linebacker Shayne Skov and defensive ends Trent Murphy and Ben Gardner arrived in 2009.

Stanford recruited players who wanted to fight in a phone booth.

It began up front. Stanford has had four offensive linemen and three defensive linemen drafted since Harbaugh took over the program, according to NFL.com. Tackle Andrus Peat could be one of the first offensive linemen taken in next year's draft if he declared early.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxITKc_ri-I

According to head coach David Shaw, Peat is a rare talent, via Bryan Fischer of NFL.com:

I don't know if there's been anybody else in our conference, in the last eight years, that is as good as Andrus Peat has been and can be. In my entire career, nine years in the NFL, the only offensive lineman that was a step above of where Andrus can be is Jonathan Ogden -- one of the best tackles to ever play.

Everything the Cardinal have wanted to do offensively and defensively, including leading the Pac-12 in points allowed in 2013, has started up front.

David Shaw

All the toughness that Harbaugh embodied at Stanford has been kept alive by David Shaw, who has a 35-7 record as the current head coach. According to The Wall Street Journal, Shaw has a 14-4 record against Top 25 teams in his three years at Stanford.

As Ted Miller of ESPN.com tweets, it's not just that Shaw has a 14-4 record—it's that he's won 14 games against Top 25 teams in a short amount of time.

It’s not just that David Shaw is 14-4 vs. top-25 teams. It’s that he’s played that many in just 3 seasons.

— Ted Miller (@TedMillerRK) August 20, 2014

Shaw's biggest win to date easily came on a cold November night in 2012 when Stanford upended Oregon 17-14 in overtime. The Ducks averaged nearly 50 points per game that season, but they could barely get in the end zone against Shaw's defense.

At the very least, it marked a changing of the guard in the Pac-12 North.

While other Pac-12 programs were trying to find an answer to Oregon's uptempo spread offense, Stanford already had it figured out. With the best defensive front seven in recent memory, the Cardinal were able to disrupt Oregon's offense up front while providing the speed on the back end that they needed.

Stanford had Oregon's number again in 2013 with a 26-20 win, cementing itself as the class of the Pac-12. But with the departures of Skov, Murphy and Gardner, not to mention defensive coordinator Derek Mason, the longevity of Stanford's defensive prowess remains to be seen.

Built for the Future

Think that Stanford is on the decline? Don't be so sure.

The Cardinal pulled in the No. 13 recruiting class nationally in February, according to 247Sports, highlighted by 5-star defensive end Solomon Thomas and 4-star quarterback Keller Chryst.

As Thomas showed in his live commitment on signing day on ESPN, there's a certain "cool" factor in committing to Stanford:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ces3xyD_pbM

What started as an impressive turnaround has morphed into a program with staying power. No matter the result between Stanford and USC on Saturday, the Cardinal have a national brand that appeals to elite high school prospects.

It's a far different program than the one that lost to UC Davis.

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.

Both the USC Trojans and Stanford Cardinal are coming off impressive season-opening wins, but each will face a serious test in an early Pac-12 battle that could go a long way in determining who eventually wins the conference title.

Even though the Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins were preseason favorites to win their respective divisions, USC and Stanford are also right in the mix, making this matchup even more important early on.

Point spread: The Cardinal opened as four-point favorites; the total was 55 at Stanford Stadium, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

Odds Shark computer prediction: 27.1-23.5 Cardinal

Why the Southern Cal Trojans can cover the spread

The Trojans could not have looked much better than they did in a 52-13 rout of Fresno State last week, with quarterback Cody Kessler completing 25-of-37 passes for 394 yards and four touchdowns and running back Javorius Allen rushing for 133 yards on 22 carries with one score.

That offensive balance is exactly what new head coach Steve Sarkisian was hoping for, and his defense also played very well with four interceptions. All this in the aftermath of USC cornerback Josh Shaw’s indefinite suspension for lying about rescuing his nephew, showing the team was able to rally round the controversy and show team unity together on the football field.

That’s a great sign for Sarkisian, whose Trojans have now covered the spread in six of their last eight games dating back to last season with a 7-1 straight-up mark during that stretch.

Why the Stanford Cardinal can cover the spread

The Cardinal routed UC-Davis 45-0 in its season opener. It may not have played the same level of competition as USC, but Stanford still turned in an outstanding all-around effort.

