Stanford Football

The Stanford Cardinal football program wasted little time in filling up a void in their coaching staff.

On Friday afternoon, the school announced that Lance Anderson would be promoted to defensive coordinator, via the football team’s official Twitter page (h/t NBC Sports’ John Taylor):

The news comes just seven days after former defensive coordinator Derek Mason left to become the head coach at Vanderbilt.

Prior to the promotion, Anderson spent the last seven seasons working as an assistant for Stanford, including the last four as outside linebackers coach. He’s expected to continue handling those same duties along with his coordinator responsibilities. Per Taylor's report, head coach David Shaw said:

Lance has worked under two of the best defensive minds in football in Vic Fangio and Derek Mason. He will continue our defensive tradition of being aggressive, being physical and setting the tone for how we play football here at Stanford University.

Although Anderson has no experience calling the plays, he certainly knows how to make an impact on a unit.

The year before he took over the linebackers, the Cardinal ranked No. 55 against the run. In Anderson’s first season in charge (2010), he helped the team jump up to No. 19.

Stanford has ranked in the top five against the run in each of the last three seasons.

Under Anderson’s tutelage, linebacker Trent Murphy had a stellar 2013 campaign. The senior led the nation with 15 sacks and finished as the nation’s active leader in sacks with 32.5. Murphy was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award.

The Cardinal definitely took a step in the right direction with this hire.

All stats and rankings used in this article are courtesy of CFBstats.com unless otherwise noted.

For complete coverage and everything college football, you can reach Sebastian on Facebook, Twitter and via email at Sebastian.LenaBR@gmail.com.

Were Stanford to post the defensive coordinator vacancy Derek Mason's departure for Vanderbilt leaves, it might read something like this: 

Seeking one defensive coordinator. Desired qualifications include ability to maintain the high standard set in two seasons leading the Football Bowl Subdivision in sacks and finishing in the top 10 of scoring defense and top 5 of rush defenses. Must be able to lay the foundation for conference championships.

Talk about lofty standards. Mason was a coveted head-coaching candidate because Stanford's defense was at the pinnacle of college football under his guidance. Head coach David Shaw doesn't need a defensive coordinator who is just good at his job—the expectations Mason set demand greatness.

Mason was an integral part of Stanford's success the last two seasons, which included consecutive Pac-12 championships. Of Mason's accomplishments in his three years as Stanford's defensive coordinator, none were as prominent as the two clinics his defense put on against rival Oregon in 2012 and 2013.

Mason is a leading authority on countering zone-read offensive schemes, which are becoming increasingly prevalent around football. Such offenses are staples of the Pac-12, and no team has the principles of the zone-read spread down quite like Oregon.

The Oregon offensive juggernaut that ran roughshod over most of its competition was rendered ineffective by Mason's defense—not once, but twice.

Both wins were vital to the Cardinal's Pac-12 championship runs.

Shaw explained in his postgame following the Cardinal's 26-20 win over the Ducks on Nov. 7—a win that was frankly more defensively dominant than the final score indicates—why Mason's strategy was so effective, via GoStanford.com. 

As much as it is scheme, it's recognizing what kind of guys that we have and putting them in position to be successful. All of us coaches say that. But Derek does a great job putting it into the practice. ... The team doesn't matter if you're just scheming and we put guys like [defensive end] Henry [Anderson] and [linebacker] Shayne [Skov] in bad position. You have to know your people, you have to know who you're playing against, and put the scheme and personnel together.

Familiarity with his players' abilities and adjusting his coverages and formations accordingly played a part in Mason enacting his game plan. Having some of the Pac-12's premier defensive talent certainly factored in as well.  

Mason isn't the only vital cog in the Stanford defensive machine that needs replacing, which can either help or hurt the new coordinator's job.

The drawbacks to losing so much talent are obvious. Linebackers Skov and Trent Murphy, safety Ed Reynolds and defensive end Ben Gardner are just a few of the defensive stars Stanford must replace in the offseason.

Their contributions are readily evident on the stat sheet and translated to individual awards. All took on leadership roles as well, becoming an extension of Mason on the field.

However, this is an opportunity for Mason's replacement to mold his own talented bunch of players into the vision he has for the Cardinal defense. If Lance Anderson is Shaw's hire, all the better, because the familiarity with the players that helped Mason is a quality that's been part of Anderson's job description for the last seven years at Stanford.

ESPN.com's Joe Schad tweeted Friday that Anderson is the likely candidate to replace Mason. 

