Stanford has become a rather interesting exception to the rule. Since 2013, David Shaw’s Cardinal haven’t lost to a team that finished with a losing record. They also haven’t beaten all that many particularly good teams. Over the last five years, they’re 9-17 against teams that finished with nine or more wins and 39-2 against everyone else.
I've actually been low-key worried about Stanford for a while now--from the standpoint of a Husky fan. Their recruiting has been a little strange in that they acquired talent at key positions in 2016 and 2017 that any of us would give our favorite nut for, but they did jack shit in 2018.
But going back to those 2016 and 2017 classes (guys who will be 3rd and 4th year players this season), there's a lot of very pointy end talent--at least from a recruiting service perspective:
2016 Three top-60 players, all at marque positions (especially if you're Stanford). #38 (#2 TE), #47 (#3 QB), 60 (#4 OLB). When you compare to UW that class, it's not even funny. UW's top TE in the class was Kizer, a top-900 player in the country and 46th ranked TE. The QB that class was unrated DBG, the 47th QB in the class. Top OLB (and second highest rated kid in the class) was Camilo Eifler, 142nd ranked prospect and #11 OLB. Highest rated lineman in the class was Watty.
2017 This was the class that kind of has me shitting my pants: Eight top-200 guys, four top-40 guys, three 5-stars, two out of the top three OL in the country, and the #1 QB and #1 TE. Their fifth ranked guy, a CB, would have been the top rated guy in UW's 2017 class.
Like I said, their 2018 class was hot garbage, but that shouldn't hurt them too much for another year or two. This year it's all about the '16 and '17 classes and what's left of the '15 class. So, just based off of the talent that they managed to acquire in those two years, combined with the offensive system that they employ, they have to really fuck something up to not be pretty good offensively. If Davis Mills can keep his knee healthy, it's pretty nice having a #1 QB backing up perhaps the best combination of talent and experience in the conference behind center in KJ Costello. They have a tight end room that includes a #1 and a #2 in the country, and Stanford loves them some tight ends. Walker Little and Foster Sarell at tackles. Austin Jones coming in to run the ball. Only deficiency on that roster is WR, but that may only be because we haven't seen a lot of Osiris St. Brown yet. There are five 4-stars in that room.
Defensively, I'm not so sold. But that offense looks like it could be awfully scary.
I've actually been low-key worried about Stanford for a while now--from the standpoint of a Husky fan. Their recruiting has been a little strange in that they acquired talent at key positions in 2016 and 2017 that any of us would give our favorite nut for, but they did jack shit in 2018.
But going back to those 2016 and 2017 classes (guys who will be 3rd and 4th year players this season), there's a lot of very pointy end talent--at least from a recruiting service perspective:
2016 Three top-60 players, all at marque positions (especially if you're Stanford). #38 (#2 TE), #47 (#3 QB), 60 (#4 OLB). When you compare to UW that class, it's not even funny. UW's top TE in the class was Kizer, a top-900 player in the country and 46th ranked TE. The QB that class was unrated DBG, the 47th QB in the class. Top OLB (and second highest rated kid in the class) was Camilo Eifler, 142nd ranked prospect and #11 OLB. Highest rated lineman in the class was Watty.
2017 This was the class that kind of has me shitting my pants: Eight top-200 guys, four top-40 guys, three 5-stars, two out of the top three OL in the country, and the #1 QB and #1 TE. Their fifth ranked guy, a CB, would have been the top rated guy in UW's 2017 class.
Like I said, their 2018 class was hot garbage, but that shouldn't hurt them too much for another year or two. This year it's all about the '16 and '17 classes and what's left of the '15 class. So, just based off of the talent that they managed to acquire in those two years, combined with the offensive system that they employ, they have to really fuck something up to not be pretty good offensively. If Davis Mills can keep his knee healthy, it's pretty nice having a #1 QB backing up perhaps the best combination of talent and experience in the conference behind center in KJ Costello. They have a tight end room that includes a #1 and a #2 in the country, and Stanford loves them some tight ends. Walker Little and Foster Sarell at tackles. Austin Jones coming in to run the ball. Only deficiency on that roster is WR, but that may only be because we haven't seen a lot of Osiris St. Brown yet. There are five 4-stars in that room.
