ESPN College Football

Happy Friday the 13th.

We're back-loaded by a couple of weeks on questions since we had to make sure all of the videos Ted Miller shot during his trip got posted, so apologies for not getting to some of these sooner.

To the questions:

Malcolm in San Jose, Calif., writes: Who were the biggest pro day winners and losers?

Kevin Gemmell: I wouldn't say there were any losers. Any time ESPN comes out and televises the pro day, everyone is a winner. Any time you can get representatives from every NFL team in one spot to showcase your team, it's a good thing. In terms of winners, I would say Coby Fleener was probably the biggest winner. He got to do everything he couldn't at the combine and he did it well. His 40 time was great. He showed outstanding athleticism in the assorted tests and drills and Andrew Luck put him in a position to show off his hops. I also thought Johnson Bademosi had a pretty good pro day. He looked the part physically and might have worked himself into the draft. And, of course, Luck was a winner. He got to show off his arm strength, mobility and pure athleticism. There is only so much you can show in shorts and a T-shirt, but some of the throws he was making -- particularly the ones when he was on the move -- were impressive.

Anderson in San Francisco writes: Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you one of the people questioning Luck's arm strength? How's the crow taste after watching his 70-yard bomb?

Kevin Gemmell: Consider yourself corrected. But thanks.

Mike in Cupertino, Calif., writes: How many scholarships does Stanford have available for next year's signing? It seems like we've had a few years of 19-22 signees. With only 85 scholarships available and most players staying on campus for five years, how much play does David Shaw and the staff have? I've heard estimates of a class of about 15 being the max we can sign.

Kevin Gemmell: I talked to someone in the athletic department about this, and he essentially said it's a "fluid" number, meaning it's not a number they want to release publicly. But you can do some of the math on your own. There aren't many seniors on the 2012 roster. There will be attrition between now and next February. Guys leaving early, medical retirees or transfers and such equals more scholarships. But rough guess right now it's about half of the class they just signed.

Ally in Stanford, Calif., writes: Any word on whether Shayne Skov has recovered from his injury? How about from his DUI? Has the university issued a statement?

Kevin Gemmell: Skov is still rehabbing, and I would imagine that rehab will take him right up to fall camp. Those kind of knee injuries take a minimum of six months, but more likely nine or 10 months to really heal properly. And then there is the mental aspect. I'm pretty sure it won't be too much of an issue with Skov because he has a linebacker's mentality: Hit first, ask questions later. But he's going to need to get comfortable with full contact again and the first time he hits the ground awkwardly, it's going to be a shock to his system. I've seen some guys completely freak out and they never are quite the same players. But I don't think that will be the case with him. Regarding the DUI, Shaw said he wanted to wait until after spring to make an announcement so it wouldn't distract from the work on the field. Based on some conversations I've had, I wouldn't expect anything more than a two-game suspension, but one game seems likely.

Mark in Alameda, Calif., writes: Predictions for the spring game? Will the offense or defense rule?

Kevin Gemmell: Well, hearing Shaw talk about the defense, it seems like the offensive line is having all kinds of problems blocking the linebackers. I think there might be some coach speak there, because reports are that the running backs look pretty darn good also. I'm sure there will be highlights from both sides of the ball. But during spring games and fall scrimmages, the defense is usually further along than the offense. And when you factor in a quarterback competition vs. a very deep and experienced front seven, I'd expect the defense to come out on top.

Victor in Denver writes: Can you rank the running backs next year?

Kevin Gemmell: I think the only thing we can count on in terms of rankings is that Stepfan Taylor is the No. 1 back -- and with good reason. Behind him is a slew of opportunistic players. Ricky Sealeis making a name for himself during spring ball. I'm partial to Seale since I covered him for three years in high school. With the exception of Reggie Bush, whom I also covered during his prep days, I always said Seale had the best vision of any high school back I've ever seen. He would find the smallest holes, disappear and then re-appear 30 yards down the field. But he lacks the game experience of Tyler Gaffney and Anthony Wilkerson. And then we have to consider Barry Sanders and what role he could play next season. And Ryan Hewitt will probably see more short-yardage carries with departure of Jeremy Stewart. Hewitt was extremely reliable last year on anything less than three yards and we know how much Shaw and Pep Hamilton love to use the fullback. So I can't give you a solid answer on rankings. I just know they are really deep and really talented.

Stanford's secondary is going to be young next season. Not exactly breaking news, but that's the reality when four seniors, three of them starters, graduate. But the players returning also have some experience and quality playing time, which should help compensate for their youth.

In other words, there no excuses.

"I think [defensive coordinator Derek] Mason might have been a little more tolerant with us last year, a little more patient," said safety Jordan Richards. "Not anymore. We've all been here and have a full season under our belts. This is on us -- and coach Mason is making sure we know that."