He's worked as the program's recruiting coordinator and admissions liaison, playing a key role in the Cardinal signing the new wave of championship-contending talent. Prospects from the celebrated 2012 recruiting class will be of particular importance to filling the abundant holes departing Cardinal leave.

Defensive back Alex Carter already began the process of becoming the next great Cardinal defender, defending a team-high eight passes in 2013. Defensive lineman Aziz Shittu and linebackers Noor Davis and Blake Martinez will seek to take the next step under the new coordinator's guidance, contributing alongside returning starters Anderson and A.J. Tarpley. 

Indeed, Stanford's defensive cupboard is anything but bear, and that will make the transition of replacing Mason somewhat easier.

Dominant defensive end Solomon Thomas undoubtedly ranks among the top uncommitted recruits in the country. The 5-star prospect took a step toward his decision Monday evening, when he announced a final three—Arkansas, UCLA and Stanford—on Twitter.

Thomas took Texas and Ohio State out of the equation in the final stretch toward national signing day. The 6'2.5", 258-pound Coppell High School (Texas) star received in-person visits from both spurned programs last week.

He met with recently hired Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong on Thursday. Longtime Penn State assistant Larry Johnson, now serving as the Buckeyes' defensive line coach, followed with a trip to see Thomas on Friday.

Texas fails to land one of its top in-state targets, while the Buckeyes must turn their attention elsewhere in a nationwide search for depth along the defensive line. Meanwhile, UCLA, Stanford and Arkansas remain in the mix at the end of a recruiting process that also featured Alabama, LSU and Notre Dame.

Thomas enjoyed a monstrous senior season. He tallied 78 tackles, including 26 for loss, and 12.5 sacks, according to The Dallas Morning News.

A multi-conference recruiting race for Thomas' services has been sliced down to three options. Let's examine what lies ahead in his decision-making process for each program.

UCLA

The Bruins hosted Thomas for an official visit in December. Jim Mora has done an excellent job on the recruiting trail during his time in Westwood, and those efforts have resulted in a renaissance for the program, which could open the 2014 season ranked among the nation's top 10.

UCLA continues to add defensive talent, with several key pickups this month. Zach Whitley (Houston, Texas) and Dwight Williams pledged on Jan. 4, giving the team a pair of 4-star linebackers.

Whitley flipped from Alabama, while Williams chose the Bruins over Florida, Oklahoma and Michigan. The Bruins would love to team up Thomas with the talented duo in a defensive unit that improved its sack total from 14 in 2011 to an average of nearly 40 during the past two seasons.

However, the coaching carousel cost UCLA a key member of its staff. Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos accepted the position of linebackers coach with the Tennessee Titans.

Opposing quarterbacks were routinely under duress during his tenure, and he spent plenty of time recruiting Thomas. It's tough for a team to overcome the loss of familiarity at this stage of the recruiting cycle, but assistant Adrian Klemm continues to be Thomas' key recruiter.

Stanford

If Thomas ultimately ends up in the Pac-12, he's likely to wear a Cardinal uniform. Stanford is the prohibitive favorite for the defensive end, currently holding a 77 percent probability to land him in 247Sports' Crystal Ball forecast.

This is another team undergoing coaching staff changes, as former defensive coordinator Derek Mason is now the head coach at Vanderbilt. Dave Shaw has dealt with an exodus of assistant coaches during his tenure so this isn't uncharted territory in Palo Alto.

Thomas has taken numerous trips to campus and found out he was accepted to the university during his official visit. Stanford is known to have stringent academic standards, so the news came as a relief to Thomas.

“It was relieving to hear that,” he told ESPN.com writer Damon Sayles. “I felt like all my hard work in the classroom had paid off. Taking four AP classes and taking the SAT six or seven times, [academics] is a grind, just like football is."

Stanford finished 10th nationally in points allowed per game this past season. Thomas is eyeing up the opportunity to take the unit to an even higher level while pursuing an education he's worked hard to earn.

Arkansas

The Razorbacks are the last SEC squad standing from a list that featured Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama. Arkansas struggled during Bret Bielema's first season at the helm, claiming three victories and going winless in conference play.

There is still optimism in Fayetteville, where Bielema has assembled a solid class that includes top in-state prospect Bijhon Jackson, a 4-star defensive tackle. Like UCLA and Stanford, the Razorbacks must find a replacement at defensive coordinator.

