ESPN College Football

2011 record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 8-1 (2nd, North)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 7; kicker/punter 1

Top returners
RB Stepfan Taylor, OLB Chase Thomas, LB Shayne Skov, FB Ryan Hewitt, C Sam Schwartzstein, OG David Yankey, OT Cameron Fleming, DE Ben Gardner, TE Zach Ertz, TE Levine Toilolo.

Key losses
QB Andrew Luck, OL David DeCastro, OL Jonathan Martin, S Delano Howell, DE Matt Masifilo, WR Chris Owusu, TE Coby Fleener, S Michael Thomas.

2011 statistical leaders* (returners)
Rushing: Stepfan Taylor* (1,330 yards)
Passing: Andrew Luck (3,517 yards)
Receiving: Griff Whalen (749 yards)
Tackles: Jarek Lancaster* (70)
Sacks: Chase Thomas* (8.5)
Interceptions: Michael Thomas (3)

Spring answers
1. And then there were two: The pack of five has been funneled down to two quarterbacks competing to replace Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. There are plenty of questions left (see below) but at least we know that it's not a three-, four- or five-man race heading into spring. Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes clearly separated themselves from the rest of the pack. That's a start.

2. Running back depth: In case Stepfan Taylor gets the flu, and Tyler Gaffney trips over his batting gloves, and Anthony Wilkerson stubs his toe, we know the Cardinal still have a viable running back option in Ricky Seale, who impressed Shaw this spring with his vision, quickness and elusiveness. Oh yeah, there's a Barry something or other coming in the fall whose supposed to be a pretty good running back. RB depth is not a concern.

3. Scary front seven: The Cardinal have so much talent and depth at defensive line and linebacker that defensive coordinator Derek Mason has to be scratching his head on how to get everybody in. Linebacker James Vaugthers is a star on the rise -- but that means taking reps away from A.J. Tarpley and Jarek Lancaster. Chase Thomas and Trent Murphy are two of the best at what they do. Stanford's run defense was really good last year. It could be great this year.

Fall questions
1. Who's the guy? Nunes or Nottingham? Nottingham or Nunes? That's the question everyone will be asking on the Farm for the next few months. This might be the most intriguing quarterback competition in the country. But the Cardinal don't need a 50-attempt guy. They need someone who can put them in the best play against the right defense and hand off to Stepfan Taylor. Then repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And then pop a play-action to Ty Montgomery, Zach Ertz or Levine Toilolo.

2. The Fleener factor: Much of Stanford's offensive success came from the three-tight-end formations, which included Coby Fleener, Ertz and Toilolo. In fact, about 35 percent of the offensive playbook is triple-tight sets. How much does that change with Fleener's departure to the NFL? Ertz and Toilolo are both outstanding tight ends in their own right. But the three of them together was something special.

3. Drop-off? Aren't you tired of reading about the drop-off Stanford is going to suffer with the graduation of Luck? Well, so are the players. Several have said off the record that it's a great motivational tool because they believe the defense and running game are stronger than they've ever been. Whatever the public thinks, it hasn't penetrated the locker room. Not yet, anyway.

So the Stanford Cardinal have to replace a quarterback who is going to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. It happens. Almost every year, in fact. Since 2000, nine teams have been where the Cardinal are now, having to replace a quarterback taken No. 1 overall. During that same span, 32 teams have had to replace quarterbacks taken in the first round. While Andrew Luck might be considered in rare company, the Cardinal certainly aren't.

However, replacing two offensive linemen taken in the first round -- that's rare. And difficult. Since 1967, only 11 schools have had two offensive linemen drafted in the first round. Rarer still is that only four have had to replace both a guard and a tackle -- the last coming in 2001 when Michigan's Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Backus were drafted back-to-back at Nos. 17 and 18, respectively.



That's the challenge facing the Stanford Cardinal, who kicked off spring ball this week without left tackle Jonathan Martin and right guard David DeCastro. Both were in Indianapolis last week for the NFL combine and both are expected to be first-round draft picks. And Stanford's future success hinges as greatly on replacing Martin and DeCastro as it does replacing Luck.

"The competition is going to be high," said Kevin Danser, one of several in line competing for DeCastro's old guard spot. "I don't think anyone is penciled in to be a leader or a favorite. There are a lot of guys that want that spot. And you're filling in for someone great. It's not like a David DeCastro comes around every year. It's going to be tough, but we're all looking forward to competing."

Stanford returns three starters from last year's group: right tackle Cameron Fleming, left guard David Yankey and center Sam Schwartzstein. All three were first-year starters last year and performed very well alongside Martin and DeCastro. And that's the reason head coach David Shaw isn't looking to move any of them from their current spots.

"I think Cameron Fleming and David Yankey have shown some special things where they are," Shaw said. "I learned in Baltimore [as a Ravens assistant] that taking a guy and moving him from where he's comfortable, you're taking one problem and making it two problems. We'll keep Sammy in the middle. We feel really good about those three guys and we'll have a lot of competition between those spots."

Cole Underwood and Brendon Austin appear to be emerging as the top two candidates for left tackle, Shaw said.

"Brendon Austin has had an outstanding winter," Shaw said. "He's up to 300 pounds, moving great. Cole Underwood really started to get a feel and help us at the end of games. Cole is going to be in competition potentially at both of those positions. He's shown potential to kick at tackle and pull as a guard."