Stanford led 38-0 at halftime with QB Kevin Hogan throwing for 204 yards in the first two quarters while RBs Kelsey Young and Barry Sanders Jr. combined for 80 rushing yards on 14 carries.

The Cardinal enter this game against the Trojans with a lot of confidence against them, knowing Stanford has won four of the last five meetings SU with a 5-2 ATS record in their past seven matchups. Stanford is also 18-1 SU in its last 19 home games and will be out for revenge after losing at USC 20-17 as a 3.5-point favorite last year.

The Cardinal finished a perfect 7-0 SU at home last season, including big wins against UCLA (24-10) and Oregon (26-20).

Smart Pick

Bettors will find out just how good these Pac-12 teams are when they face each other, as both were able to rest starters last week to get ready for this showdown in Palo Alto.

The Trojans have won four of the last six meetings there with only one bad game in their past eight overall, including that home victory last season vs. Stanford. Kessler is the better QB of the two and played like it in winning last year, throwing for 288 yards and one touchdown.

Hogan struggled with 127 yards and two interceptions, and former RB Tyler Gaffney (158 yards and two TDs) was the only reason Stanford was able to hang in there. With Gaffney gone, the Cardinal’s inexperience in the offensive backfield will be a concern and show in a rare home loss.

Trends:

• Stanford is 18-1 SU in its last 19 games at home.
• Southern Cal is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games on the road.

Note: All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered first-hand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury updates and line move updates and get the free odds tracker app.

Remember when Barry Sanders committed to Stanford? It happened not too long ago, right?

It was two years ago to be specific, though it feels more like yesterday. That's likely because Sanders, who carries the same name as his all-time great father, a former running back at Oklahoma State, hasn't played a prominent role in the Cardinal offense—yet. 

Though Sanders played in 12 games last season as a redshirt freshman, he did so in a limited role. The former 4-star prospect rushed five times for 42 yards, caught four passes for 31 yards and returned seven punts for 71 yards. 

In this case, however, limited doesn't mean forgettable. In a 55-17 win over Washington State, Sanders showed just how good he can be in traffic on a screen pass from quarterback Kevin Hogan. Evading defenders, Sanders picked up 16 yards while making it look easy. 

He also ran for a season-long 22-yard touchdown against the Cougars. That's basically his highlight reel. 

That tape could be—and should be—a lot longer in 2014. 

Cardinal head coach David Shaw hasn't rushed Sanders into anything, so to speak. There are two ways to look at that: On one hand, it could have meant he wasn't ready to carry a bigger load. On the other hand, Stanford was set in the backfield. 

John Reid of the San Jose Mercury News agreed with the latter. Here's what Reid wrote about Sanders last October: 

No, Shaw is doing the right thing by spoon-feeding Sanders a table spoon at a time. No sense rushing him, especially when he isn't needed to win games. Stanford is 4-0, outscoring the opposition 41.2 points per game average to 19.5 points per game.

Why get Sanders banged up with a ton of reps? Stanford's offense is as balanced as can be, averaging 219.5 yards per game on the ground, 221.2 yards per game passing.

That safety net is gone, however. There's heavy turnover at running back, and 2014 seems like Sanders' time to shine. 

Senior running back Tyler Gaffney ran the ball 330 times for 1,709 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per carry. In all, Gaffney accounted for about 56 percent of Stanford's rushing attempts last season. Hogan and senior running back Anthony Wilkerson combined for roughly another 30 percent of the carries.  

With Gaffney and Wilkerson gone, so is a sizable chunk of the Cardinal's production in the ground game. The only returning running back with more yards than Sanders is Remound Wright (102). Someone has to step up, and Sanders has shown he's not lacking the wow factor. 

The biggest question about Stanford's offense next season is how it's going to look. If the offense doesn't churn out a 1,000-yard running back, which it has every year since Jim Harbaugh took over the program in 2008, that could mean a greater dependence on the passing game with Hogan and wide receiver Ty Montgomery. 

Or, it could mean the running back spot is played by committee. That seems to be the early vibe, according to the Cardinal's Kelsey Young (via Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle).

"Everybody's goal is to be 'the guy,'" Young said. "The reality is we have so many guys that have great talents and are very versatile. I'm working to be that one guy, but I'd be happy with a committee."