Chris Ash, who previously served under Bielema at Wisconsin, is now on Ohio State's staff. Thomas is exactly the kind of player this defensive unit needs after a largely underwhelming 2013 campaign, bringing elite athleticism and an ability to terrorize quarterbacks off the outside edge.

Family ties are a significant factor for Thomas at Arkansas. His older sister, Ella, is a third-year student in Fayetteville.

He is expected to spend his final official visit on campus, according to 247Sports. It's a golden opportunity for Bielema to rally Razorbacks fans around the promise of a bright future.

Dalton Schultz is heading to the Stanford Cardinal. The talented tight end was recruited by several schools before ultimately deciding to play college football in the Pac-12, where he should get a chance to shine in the near future.

Schultz confirmed the news himself on Twitter:

He even created a video on his decision:

Schultz is the top-rated tight end in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also placed as the No. 2 prospect coming out of the state of Utah and ranks just outside the top 100 nationally when including players from all positions.

The most intriguing aspect about the Bingham High School product is his combination of size and athleticism. 247Sports lists him at 6'5'' and 215 pounds before even reaching the collegiate level, and he should continue to grow into that frame.

When you combine that type of size with short-line quickness and playmaking ability, the result is a prototypical tight end in today's game. Somebody who can put pressure on defenses by controlling the middle of the field.

The other area where Schultz has shown promise is blocking. He's done a nice job of setting the edge and using his size to overpower smaller defenders, but will face tougher tests at the next level, and it could take some time for him to adapt.

He still stands to learn the finer points of the position, especially things like route running and how to read coverages to know when he'll be a hot read against pressure. But those are areas of the game where understanding comes with experience.

Exactly when he'll start gaining that experience is unclear. He's talented enough to step right into the offensive rotation, but the amount of playing time he gets likely depends on how he much he can impress the coaching staff leading up to next season.

That said, he's got plenty of upside and whether he steps right into a role within the offense or takes a year before he carves out a niche, Schultz has all the tools to become a major asset.

Only time will tell if he lives up to the hype.

The Stanford Cardinal will be losing another key player on their vaunted defense to the NFL draft.

With Trent Murphy and Shayne Skov already on their way out, star safety Ed Reynolds has followed suit and declared his intentions to go pro, he announced through the school Tuesday:

After much thought and discussion with my family and mentors, I have decided to enter the NFL Draft. I would to thank the Stanford football family for putting me in this position and preparing me for the next level. A very special thanks to our coaching staff, support staff and my teammates for making the memories of these past four years last a lifetime.

I would like to extend my deepest and most sincere gratitude to the Stanford community for its support during my time on The Farm. A better script could not have been written for my experience at Stanford as a student-athlete.

Stanford actually listed Reynolds as a senior on its official roster, though the Stoneville, N.C. native had one year of eligibility remaining after missing the entire 2011 season due to injury.

After missing his sophomore year, Reynolds burst onto the national scene in 2012 when he led the Cardinal with six interceptions. He amassed 301 interception return yards, leaving him one yard shy of the NCAA single-season record. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 and second-team All-America that season.

His third year wasn't as prolific statistically, as opposing offenses generally avoided the middle of the field where he roamed. Still, the 6'2", 206-pound safety tallied 87 tackles with one interception and four pass breakups.

He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors once again and made several first-team All-American teams.

The Stanford release noted that he will re-enroll in the spring quarter and return again in the offseason in attempts to finish his degree in political science.

CBSSports.com projected Reynolds as the No. 2 safety in the 2015 class. Now that he has declared for the 2014 draft, he could be a first- or second-round selection.

Stanford will be left with a bit of a bare cupboard after Reynolds' departure. His listed backup, Devon Carrington, is a senior and will be departing as well. The team's only other listed free safety, Chris Gaertner, is also a senior.

Stanford hasn’t lost much in the three seasons David Shaw has been head coach. The Cardinal’s 24-20 loss against Michigan State in Wednesday’s Rose Bowl was just their seventh in Shaw’s tenure, but a recurring critique from the more recent Stanford stumbles is the coach’s offensive play-calling.  

Shaw didn’t deviate from the game plan that carried Stanford to a second consecutive Pac-12 title and Rose Bowl appearance. The Cardinal stepped up toe-to-toe with Michigan State’s ballyhooed defense for a throwback slugfest, and the Spartans punched just a little bit harder.

Aside from Tyler Gaffney’s 47-yard carry in the first quarter and touchdown rush on the game's opening drive, Michigan State showed exactly why it’s the nation's premier rush defense by rendering Gaffney a non-factor much of the day.