Underwood, who appeared in three games last season, said he's a better player for having backed up Martin and Fleming last season.

"Moose [Martin] is a do-things-right-all-the-time kind of guy," Underwood said. "He's an extremely hard worker and that's what separated him from tackles all over the country. That's why he's about to be a first-round pick. Be obsessed with the game. Be a workaholic. Technique is key, no matter what size you are or how much you lift. If you don't have technique, it won't help on the field. He was a big technician and he was always striving for perfect technique every rep."

The X-factor is Stanford's heralded offensive-line recruiting class. Shaw upped the ante when he brought in several of the nation's top offensive linemen in one class. It sounded an alarm to the players on the roster that the level of competition had increased significantly.

"You welcome that -- you always want that competition no matter who they bring in," Danser said. "Whether it's the best of the best like this class or anybody else. Whoever they bring in, it comes down to competition. You want a spot? You have to fight for it."

While true freshman traditionally don't contribute immediately on the offensive line, Shaw said not to be surprised if several of them are in the mix right away.

"Yes, absolutely," Shaw said. "I would say possible bordering on probable. As you know, we play more lineman than anybody possibly in the history of football. We're going to play seven or eight linemen in every single game. If those young guys show the ability to help us out, we're going to put them on the field. If they show enough ability to split time or start, we're going to do it. I have no qualms about that. The best guys play. If a guy becomes a starter -- we still have two or three positions open. We really consider about eight guys starters on our offensive line."

That bodes well for players like Danser, Underwood, Austin, Kevin Reihner, Khalil Wilkes and anybody else hoping to block for whoever becomes the next Stanford quarterback. The Cardinal had a lot of success last season with their jumbo package of seven or eight offensive linemen and two or three tight ends. And don't think the players don't appreciate a system that puts the spotlight on the big boys.

"It's extremely effective," Underwood said. "First, it's tough for other teams. I'm sure they turn on film and say, 'This is a monster we've never seen.' And it's good for recruiting. Young guys are looking and saying, 'Hey, they love linemen at Stanford and they show us love.' That's all we all really want, is to be loved a little bit."

Scott in Redwood City, Calif., writes: Stanford's high admissions standards for the footballers is under-appreciated, I don't think you'll dispute. Especially remarkable to me is the fact that Stanford imposes the exact same labor-intensive admissions process (essays, recommendations, etc.) on football players as any other applicant. Comparing any school in D-I to Stanford in regards to academics is laughable, in my opinion. This used to be merely an interesting side-note (and a handy explanation/excuse). But now, with all this program is accomplishing, I find it remarkable that this topic doesn't get more "run." What gives?

Kevin Gemmell: No doubt, the admissions process is brutal. Just ask some of the commits who didn't end up gaining admission and were left scrambling to find a spot days before signing day. I asked head coach David Shaw about that specifically in our post-recruiting day Q&A and he gave, I thought, was a pretty candid answer. But I'm not sure how much more "run" you can give it. Stanford is a great academic institution. It's tough to get into. Now the Cardinal play good football to boot. What more is there to say?

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Jorge in San Francisco writes: With the hoopla and depth surrounding next season's crew of Tunnel Workers O-lineman, could Stanford be a better running team than last year? We lose top talent in Moose [Jonathan Martin] and [David] DeCastro, but perhaps we may be able to run 7 or even 8 (!) lineman formations? The RBs are probably improved too. Going out on a limb, we may even match up better with Oregon next year with an increased focus on the running game. On the other hand, the O-line will be young and we lose Andrew Luck's pre-snap run-audibles and passing threat.

KG: First, great question. Second, I think you answered it with the last sentence. No matter how much Shaw tried to stress how important Luck was to the running game, I don't think it was ever really appreciated outside of the Pac-12. Now, that's not to say that Shaw and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton can't call plays -- because they can and they're very good at it. When you look at the line, you love having Sam Schwartzstein back at center. No one understands the offense better than him -- except for Luck. And now he's gone. Cameron Fleming and David Yankey should be even better next year. I'd imagine we'll see more of Kevin Danser on the line and I'm really curious to see which of the new linemen can contribute right away. Guards traditionally see playing time sooner than tackles, but there is nothing traditional about this group coming in. I think we'll continue to see Stepfan Taylor and Tyler Gaffney get better. You lose the goal-line back in Jeremy Stewart, though fullback Ryan Hewitt was equally effective in short-yardage situations last year. And then there's the question of Barry Sanders and whether he sees time. As for the Oregon question, hang on, because you're about to fall off that limb. No matter how you slice it, losing Andrew Luck never helps you match up better against anyone.

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Amber in Saratoga, Calif., writes: I was shocked at your statement: "Skov has neither the history nor the offense to warrant that severe of a punishment." How could you consider a DUI not that serious of an offense?

KG: Amber, first, I was in no way was downplaying the severity of a DUI. The point was that Shayne Skov didn't have a history of misconduct and that as far as we know this was his first slip-up. And I still don't think he should be kicked off the team, as opposed to Washington State linebacker C.J. Mizell, which is where the comparison came from. I certainly don't condone his actions and clearly neither does Shaw. Punishment is warranted. But blackballing him from the team would be too severe. Others disagree and think he should be booted. I don't buy that. And neither do I buy the "it could have been worse" argument. Of course it could have been worse. But it wasn't. So let this be a lesson to Skov, his teammates and valuable teaching moment for Shaw. I expect Skov to be a model citizen for the rest of his days at Stanford and Shaw to handle the situation justly and without prejudice.