The back four -- two cornerbacks and two safeties -- have to be getting tired of hearing how good the front seven is going to be. They are so experienced. This guy is back and that guy is back. It gets old. And if the front seven is considered Stanford's defensive strength, by virtue of elimination, the back four can't be.

That perception is something the group is looking to alter. But first they'll need to settle some competition. Gone are safeties Delano Howell and Michael Thomas. Gone are cornerbacks Johnson Bademosi and Corey Gatewood.

Terrence Brown and Barry Browning are back at cornerback, along with the highly-touted Wayne Lyons who is returning from a foot injury. Usua Amanam should also be in the mix and don't be surprised if Alex Carter makes an immediate impact when he arrives in the summer. Also returning are Richards and Devon Carrington at the safety spot along with Ed Reynolds, who is also returning from injury. Kyle Olugbode has also seen reps this spring.

Richards was one of the true freshman called into action when Howell went down for several games with a hand injury. He started three games for Stanford last year -- the most brutal stretch of the season that included at USC, at Oregon State and home to Oregon. Tough detail.

"It was, at times, a blur," Richards said. "And other times, I felt like I was in control and the game slowed."

The telling part of that quote is the "at times" portion. Richards notched eight tackles in his first start against USC. Then a couple of games later he watched Oregon run all over the Cardinal. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. In his second year, he's striving for more consistency. And having had the chance to learn behind Thomas and Howell, he thinks he's found it.

"I learned how to see the game from those guys," Richards said. "As a freshman, you come in with tunnel vision. You need to learn to see how things move around. Now it's a transition. You've been here for a year, you learn to read formational cues and the game slows down a lot more. You know what the offensive tendencies are. That's the biggest difference. You're not a deer in the headlights anymore. You just go out and play and try not to over think it."

Brown has the most experience at cornerback, followed by Browning who started three games last season. According to Richards, Brown and Reynolds have taken on the leadership roles vacated by the departed seniors.

"As a group, it's been TB and Ed," Richards said. "Those guys have been around. But we all know what's at stake, and we're all trying to be leaders and be on our game as a group because we know that we are going to be young and people are going to try to come after us."

Like in Week 3, when the Cardinal host USC -- a pass happy offense with the Heisman front-runner at quarterback, the top wide receiving duo in the country and possibly the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. So this group is going to have to find a way to come together quickly.

"That's what the spring is all about," Richards said. "We're working hard to be a cohesive group. Coach Mason is pushing us and I think we're going to come together."

Some good news for fans of Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu. Evan Silva of NBC sports reported yesterday that Owusu has been medically cleared to continue his football career.

For many, the lasting image of Owusu's Stanford career will be a thumbs up as he was carted into an ambulance on the field at Oregon State. It was his second concussion of the season, his third in a 13-month span and one of the most chilling sights of the 2011 college football season.

Others, at least those who noticed, watched him play the final snap of the regular season finale against Notre Dame after missing the previous two games -- a subtle, yet classy gesture by head coach David Shaw to get Owusu on the field one last time on Senior Night.

But it now appears that Owusu is moving forward. No doubt, he's received the best medical advice -- the article states Owusu was looked over by an NFL doctor. And in this concussion-conscious world, chances are a doctor wouldn't clear a potential player if he didn't pass the strict tests with flying colors.

From the article:

Per [Owusu's agent], Owusu has been symptom free since November 6 of 2011, one day after his last concussion. A doctor with the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee has diagnosed Owusu as “perfectly normal” and cleared Owusu “to play football now.” The doctor also determined that Owusu is not at greater risk of concussions due to his history.

Up until his injuries, Owusu had been having an average season at best. On several occasions, Shaw stated that he had hoped Owusu would be more productive. He finished the 2011 season with 35 catches for 376 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a couple of drops that led to interceptions.

In 2010, he saw action in only seven games because of assorted injuries.

Owusu has been training at the Stanford campus along with Michael Thomas, Coby Fleener, Johnson Bademosi and Griff Whalen. He'll join Fleener, Jonathan Martin, Delano Howell, Andrew Luck and David DeCastro at the NFL combine in Indianapolis later this month.

You can guarantee when he gets there, he's going to have a massive "Fragile" stigma that he's going to have to work off. Owusu has the speed to impress and his return skills make him more marketable. But just because a doctor says his melon isn't busted, doesn't mean that some teams won't be wary about taking a flyer on him. And that could hurt his draft stock.

The few times I spoke with Owusu this year, I really enjoyed them. He was charismatic, funny and always had something good to say about someone else on the team, even when the story was about him. There's something to be said for not letting anything get in the way of following a dream. Here's hoping the doctors -- and Owusu -- are making the right call.

Michael Thomas is not one of them. He's one of those.

The former Stanford safety is one of those players spurned by the postseason bowl games and combines. Not one of them, the ones who get all of the draftnik attention and are perceived to be the next crop of elite NFL talent.