Defensively, I'm not so sold. But that offense looks like it could be awfully scary.
With Shaw I feel better this way than the reverse. Like our guy Shaw seems to be a bit offensively challenged. Better chance he squanders talent on this side of the ball IMO
I've actually been low-key worried about Stanford for a while now--from the standpoint of a Husky fan. Their recruiting has been a little strange in that they acquired talent at key positions in 2016 and 2017 that any of us would give our favorite nut for, but they did jack shit in 2018.
But going back to those 2016 and 2017 classes (guys who will be 3rd and 4th year players this season), there's a lot of very pointy end talent--at least from a recruiting service perspective:
2016 Three top-60 players, all at marque positions (especially if you're Stanford). #38 (#2 TE), #47 (#3 QB), 60 (#4 OLB). When you compare to UW that class, it's not even funny. UW's top TE in the class was Kizer, a top-900 player in the country and 46th ranked TE. The QB that class was unrated DBG, the 47th QB in the class. Top OLB (and second highest rated kid in the class) was Camilo Eifler, 142nd ranked prospect and #11 OLB. Highest rated lineman in the class was Watty.
2017 This was the class that kind of has me shitting my pants: Eight top-200 guys, four top-40 guys, three 5-stars, two out of the top three OL in the country, and the #1 QB and #1 TE. Their fifth ranked guy, a CB, would have been the top rated guy in UW's 2017 class.
Like I said, their 2018 class was hot garbage, but that shouldn't hurt them too much for another year or two. This year it's all about the '16 and '17 classes and what's left of the '15 class. So, just based off of the talent that they managed to acquire in those two years, combined with the offensive system that they employ, they have to really fuck something up to not be pretty good offensively. If Davis Mills can keep his knee healthy, it's pretty nice having a #1 QB backing up perhaps the best combination of talent and experience in the conference behind center in KJ Costello. They have a tight end room that includes a #1 and a #2 in the country, and Stanford loves them some tight ends. Walker Little and Foster Sarell at tackles. Austin Jones coming in to run the ball. Only deficiency on that roster is WR, but that may only be because we haven't seen a lot of Osiris St. Brown yet. There are five 4-stars in that room.
Defensively, I'm not so sold. But that offense looks like it could be awfully scary.
With Shaw I feel better this way than the reverse. Like our guy Shaw seems to be a bit offensively challenged. Better chance he squanders talent on this side of the ball IMO
100% agree with you there, but I still don't get the complete lack of media respect for Stanford this offseason. Oregon is getting their collective pole smoked by half the publications online for, what, a returning senior quarterback, returning offensive line, and a bunch of 18 year olds? Does nobody bother to check that Stanford's returning senior quarterback outplayed Hubert last year in every single statistical category but interceptions thrown (11 for Costello and 8 for Herbert)? That Stanford returns an even more talented offensive line? That Stanford's badass recruiting classes were a couple of years ago so they can actually do things like grow a beard and help on the football field this season? It's just weird to me.
To me, Stanford's the biggest threat on the field this season--especially as an away game, and Oregon is fourth behind Utah (not bullish on their offense, but let's go with it) and a USC who on any given weekend can unfuckulate themselves and out-talent you.
I've actually been low-key worried about Stanford for a while now--from the standpoint of a Husky fan. Their recruiting has been a little strange in that they acquired talent at key positions in 2016 and 2017 that any of us would give our favorite nut for, but they did jack shit in 2018.
But going back to those 2016 and 2017 classes (guys who will be 3rd and 4th year players this season), there's a lot of very pointy end talent--at least from a recruiting service perspective:
2016 Three top-60 players, all at marque positions (especially if you're Stanford). #38 (#2 TE), #47 (#3 QB), 60 (#4 OLB). When you compare to UW that class, it's not even funny. UW's top TE in the class was Kizer, a top-900 player in the country and 46th ranked TE. The QB that class was unrated DBG, the 47th QB in the class. Top OLB (and second highest rated kid in the class) was Camilo Eifler, 142nd ranked prospect and #11 OLB. Highest rated lineman in the class was Watty.
2017 This was the class that kind of has me shitting my pants: Eight top-200 guys, four top-40 guys, three 5-stars, two out of the top three OL in the country, and the #1 QB and #1 TE. Their fifth ranked guy, a CB, would have been the top rated guy in UW's 2017 class.