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Tony in Fresno, Calif., writes: Does David Shaw hire someone to be another co-defensive coordinator, or does Derek Mason take the job all to himself?

KG: Personally, I like the idea of one coordinator handling the pass defense and another handling the front end -- which was Jason Tarver's job. It probably happens more than we think on other teams, it's just that one guy usually gets the title. Whether the new coach gets the title or not, it was clear that Stanford's weekly defensive scheme was built on a collaborative effort and that won't change. More important I think is finding a coach well-versed in the 3-4. Tarver's knowledge was beyond vast. That's why he's now an NFL coordinator.

Looking for the most improved player on Stanford's football team didn't take long. Especially when you consider the circumstances that brought David Yankey to the starting lineup in training camp.

At 6-foot-5, 305 pounds, he has a tackle's body. And he was very much in the mix for the starting right tackle spot before the season started. But the decision was made about three weeks before the first game of the year to move the redshirt freshman from tackle to guard -- a position he had never played in his life.

Now, 13 starts later, Yankey is a veteran.

"There were a lot of mistakes early on," Yankey said. "But through the season as I started to get more adjusted to the role, I got better at pulling and played better overall."

He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention and freshman All-America honors by Yahoo for his efforts in helping Stanford to the nation's 18th-ranked rushing offense at 210.6 yards per game. Stanford was also seventh nationally in sacks allowed.

"Having never played guard before, I didn't really have a reaction when coach asked me to switch," Yankey said. "They said I had enough versatility to play guard, so I just did what I could to help out the team."

In Stanford's gap-scheme running attack, the guards do a great deal of pulling. That was new to Yankey, who leaned heavily on guard David DeCastro, an Outland Trophy finalist who is expected to go in the first round of the NFL draft.

"Watching him play is incredible," Yankey said of DeCastro. "He's a beast. That's the only way to describe him. He has awesome hands and feet, his technique is amazing. And I'll pick his brain all the time. He has so much knowledge and he's such a great player."

With three new starters on the offensive line heading into the season, there were some question marks about the unit. Yankey said he and fellow new starters Sam Schwartzstain and Cameron Fleming were aware of the questions, but never let them deter them. He credited running game coordinator Mike Bloomgren for getting the line up to speed and helping them adjust quickly as a unit.

With DeCastro and left tackle Jonathan Martin leaving for the NFL, the Cardinal will again have to fill some spots on the line. Yankey said if another position switch is called for, he's ready to make the move. He no longer considers himself just a tackle or just a guard.

"I'm politically correct about it," Yankey said. "I'm an offensive lineman.

"We'll figure everything out in the spring and in training camp and see who's better at playing where. It's about finding the right combination that can protect the quarterback and run the football the way we want to."

The rest of the blogs are recapping the best and worst of the conference bowl season. There's only one game to look at for Stanford. And even though most fans probably don't want to revisit the Fiesta Bowl, it's still worth busting out a bag of Tostitos and taking a look back at the highs and lows.

Best overall performance (offense): Stepfan Taylor certainly deserves a look for his 177 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. But Andrew Luck's swan song was just superb. Yes, he had the one interception. But outside of that, his performance was outstanding, 27-of-31 for 347 yards and two touchdowns. It was the big game we expected from him in a big game -- including 15-for-15 on Stanford's scoring drives and 4-for-4 on the final drive in regulation.

Best overall performance (defense): I thought linebacker Jarek Lancaster, who was already having a great season, took a huge step forward. His open-field tackling was clutch and he led the team with seven solo tackles.

Best unconfirmed report: Rumor has it a reporter tried to approach Jordan Williamson in the locker room after the game. Naturally, the kicker wasn't feeling chatty. Allegedly, a Stanford offensive lineman who will remain nameless made sure the kicker wouldn't be bothered. We all have jobs to do, but there are limits when dealing with college kids. Nice to see teammates stick up for each other.

Best moment for me: Talking with Cameron Fleming's mother, a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel stationed in the Mideast, about her efforts to make it back for the game. Very cool.

Funniest moment: Who didn't laugh when Jeremy Stewart laid out Ty Montgomery after he tried to take a kickoff from deep in the end zone?

Best postgame quote (it wasn't exactly a sitcom-writers' room after the game): Tight end Coby Fleener, who missed the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. "Well, I'm standing up, so I've got that going for me."

Worst feeling in the world: Knowing exactly what Justin Blackmon is going to do, then watching him do it eight times for 186 yards and three scores.

Worst time for the Wildcat to go wrong: Two plays, -4 yards.

Best forgotten performance: With all of the Luck/Taylor talk, easy to forget that Montgomery -- when he wasn't getting laid out by teammates -- caught seven balls for 120 yards and a score. Only he and Blackmon crossed the 100-yard receiving mark. And when your name is mentioned with a two-time Biletnikoff winner, you're in pretty good company.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With holes to fill on the offensive line next year, Stanford head coach David Shaw said he hasn’t given much thought yet about whether David Yankey will stay at guard and whether Cameron Fleming will move from right tackle to left.