Whether Stanford remains a ground-and-pound team or deviates from that could be dictated by how the offensive line plays. Tackle Andrus Peat returns, but that's about it from the Cardinal's senior-laden group. 

That's not to say Stanford's line will be porous—the program has shown the ability to reload before—but it is an area to watch. 

Where Sanders fits in with that is his ability to make people miss. In short, he could be doing a lot of that in 2014 if Stanford's line play isn't up to par, whether in the ground or passing game. Instead of running right at defenses all the time, Shaw may incorporate more plays in space. That suits Sanders' skill set the best. 

Shaw is an excellent offensive mind who knows how to maximize a player's potential. Though Sanders gives the Cardinal offense a different look, it should still be a productive one in 2014. Whether he's the go-to back or a role player, expect him to have a breakout year. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football at Bleacher Report. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. 

Two-time defending Pac-12 champion Stanford kicks off the 2014 spring practice season today and the official start of a new campaign brings plenty of change on The Farm.

The Cardinal lose 11 starters from the 2013 roster, including All-American linebackers Trent Murphy and Shayne Skov, safety Ed Reynolds and offensive guard David Yankey. 

With plenty of new faces stepping into more prominent roles, head coach David Shaw faces challenges in getting the Cardinal primed for a third straight conference title.  

Keep the "Party" Going 

Cardinal defensive players dubbed their relentless blitz the "Party in the Backfield," and they were partying hard. Stanford led the nation in sacks in each of the last two seasons.

For opposing quarterbacks, it was less like a party and more akin to a nightmare. Stanford's terrorizing of Pac-12 backfields was the foundation for its defense, but it loses a ton of that production. 

Trent Murphy, Ben Gardner, Shayne Skov and Josh Mauro were responsible for 29 of the Cardinal's 44 sacks in 2013. All are gone, leaving defensive coordinator Lance Anderson searching for replacements. 

Anderson needs one of the outside linebackers he worked with as positions coach last season to fill the void the All-American Murphy leaves.

James Vaughters, Kevin Anderson and Blake Lueders may not match Murphy's nation-leading 15 sacks, but one of them could be key in getting the party started anew, with fifth-year seniors Henry Anderson (DE) and David Parry (DT) anchoring the line. 

Restock at Running Back 

A Cardinal running back has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last six seasons. Tyler Gaffney reached that milestone most recently, accruing 1,709 yards in 2013. 

Gaffney's departure leaves Stanford with uncertainty at a position that has been a calling card during the program's ascent to the top tier of college football.  

A successor can stake his claim to the vacancy in the spring. Candidates include Ricky Seale, Remound Wright and Barry Sanders Jr. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQsykbQXVRA

Shaw has favored employing a clear No. 1 back as opposed to operating by committee, a practice that dates back to his tenure as offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh. Stanford last had two ball-carriers rush 100 or more times in a single season in 2008, when Toby Gerhart and Anthony Kimble carried 210 and 120 times, respectively.

Conversely, it has had backs surpass 300 carries in three of the last five seasons. Thus it's likely Shaw will prepare one of the players vying for the job for a heavy workload. The sooner he can get started on that process, the better.  

Kevin Hogan Begins to Take the Next Step 

Quarterback Kevin Hogan's performance in the Cardinal's Pac-12 Championship Game rout of Arizona State was perhaps his best since taking over the Stanford offense in November 2012. That Hogan is the version Stanford needs leading it in 2014. 

He passed confidently, rifling a few throws to wide receivers Ty Montgomery and Devon Cajuste for big gains. He stood tall in the pocket and extended plays against Arizona State's sack-happy defense. 

"He's got a big arm," Shaw said in the postgame press conference following the 38-14. "He can make the big throws, and he's got a clear conscience."

The Sun Devils seemingly bring the best out of Hogan, who also rushed for 54 yards on six carries in the Cardinal's 42-24 victory over them in September 2013. While not a prototypical dual-threat quarterback, that facet of his skill set is one that can be developed into an X-factor next season. 

Given the run-heavy nature of the Stanford offense, Hogan is unlikely to produce gaudy numbers. However, with almost two seasons of experience and a great corps of wide receivers around him, he can take the next step in becoming a standout Pac-12 quarterback. 

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics compiled via CFBstats.com.

Those ready to discount two-time defending Pac-12 Conference champion Stanford's bid for a three-peat need to brush up on history. 

