Stanford (5-4 / 3-3 PAC 12) dropped another tough PAC-12 contest on Saturday, this time 27-23 at Washington (7-3 / 5-2 PAC 12). In defeat, the Cardinal have now lost four out of their last five games, and a once promising season has now dissolved in mediocrity. Football is an amazing game, considering that it is either beautiful or brutal, sometimes based on only one or two moments in a three hour scuffle.
In this particular battle, Huskies senior running back “For” Myles Gaskin (28 carries / 148 yards rushing / 1 TD / 5.3 YPC) returned from a two game absence to steal the show offensively. Gaskin helped to both control the clock, and to keep the Huskies in front of the chains for most of the evening.
The best football player in this matchup however was U Dub senior linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven (13 tackles / 2 PD / 1 TFL / 1 QBH), who has legitimately been the best player in every Huskies game I have seen this year. The young man is a definitive throwback, tough as nails, incredibly athletic, and he plays with a motor that never stops. As I have written before, if everyone on their squad had his heart, they could never lose.
Washington junior defensive back Taylor Rapp (6 tackles / 2 PD / 1 INT), who like his teammate BBK is a future high-end NFL draft pick, was also a playmaker in this one. More so, the talented Huskies secondary as a whole was able to come up with three critical interceptions in the game, which was the difference.
In regard to those three picks, and while Cardinal junior quarterback K.J. Costello (29 for 43 passing / 347 yards / 2 TD’s / 3 INT / 69.8 QBR) also made some great throws in the 2nd half, it was the big mistakes that outweighed his big plays in Seattle.
His counterpart, Washington senior QB Jake Browning (16 for 27 passing / 194 yards / 1 TD / 63.0 QBR), managed the game with poise for four quarters. With the strength of the Huskies defense behind him, Browning (0 turnovers vs. Stanford) plays with the knowledge that if he just doesn’t make a mistake they have a great chance to win.
For Stanford, senior linebacker Bobby Okereke (11 tackles / 1 QBH / 1 PD) fought with tremendous pride throughout, but it was simply not meant to be for The Card. Also of note for the D, junior linebacker Jordan Fox (9 tackles / 1 sack / 1 TFL / 1 QBH) likely had his best game of the season against the Huskies.
As has been the case the entire year, Stanford’s All-World running back Bryce Love (18 carries / 71 yards / 3.9 YPC / 1 TD) continued to play hurt, and continued to due himself no justice in the process. As I have also previously penned, Love’s toughness and dedication to his teammates can never be questioned, but the team needs to show him some ‘love’ by resting him until his body is healed properly. I somewhat understood letting him go when there was still a significant Bowl Game to play for, but at this point sitting him down for the remaining three is simply the right thing to do. I only write that because I appreciate and respect Bryce “Dr.” Love the person, even more than I do the player.
In my estimation, the last five weeks has been the toughest stretch of the David Shaw Era, and I am very curious as to how this team will respond in the final three games. While they are not able to play themselves back in to a position they desire, they can certainly show the pride and character that this program has become known for over the past decade.
In that capacity, Stanford (5-4) hopes to get right on The Farm this Saturday vs. Oregon State (2-7), while Washington (7-3) has a bye week before hosting the Beavers themselves on 11/17. No matter the results, both the Dawgs and Card have significantly underachieved this year, and they will both be looking for a more significant winter next season.
All that said, win or lose, Roll Red.
Comments
It was the awful first half that killed the Cardinal
The team didn’t seem ready to play in a hostile environment, and the defense was particularly awful while the offense kept coming up short on first downs… They made it respectable at the end, but they’re not good enough to overcome such a slow start against a good team on the road.
By worldblee on 11.05.18 2:30pm
I have to agree with this quote
I’m always surprised how games can seem to turn on one play. I recall a home game against WSU when Bledsoe was QB. At one point in the game, he tucked and ran like 80 yards. He was about to score and got stripped at the goal line and Stanford recovered. I have no doubt that had he scored on that run, Stanford would have lost the game.
At the end of the day, UW made more plays. The loss is on the the entire coaching staff and the players. Everyone could have played better.
By Blackjoy on 11.05.18 3:29pm
Shaw needs an offensive coordinator to call plays and Lance Anderson needs a wake up call
Yes, I know that Shaw and Anderson have been godsends for Stanford football, if you compare them to the pre-Harbaugh era. But the failures of this year’s team is so much more on the coaches than the players. The first drive of the WSU game showed what this team is capable of doing. Where was it in the first half of the Washington game? Nowhere to be found. Similarly, the second half defense in the Washington game was absent the entire first half. Did Stanford switch players? No, the coaches (despite Shaw’s disingenuous denial after the game) adjusted. I suppose there are positives that you can attach to Shaw’s notorious stubbornness, but the clear negative is that can and does cause the team to underperform. Find an offensive coordinator who is not joined at the hip to Shaw and who can call the plays. Heck, Alabama has a different offensive coordinator just about every year, so they have to be out there. Despite his obviously overly complicated play sheet, Shaw has become way too predictable. And maybe, just maybe, when the officials don’t call obvious holds or pass interference, or prevent Stanford from hiking the ball at the end of the game, someone on the sideline might just get angry rather than Shaw’s tempered irritation.