The duo makes up two of three first-year starters on the offensive line this season, along with center Sam Schwartzstein. Left tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro are off to the NFL -- both presumably in the first round of the draft -- so again, Stanford will be looking to plug some gaps.

“[Yankey has] done so well at guard, it’s hard to envision moving him as opposed to developing another tackle, and we have a couple of candidates on campus, and hopefully on signing day we’ll have a couple more,” Shaw said. “[Fleming] has done so well where he is. An O-line coach told me a long time ago once you move a guy who is secure where he is you create two problems. Now you have to get him comfortable with his new position and develop somebody for his old position as opposed to leaving him where he is and letting him continue to have success and developing one guy at one position.”

FUTILE EFFORT

Try as he might, Shaw has been striking out at trying to get quarterback Andrew Luck to bypass the NFL for yet another year and stay on board with the Cardinal through next season.

“I rode back from practice yesterday [Saturday] on the bus with him, and the entire time we're talking, I'm trying to find a way, OK, what can I say that will entice him to come back one more year? I couldn't think of anything and it wouldn't have worked anyway.

“It has been an unbelievable four years with him. And I say four. Even the year he didn't play was phenomenal, just to be around him and watch him systematically figure out what this college football thing was about as a true freshman and get ready to play lights out as a sophomore.”

MORE MULLET FALLOUT

You’ve heard the player’s reaction to the new (improved?) clean-cut Ben Gardner, who recently ditched his trademark mullet. Back in October, Gardner talked about the genesis of the mullet and the reaction from opposing fans, including a classic WSU story.

Now Shaw is tackling this hairy issue.

“I told him three weeks ago that I liked it,” Shaw said. “When he first did it, it grew on me. It’s one of those things I can’t do, so I appreciate when someone has the ability and courage to do it. I’m sad to see it go.”

PLAYING IT NEUTRAL

Robert Shelton, the executive director of the Fiesta Bowl, is a 1970 Stanford graduate. He said he’s doing his best this week not to let his alumnus ties interfere with bowl business.

“As an alum, of course, I’m biased,” Shelton said. “But I’m strictly neutral for this game and this week. I can’t vouch for my wife and kids who are all Stanford grads … it hasn’t been too hard. We also do the Insight Bowl, so there is so much going on I haven’t had too much time to think about [it]. We’ll see what happens though on game day.”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Think you traveled a long way to get to the Fiesta Bowl? Chances are Lt. Col. Karen Fleming of the U.S. Army has you beat.

Her trek? About 8,000 miles, give or take.

The mother of Stanford’s starting offensive tackle Cameron Fleming -- who is currently deployed in Bahrain -- planned her leave around the Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl.

“Yesterday [Friday] was the first time I’ve seen him -- right before practice when they were going on the field,” she said. “The last time before that was the April spring game. He was really excited and so was I.”

Fleming is a battalion commander, overseeing troops in several Middle East countries. Kem Fleming, Cameron’s father, is also a lieutenant colonel in the Army and is an operations officer for Homeland Security. He’s done three tours in Iraq.

Cameron Fleming, who was born in Fort Hood, Texas, is one of three first-year starters on the offensive line this season. The 6-foot-6, 299-pound redshirt freshman started 10 games this season – missing the Oregon State and Oregon games with an ankle injury. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in his first season as a starter and was named to the Yahoo! Sports freshman All-America team.

With his wife deployed, Kem was still able to take Cameron’s 11-year-old sister, Jordan, to most of Stanford’s games this season -- making it out to seven of the 12 contests. Karen, meanwhile, would stay up into the early hours of the morning to watch the games on the Armed Forces Network.

“We’d call each other during the games or after the games and talk about what was going on,” Kem said. “She always stayed involved.”

A healthy Stanford is a happy Stanford. And for the first time since about the midway point of the regular season, the Cardinal are as close to 100 percent as they are going to be.

When Stanford takes on Oklahoma State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2, several key players will be moving quicker than they were in the final few games of the regular season. Understanding just how beat up his team was heading into the postseason, head coach David Shaw said repairs on both sides of the ball were a top priority.

"We've got to get healthy," Shaw said after the Notre Dame victory in the regular season finale. "We played with our three tight ends and two of them were probably 80 percent. Our backs have been beaten up and bruised all year. We have to get them fresh."

Injuries, no doubt, took their toll on the Cardinal this year. It all started in the third game of the season when middle linebacker Shayne Skov -- arguably one of the top run stoppers in the country -- went down against Arizona and was lost for the year with a knee injury. Suddenly one of the best run defenses in the country looked a little thin. A.J. Tarpley and Jarek Lancaster filled in admirably -- better, in fact, than most expected -- but neither is at the level yet of Skov.

Still, they have endured, ranking fifth nationally in rush defense, allowing just 90.3 yards per game.

Like all teams, the Cardinal fell prey to the typical bumps and bruises. But a critical bump occurred against USC, when tight end Zach Ertz suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff and would go on to miss the next three games.

Why is Ertz so significant? About one-third of Stanford's offensive playbook involves three-tight-end formations. With Ertz, Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo on the field at the same time, the Cardinal offense was able to exploit numerous mismatches. Ryan Hewitt split time between fullback and tight end during that stretch. But even then, quarterback Andrew Luck would lose Hewitt out of the backfield, one of his most reliable and productive receivers coming out from behind the line of scrimmage.