There are plenty of reasons to doubt head coach David Shaw can lead the Cardinal to a third-straight league title, and possibly a berth in the first College Football Playoff: 

• More than a dozen departing seniors. 
• The early entry of offensive guard David Yankey and safety Ed Reynolds into the NFL draft.
• The 11 starting spots that need to be filled as a result of the departures, second most in the Pac-12. 
• A daunting schedule that includes conference road trips to Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA and Washington. 

It all looks cumbersome, but Shaw's been here before. 

Let's rev up the DeLorean and take a trip back to 2012. Apple's fifth-generation iPhone was brand new, Breaking Bad was still in its original run and Stanford was replacing the No. 1 overall pick in that spring's NFL draft, quarterback Andrew Luck.  

Luck was arguably the greatest quarterback in Stanford history—a lofty distinction, given Jim Plunkett and John Elway are among his predecessors. His departure was the most noticeable but certainly not the only void left in a Cardinal roster that finished the 2011 regular season 11-1 and reached the Fiesta Bowl—Stanford's second BCS game in as many years. 

Stanford also lost offensive linemen David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin, as well as tight end Coby Fleener and wide receivers Chris Owusu and Griff Whalen. 

And yet, even while losing cornerstones of teams that went a combined 23-3, the next Cardinal squad reached a milestone that eluded its predecessors when it won the Pac-12 Championship.  

Stanford's path to its first league title since 1999 was not without bumps, particularly on offense. Starting quarterback Josh Nunes never quite found his rhythm after the loss of Whalen and Owusu from the receiving corps—prompting Shaw to replace him with first-year quarterback Kevin Hogan in the regular season's final month. 

Hogan will enter 2014 with roughly a season-and-a-half of starting experience, and a much deeper wide receiver corps than he had in 2012. The coming season could be a breakout for Hogan, who Shaw said after December's Pac-12 Championship game was "not perfect," but "in big moments against ranked teams...show[ed] what he's capable of.

"Kevin's got ice water in his veins," Shaw added. "He's got a short memory like all quarterbacks and pitchers need to have."  

Despite losing Yankey, the Cardinal offensive line should remain one of the Pac-12's best with Andrus Peat and Kyle Murphy anchoring it. 

That the offense is the more veteran side of the ball during this restructuring period is a victory for Shaw and his staff. The defensive turnover is substantial; linebackers Trent Murphy and Shayne Skov were two of the best at their position in all of college football, and the tremendous void they leave is only part of the challenge new defensive coordinator Lance Anderson faces in the front seven.

But an attitude, Skov explained, was passed from class to class, combined with strong efforts on the recruiting trail, has the Cardinal defense stocked and able to reload. 

Indeed, Stanford may actually be in better shape when the 2014 kicks off than it was when it opened 2012. 

The Cardinal's 2014 slate is quite similar to its 2012 schedule. They swap Arizona for Utah at home, and a road contest at Colorado with a visit to Arizona State. Otherwise, it's the same games: A home, conference opener against USC, road trips to Oregon and Washington that will shape the Pac-12 North race and a regular season finale at UCLA. 

It's the toughest schedule in the Pac-12, but the Oregon and UCLA dates fall in November. By that time, the new Cardinal should look an awful lot like the Cardinal of seasons past, and you don't need a Master's degree in history to know what that means. 

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

A torrid finish to the 2014 recruiting cycle netted USC the top-rated signing class in the Pac-12 per 247Sports.com, but don't let the last-minute additions of three highly touted prospects to the Trojans' ranks distract from the job head coach David Shaw did to restock Stanford. 

The two-time defending Pac-12 champion Cardinal demonstrate the life cycle of a top-tier college football program, replenishing a roster that loses numerous NFL-bound players with a new crop of unique talents.

Wednesday was the coup de grace for Shaw's No. 15 nationally ranked class, starting with the reveal of 4-star defensive end Solomon Thomas from Coppell (Texas), who produced a miniature pine tree and sported a pair of the "Nerd Nation" glasses Stanford predecessors like Shayne Skov popularized last season. 

Donning the taped glasses is just one very small way in which Thomas promises to continue the Cardinal's recent tradition of competing at the nation's highest level. His pass-rushing ability earned him a nine-point rating from 247Sports.com at the point-of-attack and made him one of the most hotly pursued defensive ends in the class.