It wasn’t for lack of trying, though. Gaffney carried 24 times for 91 yards, a 3.8 yards-per-carry average. Take away his big gainer, and his average was half that. 

When Gaffney couldn't get free taking handoffs from quarterback Kevin Hogan, Shaw lined the running back up in a single wing, or Wildcat. The formation has been a point of contention between Shaw and his naysayers for all three of his seasons leading the Cardinal. 

Gaffney defended the Wildcat just this week when asked at his Rose Bowl press conference, per GoStanford.com. 

"I love the [W]ildcat," Gaffney said. "It gives you an opportunity to be an athlete. You get the ball, you see there's not just one hole drawn up. There can be multiple. You hit it with everything you've got and hope for the best."

Gaffney was Stanford’s top offensive playmaker throughout 2013. He led the way for the Cardinal with 1,618 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns coming into the Rose Bowl. Shaw chose to stick with the one who brought him to the dance.

But while rushing Gaffney behind Stanford's outstanding offensive line pounded speed-based Oregon and blitz-happy Arizona State into submission, Michigan State was up to the task. 

Going away from Gaffney offered the Stanford offense no relief, however.

On Stanford's final possession and facing 3rd-and-2, a Gaffney rush out of a shotgun handoff fell short. In a jumbo package on fourth down, Shaw called fullback Ryan Hewitt's number. It was Hewitt's first carry of the game, and Stanford's last offensive snap of the season. 

That Stanford’s five losses in the last two seasons have all been by single digits makes it easier to put every decision under a microscope. Such was the case in a 20-17 loss at USC on Nov. 16, as well as a 27-21 defeat at Utah on Oct. 12. 

The narrative in those Pac-12 tilts, however, was that Shaw went away from Gaffney in calling for Hogan to pass more. He threw 27 passes at Utah and 25 at USC, including a critical red-zone interception in the latter.

Hogan passed 18 times against Michigan State, completing 10, including his first attempt, a 43-yard connection with Michael Rector. Hogan also found Devon Cajuste on a 51-yarder in the third quarter.

Otherwise, big plays were hard to come by against Michigan State's "No Fly Zone" secondary. 

Certainly some of the Cardinal's offensive anemia is due to the conservative approach. 

But play-calling was not the only reason Stanford lost. Hardly. 

The Spartans defense answered the bell against a stout offense and lived up to its billing. The offense also found a way to do just enough against a Stanford defense that played admirably and kept a Cardinal victory within reach. 

Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook stepped up against the outstanding Cardinal defense, sustaining drives with his poise in the pocket. 

When Stanford's pass rush reached Cook—and it happened often—he was able to get the ball out quickly. He was also unfazed by throwing a first-half interception returned for touchdown. 

The Spartans made more plays than Stanford, something that has happened all of seven times in Shaw's career. But with an offseason to marinate on his team's Rose Bowl loss, Shaw will have an opportunity to make additions to his playbook to perhaps bridge that gap.

Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery left the Cardinal's Rose Bowl matchup against Michigan State and is unlikely to return after sustaining what appears to be a left knee injury.  

ESPN's Joe Schad reported that Montgomery was wrapped in ice on the sideline, and the prognosis for Wednesday's contest did not look good:

Stanford WR Ty Montgomery consoled by teammates after left knee wrapped in ice. Appears done for day.

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 2, 2014

Jon Wilner of the Mercury News had official word from Stanford on Montgomery's status:

Stanford official statement on Montgomery: "He will be re-evaluated soon." No other info.

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) January 2, 2014

Montgomery sustained the injury on a kickoff return following a score that put the Spartans up 24-17 early in the fourth quarter. Although there was seemingly nothing atypical about the play, which featured a Montgomery return to the Stanford 30-yard line, the junior wideout was in obvious pain and laid on the field for multiple minutes.

He was then tended to by the Stanford medical staff before being taken off the field while putting little weight on his left leg. The severity of the injury is unknown at this time, and will likely take further testing to figure out its full extent.

Before going down, Michigan State had done a surprisingly solid job of keeping Montgomery in check. He had only three catches for 21 yards, as the Cardinal passing game struggled mightily. Looking for back-to-back Rose Bowl victories for the second time in school history, Stanford had been rendered mostly ineffective by a stout Spartans defense.

Montgomery had been the team's most explosive weapon on the outside all season. He came into January having set career-highs in catches (58), yards (937) and touchdowns (10). Without Montgomery, the onus will be on quarterback Kevin Hogan to find his secondary targets.