Ertz returned for the season finale against Notre Dame. Nowhere near 100 percent, he caught one ball for no yards. But the fact that he was even on the field was a morale boost for his teammates. He's expected to be near full-strength -- if not at 100 percent -- for the Fiesta Bowl.

"It's exciting to have the tight ends back together and ready to go," said Fleener, who was recently named to the AP All-America third-team offense. "I think it's just exciting to know that we have a lot of guys back at full strength and hopefully we can be as good as we were before a lot of the injuries. It can only make us better as a team."

Obviously, Skov won't be back. Neither will wide receiver Chris Owusu, who has suffered at least three concussions in the past 14 months -- the scariest (as if they aren't all scary) coming against Oregon State when he was taken off the field in an ambulance.

There was some hope for Owusu's return because he's a senior and one of the emotional leaders of the offense, but head coach David Shaw told reporters last week "it's not going to happen."

"He's just been one of those guys," Shaw said following a practice last week. "And he's gotten beaten up and knocked out, and he comes back. He's been beaten up and knocked out, and he comes back. And the players recognize that as the guy that they look to for courage."

In Owusu's absence, true freshman Ty Montgomery has been filling in, giving Cardinal fans a glimpse of the future. In the final three games, Montgomery caught 10 balls (on 16 targets) for 130 yards and a touchdown in the finale against Notre Dame.

Still, they have endured, ranking 11th nationally in total offense while averaging almost 481 yards per game.

Offensive linemen Cameron Fleming and Jonathan Martin also had lingering lower leg injuries that forced Fleming to miss time. Both are expected to be back at or near full strength.

Offensive lineman David DeCastro offered a more glass-half-empty view of the Cardinal injury situation.

"We're never going to be injury-free," he said, "that's just part of college football."

On the opposite side of the ball -- aside from Skov -- one of the biggest temporary losses was safety Delano Howell. While he convalesced his injured hand for three games -- only to re-injure it in the first half against Oregon -- Michael Thomas stepped in and split time between free and strong safety.

Youngsters Devon Carrington and Jordan Richards got lots of playing experience that will aid the Cardinal in years to come, but Stanford is clearly a better defense when Howell is on the field. He too is expected to be at full strength.

And yet throughout the injury-plagued season, the players have never used injuries as an excuse.

"I think what it comes down to is no matter who is available, the coaches did an awesome job putting us in the best positions to succeed," Fleener said. "Whether it was Zach or Hewitt in there, ultimately our identity is running the football and being a physical team regardless of who is on the field. That shouldn't change with the personnel."

Grush in San Francisco writes: Stepfan Taylor for Heisman 2012! Hear me out. Stepfan is putting up 5.6 yards per carry this year and is the 27th leading rusher in the country despite taking less than half of Stanford's rushing attempts. He is quietly one of the best running backs out of Stanford and one of three (including Toby Gerhart, Heisman runner up) to rush for 1,000 yards multiple years. With a new quarterback next year and perhaps a smaller committee of backs, Stepfan's production could increase. If Stanford wins at least nine games without Andrew Luck it will be because of the running game. Does Stepfan Taylor have a chance to be Stanford's fourth consecutive Heisman finalist next year?

Kevin Gemmell: I'm not going to say never, but he's going to have to get into the top five before we even start talking about him. When you look at some of the sophomore and junior running backs returning next season -- he's going to need to leapfrog a bunch of them just to get in the conversation as one of the top running backs -- let alone the best player in the country. I like Taylor a lot, but I don't see it happening.

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David in Seattle writes: How will Stanford's secondary fare against OSU's air attack?

Kevin Gemmell: That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? If you look at my report card on the secondary from Friday, you'll see a breakdown of how the Cardinal have done against some of the top receivers in the country. And it's been pretty good. With that said, Justin Blackmon is by far the best receiver they have seen this year. I think the move of Corey Gatewood back to defense was a great one. Blackmon is going to get his yards and at least a touchdown -- so, as it always does with this group, it comes down to making tackles and keeping things in front of them. If they can do that, they'll have a shot at limiting his production. A turnover or two couldn't hurt, either.

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Cooper in Kentfield, Calif. writes: How has Stanford done in recruiting over the past few seasons? Is there a noticeable trend upward in quality amongst the select few that qualify that point to Stanford being a yearly contender in the Pac-12 North, or have the past few years been an aberration?

Kevin Gemmell: Considering three (maybe four) Stanford players are expected to go in the first round in the NFL draft, I'd say recruiting has been pretty good. The question you should be asking is what kind of recruiters are David Shaw and Co.? Stanford has the No. 19 class in the country according to the current ESPN.com rankings with commits from two ESPNU 150 commits -- Noor Davis and Alex Carter. But as any good coach will tell you, four- and five-star recruits are nice, but it's the three-stars (Cameron Fleming, David Yankey, A.J. Tarpley, -- Ben Gardner was a two-star for heaven's sake) that really make the team go. It looks like a pretty solid class coming in next season. Your question, of course, can't be answered for two or three more years, but it looks like they are on the right track.