Those are traits that fit in well with the defensive style Stanford rode to its two straight Pac-12 championships, notably from hybrid linebacker Trent Murphy and end Ben Gardner. But Shaw emphasized Thomas' qualities as a leader when talking to Cardinal Sports Report on Wednesday. 

Thomas may be the face of this Cardinal class, but he is certainly not the only impact addition. Stanford led the Pac-12 with 12 4-star signees in a broad range of positions and with an even split of six on offense and six on defense. 

The most highly rated of the offensive prospects is quarterback Keller Chryst, an early commit and local talent. Chryst passed for more than 2,600 yards and scored 28 touchdowns at Palo Alto (Calif.) High School last season per MaxPreps.com. At 6'4", 220 pounds, Chryst has prototypical NFL quarterback size, which is one quality that might elicit an Andrew Luck comparison or two at some point in his career.  

Keeping with comparisons to recent Stanford greats, Brandon Simmons has an opportunity to take up the mantle that Ed Reynolds and Richard Sherman carried at safety. 

The addition of two 4-star offensive linemen—Casey Tucker and Reilly Gibbons—should allow Shaw to continue orienting his offensive philosophy on winning the line of scrimmage. 

Missing from Stanford's offensive repertoire in 2013 were standout, pass-catching tight ends, one of the Cardinal's hallmarks over last half-decade.

The addition of 4-star tight end Dalton Schultz from South Jordan (Utah) Bingham brings depth to the position with Luke Kaumatule and other recent recruits expected to fill the void by the time the 2014 season kicks off. 

The opportunity to grow under the recruits that came before them—before they are expected to carry on the program's success—might be the most important facet of the 2014 signees' first year in the program. 

Much like the No. 7-ranked 2012 class, which largely spent the last two seasons in reserve roles, the true potential of Stanford's 2014 recruits may not be revealed for some time. 

Consider it an exercise in delayed gratification. Whereas a USC team that had its depth ravaged by NCAA sanctions will likely play several talents from its stellar class right away out of necessity, Shaw will be able to mold this class over time, continuing in another direction that has been a Stanford hallmark.

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer. Recruiting rankings obtained via 247Sports.com. 

Solomon Thomas joined the ranks of the nation's other top college football recruits after the 5-star defensive end decided to commit to Stanford, according to Josh Ward of WNML in Knoxville:

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Thomas was one of the best defensive line prospects available. In addition to being the No. 25 player overall, Thomas is the No. 2 strong-side defensive end in the country, and he is also the No. 3 player from the state of Texas. 

With all of that in mind, it should come as no surprise that many of the premier programs in college football pursued him. Stanford, Arkansas, UCLA, Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and a host of others did their best to reel him in, according to 247Sports.

At 6'2.5" and 258 pounds, Thomas already has ideal size as well as a tantalizing combination of strength and agility. It remains to be seen if he will be able to contribute at a high level right away, but his star power is certainly evident.

Production wasn't an issue during his high school career, as he racked up 105 tackles in 2011 before picking up 89 in 2012. Thomas also had 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2012, so he has a penchant for making big plays that can stall an offense.

According to ESPN.com, Thomas followed that up with another impressive campaign this past season, as he ended with 80 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks.

In addition to that, Thomas was named to the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and he was also an All-State second-team selection, per 247Sports.

Thomas is so highly touted that he even had other players attempting to woo him. According to Brice Jones of TexAgs, Texas A&M defensive end commit and fellow Texas native Myles Garrett attempted to convince Thomas to become an Aggie:

Thomas already looks like an elite college football player on the practice field, so the only question now relates to whether it will translate into game action against top-level competition.

While Thomas is capable of getting to the quarterback, his best asset is probably his ability to stop the run. That means if he continues to grow, then he can potentially become a 3-4 defensive end, although having versatility and being able to play multiple positions is always a good thing.

Despite the fact that Thomas is a defensive end, he models his game after Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in terms of his physicality and quickness off the ball, according to this video courtesy of Bleacher Report.

If Thomas becomes even half of the player that Suh was at the collegiate level while with Nebraska, then there will be a great deal of buzz surrounding him. Suh was arguably one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of college football, so Thomas has chosen the right player to emulate.

It may take some time before Thomas' impact is truly felt, but following his progress in the meantime will certainly be exciting.

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As one outstanding Stanford recruiting class exits and leaves behind a legacy as the most successful class in program history, another takes center stage with an opportunity to build on the already lofty standard set by its predecessors. 