With the way the game has gone thus far, though, that task is going to be awfully difficult.

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Wednesday’s Rose Bowl is the grand finale for a senior class of Stanford defenders who leave a legacy as one of the top groups in Pac-12 history. A win over Michigan State would cement this defense’s place alongside such units as USC’s in the late 2000s and Arizona’s Desert Swarm teams in the 1990s.

Stanford won two consecutive Pac-12 Championships, adjusting misconceptions about West Coast football in the process.

The outgoing seniors—like linebackers Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy and 2012 Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player, defensive back Usua Amanam—were instrumental in that effort.

“It feels like we have the most fifth-year seniors in the country,” Skov said following the Cardinal’s 38-14 Pac-12 Championship Game win over Arizona State on Dec. 7, one of their gems on the 2013 season.

Six of Stanford’s nine fifth-year seniors are major contributors on defense. Another four fourth-year seniors are prominent Cardinal defenders. That's nearly 50 combined years of experience anchoring a group that deserves mention alongside the greatest ever.

Stanford's statistics are impressive, though not necessarily historic.

For a second consecutive season, Stanford ranks in the top 10 nationally for points allowed and comes into the Granddaddy of Them All as the No. 3-ranked rush defense. 

Compared to USC in 2008, which held opponents to an average of nine points per game, or the 1992 Arizona defense that only allowed 30 rushing yards per game, this Stanford group may not get the same kind of historic credit.  

“Numbers lie,” defensive coordinator Derek Mason said (subscription required) in his press conference Saturday. “We're one of the best run stop defenses in the country.”

Indeed, statistics don’t tell the whole story of just how dominant this Stanford defense has been. The Cardinal flourished in a conference built on offense—and not just offense, but uptempo offense predicated on disrupting defensive rhythm and creating personnel mismatches.

Programs around the Pac-12 retooled in recent years, following Oregon’s lead after the Ducks’ success with implementing a hyper-speed version of the spread in the late 2000s.

Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Washington and Washington State all joined Oregon to run versions of the hurry-up, no-huddle offense in 2013 and Stanford dominated them all—except Arizona, the only team of that group the Cardinal didn’t face.

A big and aggressive defensive front is the hallmark of Stanford's defense, and upperclassmen like Skov, Murphy and Henry Anderson are well-known for their exploits.

However, in his press conference Sunday, head coach David Shaw credited (subscription required) the progression of another unit—including some of the youngsters—for helping make this defense truly historic. 

The biggest difference in our team has been the athleticism of our secondary. We've been good up front for years, but Wayne Lyons is coming along, our two safeties, one of the best safety combinations in the nation, use with a coming in and playing nickel for us, those guys are making the difference between being a good defense and a great defense. 

Michigan State presents a different kind of challenge in the Rose Bowl—specifically, the kind that tripped up the Cardinal for their only two losses. 

The Spartans mirror Stanford with outstanding defense and a power-based offense, much like Utah and USC. 

But Murphy summed up Stanford's losses succinctly when addressing the media Sunday, saying the Cardinal simply didn't play their best football then. 

A performance more indicative of those that won Stanford the Pac-12 should bring the program a second Rose Bowl championship. Talk about making history. 

Unless otherwise noted, quotes were obtained firsthand.

Don't expect many hijinks when the No. 4 Michigan State Spartans (12-1) and the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal (11-2) square off in the 100th edition of the Rose Bowl.

Wednesday's West Coast matinee (5 p.m. ET, ESPN) will feature two of the nation's most physical teams who like to pound the ball on the ground and hit hard on defense.

There will be several individual stars on display in Pasadena, including some with bright NFL futures.

Here's a look at four of the top players who will step between the lines on New Year's Day in what promises to be an entertaining Rose Bowl.

RB Tyler Gaffney, Stanford

Tyler Gaffney is the definition of a workhorse in college football.

Stanford has relied on the senior tailback all year, as his 306 carries make him one of five FBS players to have racked up at least 300 rushing attempts. He has totaled 1,618 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2013, wrapping things up with a 22-carry, 133-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 38-14 win over Arizona State in the Pac-12 championship game.

Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times recently noted Gaffney's unique path to his senior season after he sat out 2012 to pursue a baseball career:

Stanford Coach David Shaw had kept in touch with Gaffney during baseball season, sending him occasional texts to congratulate him on a game-winning hit or other milestones. Shaw would teasingly say, 'You've got one more year left,' privately believing Gaffney would give baseball at least two years before perhaps returning.