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Tim in San Jose writes: Hi Kevin. All the Heisman talk has people ripping Luck and not giving him any chance of winning. Many people are saying Matt Barkley should be higher than Luck. What a joke. They don't watch the game. Stanford doesn't even come close to having the WR talent that USC and most every other team has. Also, Stanford is a run-first team, which also makes a big difference. If Luck had the WR's and threw a lot more, he would have 50 TD's. Your thoughts? And do you think he will win the Heisman?

Kevin Gemmell: Ah, the "what if?" question. If Luck threw more, then we probably wouldn't get to see what an amazing playcaller he is. If Luck threw more, he probably wouldn't be able to read defensive formations and be able to check plays as well as he does. It's what he does beyond the stats that make him so impressive. Luck may not win the Heisman tonight (and to answer your question, I don't think he will), but he proved beyond a doubt he is the smartest, most NFL-ready player. As for the comparisons to Barkley, I'm not going to knock Barkley at all in this blog. Even if I wanted to, there isn't much to knock. He's an outstanding player who has all of the tools to be a fantastic quarterback at the next level. But what I believe separates the two -- at least at this point in their careers -- is Luck's mental capacity. It's going to be fun tracking this quarterback draft class and seeing who's still around 10 years from now.

The regular season is over, which means grades are due. Here's part three of the ongoing regular-season report card for Stanford.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Grade: A-

Summary: Of all of the position groups, this one probably had the most questions heading into Week 1. With three new starters flanked around returning All-Pac-10 performers Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro, there were concerns of whether 1) the running game would be as productive as it was last season and 2) whether quarterback Andrew Luck would remain upright throughout the year.

Yes, for the most part. And yes, for the most part.

There were drop-offs in both categories, but only slightly. After averaging 213 rushing yards per game last season, the Cardinal ran for an average of 207.9 this year. Last year's line yielded six sacks, this year's nine (eight if you don't count Luck running out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage against Duke).

So the bar was set considerably high for Sam Schwartzstein (center), David Yankey (guard) and Cameron Fleming (tackle) to fill the shoes of last year's group. Injuries started to take their toll on the line toward the second half of the season. But overall, it was a very good season for the boys up front.

Martin and DeCastro -- more than likely on their way to playing on Sundays next season -- were fantastic, per usual. Martin is one of the top two or three left tackles in the country and DeCastro is the best interior lineman in college football.

Much credit goes to Schwartzstein for his keen understanding of the offense. Players often credit him for being the most knowledgeable player besides Luck. Plus, I can't recall a single quarterback-center exchange issue this season. It's an un-kept stat that gets overlooked far too often.

Fleming and Yankey didn't come along quite as fast as Schwartzstein, but by the season's midpoint -- until Fleming missed some time with an injury -- they were hitting on all cylinders as a unit.

This group wasn't as good as last year's. But given the three new starters, I think it's more than fair to say they exceeded expectations.

Backups: Stanford's offensive line backups are pretty much just that -- backups. With their jumbo packages, it's not unusual to see Tyler Mabry (who filled in for the injured Fleming) and Kevin Danser along with other five on some plays. With Mabry and Matt Bentler both graduating, it will be interesting to see what the line looks like next season -- specifically if Danser moves over from left to right guard to replace DeCastro and if backup center Khalil Wilkes makes a position change. A new left tackle to go with a new quarterback could get dicey.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and head coach David Shaw took home two of the Pac-12 conference's major awards, as voted on by the conference head coaches.

Luck was named offensive player of the year and Shaw was named coach of the year.

Luck capped his season by completing 261-of-373 balls for 3,170 yards, 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Heisman Trophy candidate becomes the fifth player in conference history to win the award twice, joining Reggie Bush, Ruben Mayes, John Elway and Charles White as two-time winners. He finished atop the Pac-12 in passing efficiency (167.5) and ranks fifth in the NCAA.

Shaw, who is in his first year as head coach with Stanford, guided the Cardinal to a second-straight 11-1 record -- the first back-to-back 10-win seasons in program history.

Joining Luck on the All Pac-12 first-team offense are tight end Coby Fleener (team-high 10 touchdowns), guard David DeCastro and tackle Jonathan Martin. It's the second straight year DeCastro and Martin have been honored.

Linebacker Chase Thomas and safety Delano Howell were named to the first-team defense.

Running back Stepfan Taylor was the lone Cardinal on the second-team offense, along with defensive end Ben Gardner on the second-team defense and kicker Jordan Williamson as a second-team specialist.

Linebacker Max Bergen and wide receivers Ty Montgomery and Drew Terrell received honorable mention honors for their work on special teams, along with tackle Cameron Fleming, fullback Ryan Hewitt, defensive end Matt Masifilo, safety Michael Thomas, guard David Yankey and tight end Levine Toilolo.

STANFORD, Calif. -- Five things we learned about the Cardinal in their 28-14 win over Notre Dame Saturday night.