As for Anderson, I really don’t know what to say. Last year, it was obvious that putting pressure on Jake Browning worked. So where was it the first half? I’m sure he watched the Cal/Washington film and he certainly knew that the Washington offense was stagnant without Gaskin. So is it really that hard to have Okereke shadow Gaskin? And how exactly does Anderson emphasize tackling in practice, when nobody can do it in a game? Stanford prides itself on mental toughness; some much needed physical toughness would help a lot more.
Honestly, do you really care all that much if Stanford squeaks out nail-biting wins against the Beavers, the Bears, and the Bruins? (Not anywhere near sure things by the way). This team has too much talent to be where it is. And it will have too much talent next year to win anything less than 10 games. I’m getting awfully tired of high pre-season expectations being dashed by under prepared players and teams.
P.S. I do agree with McArthur that Love should just sit until he is fully healed. Sure, he may be the toughest player in the country. But a coach who truly cares about his players’ futures will do the right thing for the player.
By SU74 on 11.05.18 6:02pm
Love needs to sit out the rest of the season
The star players can help voice their frustration by sitting out with injuries instead of playing hurt and jeapordizing their long term health.
If we lose a couple more games (getting stifled by the bears and a 2h collapse to osu is possible, UCLA I dont think they’re ready to beat us yet their defense is as bad as ours) then finally a wake up call to shaw. Can’t keep truckin along with that famously complex play book and run up the middle all the time. I know we need a new oc but shaw won’t admit to that. At least get us a new o line coach and d line coach. Usc fired their o line coach and see how the running game exploded
By stanford6thman on 11.05.18 7:04pm
Totally agree with the comments on the predictable play calling that does not utilize the talent on the team to its fullest. So frustrating to watch. PLEASE make Bryce Love heal for the rest of the year. Bryce, you’ve given so much to this team, but it’s time to take care of yourself now.
By mcat72 on 11.05.18 7:49pm
Agree on focusing on 2019
Really at this point, the people who are planning to go into the draft should simply sit out — Love, JJAW, some others. If we had a backup QB I’d even sit out KJ, but we don’t have that luxury. The 2018 season is done and dusted at this point. Best case scenario is 8-4, which, given how unpopular we are for discretionary bowl bids (for obvious reasons — we don’t travel much unless it’s the Rose Bowl), means some out of the way and irrelevant bowl game at best. It’s quite possible we end up 6-6 as well although my gut says we beat OSU and UCLA, and lose to Cal (perhaps badly) to finish 7-5. Really not worth wasting Love’s future or risking an injury for future NFL players like JJAW. Call it a season, learn from the mistakes, which were many (OL coaching anyone?), and focus on getting younger players some reps the rest of 2018 and then after on retooling everyone for 2019. Worst year since 2014, and that year the team at least had an excellent defense, as well as a bright future that we saw at the end of that season — I don’t get that vibe from this team at all, so it makes sense to shut it down a bit, give younger players some reps and focus on 2019.
By Brendan Ross on 11.06.18 11:52am
I Think Shaw Has More Pride Than To Shut Things Down
But he should use his discretion on how injured players are being utilized. I also see us losing to Cal but winning the other games, ending at 7 – 5. We were a very flawed team this year, but a few turnovers, a couple of stops and a handful of points from being 7 – 2 at this stage in the season gunning for the Pac 12 North title. I am not sure what that says other than the PAC 12 is not that tough a conference or that KJ Costello and his receivers are awfully damn good. Our run game this year has been a complete and utter failure. Really not much more that can be said. Our defense has played poorly often, though as in years past, it has occasionally stepped up to get a needed stop (like against Washington late in the second half). I fear we are slipping back into irrelevance, and really want the team to try to close out the year at 8 – 4. But I am not sure that next year brings a very different or improved team. Would love to see a real offensive coordinator and a new offensive line coach (if that is the problem). I think Lance Anderson has earned our confidence as has Duane Akina. Perhaps we just don’t have the right personnel for the moment. It cannot be that they have suddenly become bad coaches. I am still a strong David Shaw fan, and perhaps this year has been a learning one for him as well. That is, if there is no run game nor a defense that you can lean on, you may have to dial up a different playbook.
By hoyaparanoia on 11.06.18 3:27pm
Offensive play calling is absolutely not the problem.
Scoring points is not the issue. Not being able to run and not being able to get stops is the problem. Stanford put up 23 (really 24) points on the best Pac 12 defense as a road team in one half of a game without our best offensive player. But in the first half, we gave up 21 points before the defense got a stop.
We have a 3 & 1 on the opening drive and the pulling TE, can’t seem to make it down the line to block someone and Scarlett can’t recognize the need to keep his feet, a problem he’s had a lot this year. That is in not a failure of the play calling.