Thomas would be lying if he said that didn't bother him. And it should. Anyone who has spent 30 seconds with him knows he's a competitive guy.

"It was frustrating at first, waiting for invitations that didn't come," Thomas said. "Especially when you feel like you are on par with some of those guys who are going. I feel like I can compete with the best of the best. But you can only play the hand you're dealt. So I'm training hard. But I was disappointed that I didn't at least get the opportunity to showcase myself."

Instead, he's relying on his game film from 2011 as his résumé. On that film, scouts will see 66 tackles -- 41 solo -- three interceptions and a 62-yard pick-six against Washington. They'll see a savvy, four-year player sitting underneath on a slant route and then taking it back with a good burst of speed. They'll see good ball instincts, a team-high eight passes broken up, smart angles and above average tackling.

But what they won't see is the size. At 5-11, 185 pounds, Thomas might have a heart and a brain for the NFL, but his physique is working against him.

"The feedback I've gotten so far is that I'm an interesting prospect," Thomas said. "But because of the height, that's going to affect me in a negative way."

But Thomas has something a lot of other NFL hopefuls don't have; a pro day that includes one of the best quarterback prospects in more than a decade in Andrew Luck; three probable first-round picks with Luck and offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro; and a possible fourth in tight end Coby Fleener.

"My pro day is going to be my Super Bowl," Thomas said. "That's a good thing for guys like me because you know everyone is going to be at our pro day because of Andrew and those other guys. Hopefully it will be a great opportunity for me to improve my stock and draft status. If not, I'll hopefully be a priority free agent."

And if Thomas has to claw his way into the league, he said he's OK doing that. At least for a little while. He's given himself a timetable of about three or four years to put everything he has into making it as an NFL player.

Unlike a lot of prospects who like a change of scenery after the season and go to other parts of the country to train, Thomas is staying on campus. The sociology major will have a Stanford degree at the end of the year, and in the meantime he's working out with teammates Fleener, wide receivers Chris Owusu and Griff Whalen and defensive back Johnson Bademosi in preparation for the March 22 pro day.

"I've had a lot of success with our offseason training program here," Thomas said. "I feel like I've always gotten faster and stronger working with those guys.

"I'm open to taking whatever route I can to accomplish my goals. If I don't make an active roster after a few years, I'll hang it up and try to figure out life after that. I've thought about coaching and I'll always have my Stanford connections."

Happy Monday. Let's take some questions (or respond to declarative statements).

Adam in Dallas, Texas, writes: DAVID SHAW WAS THE WRONG HIRE!

Kevin Gemmell: Whoa there, cowboy. First, ease up on the all caps. Second, I TOTALLY DISAGREE! Shaw was the perfect hire. First, he's a Stanford grad with deep ties to the program through his father and prior coaches. Second, he was the offensive coordinator for all of Andrew Luck's career. Did you really want to bring in a new head coach with potentially a new offensive system for Luck's final year? Third, so far, he appears to be able to recruit extremely well. Just for kicks, let's look at some of the coaches who were on the move last year or interviewed for the job. Chris Petersen was never really interested. Greg Roman or Vic Fangio? Maybe. But would either of them have done a better job this season? I can't see either one of them doing anything much differently. Brady Hoke was a non-name that turned into a big name last year, and as a former San Diego State beat writer, I heard whisperings about his name at Stanford, but know for a fact he wouldn't have taken the job. The point is, you say he's the wrong guy, but who would have been the right guy? This year was all about getting the most out of Luck and getting back to a BCS bowl game. Shaw did that. Five years from now if the Cardinal are coming off back-to-back 2-10 seasons, you can serve me up some crow with Tabasco and I'll dive right in without a bib. But don't throw out an all-caps message after an 11-2 season that also notched Shaw the Pac-12 Coach of the Year without suggesting another name.

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Brian in Palo Alto writes: Kevin, what do you see as the biggest off-season needs for the Cardinal?

Kevin Gemmell: I would say that just as important as hammering out the quarterback issue, Stanford needs to really improve on tackling in the secondary. I haven't been shy about touting the futures of Devon Carrington and Jordan Richards. But they are really going to have to step it up next season because there is no Delano Howell coming back from injury and no Michael Thomas to rally the troops and hold the secondary together. Wayne Lyons should be back from injury, which will help soften the blow of losing Johnson Bademosi and Corey Gatewood. With Chase Thomas announcing over the weekend that he's coming back, the front seven should be outstanding again. But behind the front seven, the Cardinal are going to need to do a better job putting hats on receivers.

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Taylor in Portland, Ore. writes: What can we expect out of Barry Sanders in his first year?