1. [+] Enlarge
   Kyle Terada/US Presswire Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes in Stanford's win Saturday night.
   Stanford can start fast: Normally this is a question; phrased by swapping the "can" and "Stanford." It’s been an off-and-on issue for the Cardinal this season. But they came out, with the exception of one or two plays, and looked solid on both sides of the ball in the first half. Andrew Luck moved the ball efficiently through the air (save the interception), Stepfan Taylor rushed for 75 yards in the first half on nine carries (an average of 8.3 yards per carry) and the defense held the Irish to just 75 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes.
2. Chris Owusu got his play: Classy move by Stanford head coach David Shaw to allow wide receiver Chris Owusu to take the field on the victory formation kneel down to end the game (more on this later today). Owusu’s tale of concussions has been well-documented, and for him to be able to be on the field -- on senior night -- and be a part of the victory was a special moment.
3. The tight ends are back: Good to see the Tree Amigos reunited. Zach Ertz returned from a knee injury he suffered on the opening kickoff against USC. He didn’t do much statistically -- one catch for zero yards -- but his presence allowed things to open up down the field for Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo. Fleener had a monster game: four catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, including a 55-yarder in the fourth quarter. Toilolo also had a 3-yard touchdown reception. Ertz simply being on the field impacts how teams defend the Cardinal.
4. The Cardinal have a case: Probably not for a spot in the national championship, but certainly for a spot in one of the other BCS bowl games. An 11-1 record and a Heisman finalist should be enticing enough to get the Cardinal into one of college football’s red-carpet gatherings. Wherever they land, the Cardinal can make a case that they shouldn’t play again until 2012.
5. The Farm’s farm system looks OK: There are several spectacular players and a once-in-a-generation college quarterback who played their final game at Stanford Stadium Saturday night. But the cupboards aren’t totally empty. Guys like Ty Montgomery (six catches, 77 yards, touchdown), Jarek Lancaster (six tackles, one for a loss) and A.J. Tarpley (two tackles, sack) provided a glance at what Stanford’s future will look like. And it looks promising. David Yankey and Cameron Fleming will continue to grow. James Vaughters (one tackle) will get bigger and faster. The foundation is there for a pretty good football team.

Marc in Dixon, Ill., writes: Injuries obviously are going to be critical to Stanford's chances against UO this weekend. Which players do you think are most critical (say you could pick 2-3 of those to return and no more) to victory and how do you think David Shaw and company might change the game plan against a speedy UO squad to compensate best for the team's injuries? Also, I see the weather report says there is a chance for rain. To me, that is a huge advantage for UO, since their passing game isn't as dangerous.

Kevin Gemmell: Marc, if I had my pick, I'd go with tight end Zach Ertz. That's not to say that the other players in question -- kicker Jordan Williamson, tackle Cameron Fleming and wide receiver Chris Owusu -- aren't important to the team. They really are. But Stanford doesn't have to change its offensive approach if those guys are out. Without Ertz, Stanford loses a lot of its three-tight-end formations. I think Ryan Hewitt has done a fantastic job being a jack of all trades for Stanford. But when you have the three tight ends, plus Hewitt at fullback, quarterback Andrew Luck has a lot more options. I don't see the weather having an impact one way or the other. Luck was 9-of-11 for 130 yards with two touchdowns in the second half last week against Oregon State when the rain was really coming down. In all of my years covering football, it's always the teams whose pass game is considered "not as dangerous" that usually end up getting one or two game-changing plays. Discipline is the word of the day for Stanford.

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Robert in Denver writes: I notice all of the so-called experts are saying that Stanford has no chance against the Oregon on Sunday, despite the fact that the Cardinal have the home field advantage. I think Luck will have another signature moment in this game against the Ducks and take the Cardinal to the BCS championship game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Kevin, what is your take on this great game coming up?

Kevin Gemmell: My first thought is who is going to beat LSU to allow Stanford to get into the title game with Oklahoma State? If both Oklahoma State and LSU win out, Stanford is on the outside looking in. As for my take -- after much internal debate, I picked Stanford in my prediction yesterday. To me, it comes down to which offense flinches first. I'm expecting a lot of points, but the first defense to stand up and make a stop -- or the first offense to falter -- will likely determine the outcome.

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Jamey in Burlingame, Calif. writes: Kevin, as I've checked into this blog just about every day since September, everything has been building up toward this ultimate showdown tomorrow! Reading previews that several others have written about this game, I keep hearing one thing -- that Stanford has to play their best game of the year to win. I look at what the two teams have done, and Stanford has been no less dominant than Oregon. I'm also hearing Stanford is dinged up (which they are), but Oregon's two biggest playmakers have played well below their full potential the last two weeks. Plus as you pointed out earlier in the week, Stanford posted more impressive wins against all of our common opponents. So shouldn't people be saying that Oregon needs to play their best game of the year to upset Stanford?

Kevin Gemmell: Oregon has proved it, Stanford hasn't. That simple. Until Stanford takes the crown from the two-time defending champs, Oregon is still the team to beat. With that said, Stanford probably will have to play its best game of the year. And the same goes for Oregon. The Ducks haven't faced a quarterback like Luck this season -- but they have played in a game of similar magnitude against LSU. I wouldn't expect either team to be in awe of each other. And if both are at their best -- lookout. Could be one of the best games we've seen in a decade.

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David in Huntington Beach, Calif. writes: Kevin, love the Les Miserable quote, awesome.

Kevin Gemmell: Thanks David. It was either that or "Tomorrow" from Annie, which I didn't think captured the gravitas of the moment.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- No doubt, the Stanford Cardinal are limping into their game on Saturday against Oregon. After avoiding the injury bug in the early stages of the season, the Cardinal have been hit hard in the last few weeks. Here's a look at key injuries heading into the Oregon game and how the player's status will impact the game.