But one day Shaw checked his phone and saw a text from Gaffney.

"It said, 'Hey, Coach, can we talk?'" Shaw recalled. "I knew what it was. He has a love and passion for the game of football and he couldn't wait to come back and play."

He doesn't have breakaway speed, but Gaffney is a tough runner between the tackles. It will be interesting to monitor the battle in the trenches, as the powerful Stanford offensive line will face a talented Michigan State front seven.

Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan is an efficient player under center, but expect the Cardinal to use Gaffney to try and wear down a rugged MSU defense that ranks second in rushing yards allowed per game (80.8) and fourth in points allowed per game (12.7) nationally.

CB Darqueze Dennard, MSU

The Michigan State defense suffered a big loss recently when leading middle linebacker Max Bullough was suspended for undisclosed team violations.

Still, the Spartans are littered with talent up and down their defense, and Darqueze Dennard figures to have the brightest NFL prospects of them all. In his most recent mock draft published on Dec. 30, Dane Brugler of CBS Sports pegged Dennard as the No. 10 overall pick in the draft while Rob Rang had him going No. 11.

Dennard has made quite a name for himself since high school, as noted by Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated:

Dennard will be MSU's biggest weapon against Hogan, who put up solid numbers (2,487 passing yards, 20 TDs, 9 INTs) for Stanford in 2013. The 5-foot-11, 197 cornerback could spend a lot of time matched up with speedy top Stanford receiver Ty Montgomery (58 catches, 937 yards, 10 TDs).

Cardinal offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren, who used to coach with the New York Jets, likened Dennard to NFL star Darrelle Revis, per Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"He locks people down," Bloomgren said. Opposing receivers rarely make much yardage on him. "Not many people even catch the ball on him," he said.

Dennard and his opposite number, Trae Waynes, allow their teammates to often commit nine players to stopping the run, Bloomgren said. "Not many people in college football - or any level - can do that."

The former Jets assistant coach said Dennard "does for their defense what (All-Pro) Darrelle Revis did for ours in New York."

Dennard's talents have already been recognized, as he won this season's Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. Now he gets a chance to prove himself in the Granddaddy of Them All.

LB Trent Murphy, Stanford

Before bowl season started, menacing linebacker Trent Murphy led the nation with 14 sacks en route to being named a second team All-American.

The 6'6", 261-pound edge-rusher in the 3-4 defense was one of four Cardinal defenders to make the Pac-12 First Team, along with linebacker Shayne Skov, defensive end Ben Gardner and safety Ed Reynolds.

As Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News noted, Murphy has developed quite the reputation among his teammates.

"He's actually softened up since he got here,'' Skov said. "He was like a wolf that's brought into the pound and, surrounded by other dogs, becomes more like one of them.''

The dogs thought enough of the wolf to name him a captain for the 2013 season. Always one of the last players off the practice field, Murphy is polite to a fault, self-deprecating and introspective. He even has "a goofy side,'' according to Skov.

But when the fifth-year senior steps on the field and flips the switch, destruction is sure to follow. His nickname is Yeti, for the Abominable Snowman.

Murphy will be tasked with trying to break through a stout MSU offensive line that has enabled quarterback Connor Cook to put up efficient numbers (2,423 passing yards, 20 TDs, five INTs) this season. The Spartans have allowed just 13 sacks in 13 games, so Murphy's abilities will be tested on Wednesday.

RB Jeremy Langford, Michigan State

Jeremy Langford is MSU's answer to Gaffney.

The Spartan was overshadowed by other Big Ten tailbacks like Ohio State's Carlos Hyde this year, but still is one of the nation's most prolific backs with 1,338 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He enters the game with a streak of eight straight 100-yard games, as noted by David M. Lombardi of KNBR:

Langford capped off the year with a 24-carry, 128-yard, one-touchdown performance against OSU in the Big Ten championship game, leading MSU to a 34-24 victory to knock the Buckeyes out of the national championship picture.

Per another Los Angeles Times report from Klein, Langford sounds like he's taking a blue-collar approach to the Rose Bowl:

"Go get the four yards that we need,” Langford said. “I might not be biggest but I’m going to run with power and I play the whole game. Take no plays off blocking or running. I grind.”

That's the right kind of mindset for Michigan State heading into its formidable matchup with Stanford, which gives up 91.2 rushing yards per game to rank third-best in the nation.