The second possession we have 3rd and short and Arcega has the man beat inside but KJ throws it high and back and allows the defender to make a play on it. That has nothing to do with the play calling.
In the first half, Shaw/Prichard called the perfect screen play. Love had 30 yards of green with two blockers. UW totally bit and KJ completely failed to get the ball over the charging LB which resulted in an INT. That one play would have completely changed the complexion of the game and its failure had nothing to do with the play call but in the failure of the players to execute.
Play calling is NOT the issue for Stanford. Blocking and tackling are. I was skeptical of Tavita Prichard, but the play calling is fine. No offensive coordinator calls a perfect game and it’s ridiculous to hold Shaw/Prichard to that standard.
Our problem is we can’t generate a pass rush with the lineman and our safeties aren’t good enough to create coverage sacks. Defense wins championships. It’s true in basketball and it’s true in football. Drew Bledsoe was on the radio and they asked him who he thought was the greatest of all time at QB, they were trying to get him to say it was Brady. But he wouldn’t. Instead, he pointed out that QBs who win MVPs, have typically had top 10 defenses. Bledsoe was pointing out that you need a defense to win and Stanford is no different.
Our defense has played elite at times, but it’s not been consistent. Ultimately that falls on the coaches. Hopefully Shaw will double down on the defensive recruiting and someone on our D-line will emerge.
By Blackjoy on 11.06.18 9:59pm
Actually Don't Disagree With You Much At All
Our biggest problems, as I noted, are the run game (or lack thereof) and a defense that can’t be consistently relied upon (but has shown the ability to get stops at times). My only comment with respect to offensive play calling is that an offensive strategy that relies upon (i) a dominant run game and (ii) riding a strong defense may not be the best choice if those two pieces are missing.
As to coaches and coordinators, I just think that parking Tavita Pritchard at Offensive Coordinator is missing an opportunity to bring in some additional expertise. It is a big position if Shaw actually delegates anything to the OC, or maybe Shaw is the de facto OC and it doesn’t matter (as long as you think Shaw could not benefit from some different thinking/approaches from time to time). I think Shaw has (eventually) done a better job at play calling within the constraints of our team this year – and using our strengths. As always, it seems to come a game or two too late but it was not play calling that cost us the ND or Utah games. I am not smart enough to know if we need a new offensive line coach, but it seems apparent that we are not getting the job done at that position this year.
Other than that, it is mostly about getting the right players and yes…………….blocking and tackling.
By hoyaparanoia on 11.07.18 2:18pm
Play Calling IS a Problem
Stanford was poised to tie the game with Washington. First and goal inside the 10-yard line. What was called? Three unimaginative plunges into the center of the Washington defense with 8-9 men at scrimmage. We have these tall studs who we can throw to and don’t even try it once. If Costello had kept the ball on just one of these plays, he could have waltzed into the end zone or passed off to one of the stud tight ends. The score would have been tied and just maybe we win on a field goal. Play calling has been way too conservative all year. At least, try something imaginative!
By farmboy2 on 11.07.18 4:35pm
I’m with you farmboy
As a head coach and recruiter I think David Shaw has been the best thing for Stanford since sliced bread. Better than harbaugh. But as a playcaller I’d say his ability is average or slightly below average for our conference. And in a conference with chip kelly and mike leach who can out scheme opponents, and given our talent disadvantage with our admissions standards, an average play caller just won’t get us to the next level.
Shaw has his pro style smash mouth football, and no plan B. Or plan B comes too late in a game or season like at WSU. When everyone in the world can see we are running it up the middle into a brick wall we continue to do it until we fall behind the sticks or he game is almost lost or Bryce love is too gimpy to go on. I really feel for that kid. Pretty sure he wishes he left early for the Nfl.
Anyways people wishing for a new oc aren’t gonna get it so let’s forget that pipe dream. Let’s hope for a new o line coach. Clay Helton dumped his and might have saved his job for a while. Shaw is not under that kind of pressure to perform but I think in his heart of hearts he knows what he needs to do.
Maybe slide carberry over to offensive consultant quality control coach or whatever to soften the blow to his career. But the decision should be crystal clear to shaw what he needs to do
By stanford6thman on 11.07.18 8:23pm
I asked my self the same question
I was perplexed by this series as well. But then I realized I wasn’t thinking about the total picture:
1. KJ had already thrown two interceptions at this point;
2. UW has the best secondary in the conference. Bigger stronger DBs than most other teams;
3. Arcega was out;
4. A number of PAC-12 teams have run for TD’s in similar situations against UW. Surprising, UW has not been great at stopping the run this year. You may recall Oregon ran straight running plays inside the 10 to score a TD in OT and beat UW;
5. Bryce Love had already run for a TD between the tackles.
Sure, I would have liked to see at least one pass attempt, but given the above, I can better understand why Shaw may have not wanted to throw it.
By Blackjoy on 11.08.18 9:11am