Like I said, their 2018 class was hot garbage, but that shouldn't hurt them too much for another year or two. This year it's all about the '16 and '17 classes and what's left of the '15 class. So, just based off of the talent that they managed to acquire in those two years, combined with the offensive system that they employ, they have to really fuck something up to not be pretty good offensively. If Davis Mills can keep his knee healthy, it's pretty nice having a #1 QB backing up perhaps the best combination of talent and experience in the conference behind center in KJ Costello. They have a tight end room that includes a #1 and a #2 in the country, and Stanford loves them some tight ends. Walker Little and Foster Sarell at tackles. Austin Jones coming in to run the ball. Only deficiency on that roster is WR, but that may only be because we haven't seen a lot of Osiris St. Brown yet. There are five 4-stars in that room.
Defensively, I'm not so sold. But that offense looks like it could be awfully scary.
With Shaw I feel better this way than the reverse. Like our guy Shaw seems to be a bit offensively challenged. Better chance he squanders talent on this side of the ball IMO
100% agree with you there, but I still don't get the complete lack of media respect for Stanford this offseason. Oregon is getting their collective pole smoked by half the publications online for, what, a returning senior quarterback, returning offensive line, and a bunch of 18 year olds? Does nobody bother to check that Stanford's returning senior quarterback outplayed Hubert last year in every single statistical category but interceptions thrown (11 for Costello and 8 for Herbert)? That Stanford returns an even more talented offensive line? That Stanford's badass recruiting classes were a couple of years ago so they can actually do things like grow a beard and help on the football field this season? It's just weird to me.
To me, Stanford's the biggest threat on the field this season--especially as an away game, and Oregon is fourth behind Utah (not bullish on their offense, but let's go with it) and a USC who on any given weekend can unfuckulate themselves and out-talent you.
I agree with this
Its why Oregon invests so much in hype. Stanford is easy to forget about because they don't care
We are at Stanford. They may win the North. Oregon won't.
Shaw just doesn't seem to WANT that off season natty
Comments
But going back to those 2016 and 2017 classes (guys who will be 3rd and 4th year players this season), there's a lot of very pointy end talent--at least from a recruiting service perspective:
2016
Three top-60 players, all at marque positions (especially if you're Stanford). #38 (#2 TE), #47 (#3 QB), 60 (#4 OLB). When you compare to UW that class, it's not even funny. UW's top TE in the class was Kizer, a top-900 player in the country and 46th ranked TE. The QB that class was unrated DBG, the 47th QB in the class. Top OLB (and second highest rated kid in the class) was Camilo Eifler, 142nd ranked prospect and #11 OLB. Highest rated lineman in the class was Watty.
2017
This was the class that kind of has me shitting my pants: Eight top-200 guys, four top-40 guys, three 5-stars, two out of the top three OL in the country, and the #1 QB and #1 TE. Their fifth ranked guy, a CB, would have been the top rated guy in UW's 2017 class.
Like I said, their 2018 class was hot garbage, but that shouldn't hurt them too much for another year or two. This year it's all about the '16 and '17 classes and what's left of the '15 class. So, just based off of the talent that they managed to acquire in those two years, combined with the offensive system that they employ, they have to really fuck something up to not be pretty good offensively. If Davis Mills can keep his knee healthy, it's pretty nice having a #1 QB backing up perhaps the best combination of talent and experience in the conference behind center in KJ Costello. They have a tight end room that includes a #1 and a #2 in the country, and Stanford loves them some tight ends. Walker Little and Foster Sarell at tackles. Austin Jones coming in to run the ball. Only deficiency on that roster is WR, but that may only be because we haven't seen a lot of Osiris St. Brown yet. There are five 4-stars in that room.
Defensively, I'm not so sold. But that offense looks like it could be awfully scary.
To me, Stanford's the biggest threat on the field this season--especially as an away game, and Oregon is fourth behind Utah (not bullish on their offense, but let's go with it) and a USC who on any given weekend can unfuckulate themselves and out-talent you.
Its why Oregon invests so much in hype. Stanford is easy to forget about because they don't care
We are at Stanford. They may win the North. Oregon won't.
Shaw just doesn't seem to WANT that off season natty