Delano Howell, safety

• Injury: Hand.
• Time missed: Three games.
• Status: Will play.
• What it means: The Cardinal get a sorely-needed veteran presence in the secondary to go alongside Michael Thomas. Aside from linebacker Shayne Skov, who went down in the third game of the year and was lost for the season, Howell is probably the best pure tackler on the team. He's considered the hardest hitter and will bring some stability to a defensive backfield that has been less-than-stable in recent weeks.

Zach Ertz, tight end

• Injury: Knee.
• Time missed: All of the USC game (except for the opening kickoff, when he got hurt) and all of the Oregon State game.
• Status: Doubtful.
• If he plays: He won't be 100 percent -- maybe not even 75 percent. But his presence alone allows the Cardinal to be multiple with their three-tight-end formations and mid-range passing game. Quarterback Andrew Luck targets Ertz more than his other two tight ends -- especially on third down. When Ertz is in the game, safeties have to respect him on the mid-range drag routes. That usually opens things up for the wide receivers on the outside or single coverage on tight end Coby Fleener on the deeper routes.
• If he doesn't play: We'll see similar formations to what we saw in the Oregon State game, which includes multiple fullbacks and fullback Ryan Hewitt lining up more in the slot and motioning out of the backfield. While all three tight ends are inter-changeable, each brings their own individual skill set. There is no replacement player for Ertz and what he brings to the offense.

Chris Owusu, wide receiver

• Injury: Concussion.
• Time missed: The second half of the Oregon State game.
• Status: Out.
• What it means: Griff Whalen has emerged as solid No. 1 receiving option for Luck. Whalen has proven to be reliable on third downs, crisp in his route running and is a good blocker down the field. Head coach David Shaw confirmed earlier Tuesday that Ty Montgomery will get the start in place of Owusu. No one on the team can match Owusu's speed, but there are other playmakers who can fill his role. Shaw described Montgomery as "a proven commodity" who has earned his playing time through special teams and a very good understanding of the offense for a true freshman.

Jordan Williamson, kicker

• Injury: Undisclosed.
• Time missed: Two games.
• Status: Probable -- game time decision.
• If he plays: Williamson has been the pleasant surprise of the season since stepping in to the starting kicker spot. He's converted 11-of-12 field goals and his kickoffs have improved every week. The coaching staff has complete confidence putting him on the field to kick in almost any situation.
• If he doesn't: Eric Whitaker has proven to be equally clutch. He's made all three of his field goals -- including a late-game field goal against USC and he's converted all of his PATs -- including two in overtime against the Trojans. The only drop-off between the two has been on kickoffs, where Whitaker has three kicks out of bounds since coming in for Williamson. Plus, his longest attempt has been 33 yards so we don't know what kind of faith the coaches have in him outside of 40 yards.

Cameron Fleming, offensive tackle

• Injury: "Lower leg."
• Time missed: Part of the USC game and all of the Oregon State game.
• Status: Questionable -- late week decision.
• If he plays: The offensive line returns to continuity. The same five had started every game together through the USC contest. He's improved every week -- particularly in his pass blocking, where Luck had only been sacked twice prior to the USC game.
• If he doesn't: Tyler Mabry stepped in and played well against Oregon State. Because Stanford uses so many different formations -- including a six- and seven-lineman jumbo formation -- many of the reserve offensive linemen have seen playing time. Mabry is a fifth-year senior and brings a veteran presence.

Levine Toilolo, tight end

• Injury: "Upper body."
• Time missed: Three quarters of the Oregon State game.
• Status: Will play.
• What it means: At least two of the three tight ends will be available against Oregon, which is good news for Luck. Hewitt showed his versatility last week against Oregon State, filling the role of the third tight end -- among other positions -- so expect to see more of him in third spot when the Cardinal go into the three-tight-end sets. Toilolo's height (6-8) makes him an excellent red zone target for Luck.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- A few thoughts from halftime of Stanford-Oregon State.

Turning point: Wide receiver Chris Owusu was taken off the field in an ambulance after taking another illegal hit. After making a reception, Owusu was hit and fumbled the ball and it was returned for a touchdown, but the play was negated because of the penalty. The score would have tied the game at 14, but instead the Cardinal were able to convert a 31-yard Eric Whitaker field goal for a 17-7 lead. Initial reports are Owusu suffered a concussion, but was fully conscious and had full motion of all of his extremities.

Turning point (2): On the opening play of the second quarter, tight end Levine Toilolo suffered an "upper body" injury. The Cardinal were already down one tight end with Zach Ertz suffering a knee injury last week.

Best player: As Andrew Luck's targets continue to go down, wide receiver Griff Whalen continues to be Mr. Reliable on third down. Luck has twice looked to him on third down and he's converted both times. Plus he had a 17-yard touchdown reception midway through the second quarter to put the Cardinal ahead 14-0.

Stat of the half: 2: Two more significant injuries to marquee playmakers. The Cardinal already limped into this game without Ertz, offensive tackle Cameron Fleming, kicker Jordan Williamson and safety Delano Howell. Without Toilolo and Owusu, Luck loses the player he targets more than anyone else in Owusu and a 6-foot-8 red zone threat in Toilolo.