Stanford's 2009 class set an especially high standard. By the time linebackers Trent Murphy and Shayne Skov, defensive ends Ben Gardner and Josh Mauro and running back Tyler Gaffney finished, the Cardinal had played in four consecutive BCS bowls and won two Pac-12 championships, effectively cementing their place as one of the conference's best classes in recent history.

Head coach David Shaw led Stanford to the 2012 Fiesta Bowl in his first season as head coach. Then for an encore, he landed what he called "one of the best classes in the history of the school," per The Stanford Daily's Jack Blanchat. 

Based on rankings from recruiting services such as 247Sports.com, which has tracked signing classes for a little more than a decade, the 2012 group is Stanford's best in that time period. 

"It’s not just about the rankings or the stars, it's about the quality of the individuals that we added to our team," Shaw said on national signing day 2012, per Blanchat's article. 

Of course, the true impact of a recruiting class can be most accurately measured after it's performed, and the departure of the holdovers from the 2009 class leaves voids the 2012 signees must fill. Add early entries in offensive guard David Yankey and safety Ed Reynolds, and the Cardinal return just 11 starters. Among Pac-12 teams, only Arizona State lost more. 

The 2014 season is the third the members of the 2012 signing class will have been in Shaw's program. Whether juniors or redshirt sophomores, the high turnover means their time to lead Stanford and continue the Cardinal's recent winning tradition is now.

Some from the stellar 2012 class have already made an impact. Andrus Peat was an All-Conference selection and Sports Illustrated All-American nominee. Peat was a 5-star prospect coming out of Tempe (Ariz.) Corona Del Sol, and he has certainly lived up to his billing. Along with fellow 5-star Kyle Murphy, Stanford's recent tradition for outstanding offensive line play should continue.  

The difference next season could be a move back to an offense that is heavier on the pass. 

Since Andrew Luck left to become the NFL draft's No. 1 overall pick, Shaw overwhelmingly favored the run, going to the ground 150 more times than through the air in 2012—and 273 more this past season.   

Quarterback Kevin Hogan became the starter midway through 2012 and held the job throughout 2013. That experience, coupled with the presence of a few noteworthy 2012 recruits on a deep and talented wide receivers corps, should result in more passing. 

Two receivers from the 2012 class factor prominently into the position's depth. Shaw routinely sang the praises of wide receiver Michael Rector during the 2013 season, citing both his blocking ability as well as his pass-catching. He'll play an integral role alongside fellow 2012 signee Kodi Whitfield. 

You may remember Whitfield for making arguably the most spectacular catch of the 2013, hauling in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Hogan in the Cardinal's win over UCLA.

The Cardinal won't exactly emulate an Air Raid offense, however, and the process of replacing Gaffney starts with 2012 recruit Barry Sanders Jr. The Hall of Famer's son offered fans a sample of his repertoire in Stanford's win over Washington State in September.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQsykbQXVRA

Stanford's offense is well-stocked, thanks to the 2012 signing class. Replacing everything Stanford loses on defense may prove more difficult, and the unit's progression under first-year coordinator Lance Anderson this offseason will make or break the Cardinal's bid for a Pac-12 three-peat. 

Defensive back Alex Carter was a stalwart of this past season's No. 10-ranked scoring defense, with 59 tackles and a team-high eight passes defended, but the unit's collective depth and experience made getting meaningful game experience difficult for other players.

Defensive back Zach Hoffpauir made a crucial fourth-down stop in Stanford's Pac-12 Championship Game win over Arizona State that effectively ended any hope the Sun Devils had of mounting a comeback. By and large, however, the 2012 class' defensive crop is untested. 

The experience gained practicing alongside one of the nation's best defenses for the last two seasons should help the new Cardinal starters get up to speed quickly.   

The 2012 class can truly leave its mark not by simply continuing what its predecessors accomplished, but building on it. For all its success in the last half-decade, Stanford has another phase it has yet to reach: competing for a national championship.

Stanford came within two single-point decisions of playing for a national championship in each of the last two seasons. Making those few plays necessary to turn those defeats into victories is the difference between a berth in the College Football Playoff and another near-miss.

Taking that next step would surely validate the praise given to the 2012 class when it signed with Stanford two years ago. 

  

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer. Recruiting information obtained via 247Sports.com.