Kevin Gemmell: First off, wait until it's official. From what I understand, he has to clear admissions first and then officially go through the signing day pomp and circumstance. Once that happens, I wouldn't expect a 1,500-yard season just yet. Stepfan Taylor will continue to be the primary back, though I wouldn't be shocked to see Sanders get a decent amount of carries. Taylor, Tyler Gaffney, Anthony Wilkerson and Jeremy Stewart all saw playing time as true freshmen. He has a lot to learn about this system -- specifically reading gaps and pass protection, something that is going to be paramount next season with a new starting quarterback and new left tackle. If he shows in practice he can handle it, we should see him get some carries next season.

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

SECONDARY

Grade: C+

Summary: This was the toughest of all the grades to assign – and therefore deserves the most analysis and scrutiny.

On the surface, when you look at just receiving yards against, the Cardinal secondary was not very good. In passing defense, the Cardinal ranked 78th nationally, allowing 241 yards per game in the air. If that’s your only criteria for grading, then a "D" is justified.

Maybe you look at the interception total – just six. Only 10 teams out of 120 had fewer interceptions than the Cardinal. If that’s your main criteria, than a "D-, F" is justified.

But you have to look deeper. I don’t put much stock in the total receiving yards stat. I think it’s one of the most overblown numbers because it doesn’t take into account the flow of the game – or the fact that most teams were playing catch-up against Stanford and were more likely to throw the ball.

So let’s really break it down. Teams passed for an average of 48.8 yards in the first quarter, 83 yards in the second quarter, 41.9 in the third and 63.3 in the fourth. Most teams fell behind early in the first quarter, so they went airborne in the second quarter. They tried to re-establish the running game in the third, then went back to the air in the fourth – so it stands to reason that the Cardinal gave up the bulk of the yards in the air in the second and fourth quarters.

Stanford faced six of the top 20 statistical wide receivers in the country this season: Robert Woods (USC), Michael Floyd (Notre Dame), Keenan Allen (Cal), Marquess Wilson (Washington State), Juron Criner (Arizona) and Noel Grigsby (San Jose State). Five of those six performed below their season average against Stanford. Only Floyd matched (but did not exceed) his season average. Wilson and Grigsby were kept out of the end zone and Woods, Floyd, Allen and Criner were held to one touchdown each.

The Cardinal did not allow an individual 100-yard receiving game this year, and they had one of the best third-down conversion defenses in the country – traditionally a passing down.

Of the 15 passing touchdowns they yielded (that’s top 30 nationally, by the way), only eight went to wide receivers. The remaining seven went to tight ends (5) and running backs (2) which can fall on either the safeties or the linebackers.

A good friend and colleague suggested looking at the total quarterback numbers as a way to gauge the secondary: 249-of-409 (60 percent completion percentage), 2893 yards, 15 touchdowns, six interceptions. If your quarterback put up those numbers, you’d consider that sub-par production.

That’s a lot of information to digest. So what do we make of all of this?

Essentially, they bent, but didn’t break. The tackling in the secondary was suspect all year – and it got worse when safety Delano Howell missed some time with a hand injury. It was clear Stanford was a better secondary when he’s healthy.

Safety Michael Thomas was the glue that held the secondary together. He accounted for half of the team’s interceptions and provided stability and leadership.

Johnson Bademosi is a very good athlete and the best tackler of the cornerbacks. He also led the team with seven pass breakups. But he was flagged quite a bit for pass interference. Corey Gatewood and Terrence Brown rounded out the rotation at cornerback by the end of the season. Gatewood, who moved over from wide receiver, added some much needed depth and athleticism.

In summation, the secondary didn’t win any beauty contests or show much flash or panache. But, for the most part, the defensive backs made the plays when it counted most – in the red zone, on third down and against the toughest wide receivers in the country. They get knocked for the missed tackles and lack of turnovers. But when you really break down their performance, it’s better than most people probably give them credit for.

Backups: Devon Carrington and Jordan Richards both have very bright futures at the safety position. But it was clear they were a downgrade from Howell. That’s not a knock on them, but rather a compliment to how good Howell is. The playing experience they had (Richards appeared in all 12, Carrington in 11) will pay off immensely when they move into more prominent roles next season. The return of Wayne Lyons from a foot injury will also help with depth next season.

Senior Day. Nike Pro Combat uniforms. BCS bowl game implications (or more?) on the line. Storied Notre Dame coming to town. There is no lack of storylines heading into Saturday's matchup between the Cardinal and the Irish. Which means there is no lack of distractions either. The pageantry should be fun and exciting as the Cardinal look to close out the regular season with a signature win over a BCS top-25 team. And they will.

Prediction: Stanford 31, Notre Dame 21

Overall: 10-1

Why they'll win: Can anyone see Andrew Luck losing his final regular-season home game? Me neither. And when you take a team with a bad turnover margin (Notre Dame) and put it against a team with a good turnover margin (Stanford), the good usually outweighs the bad. Notre Dame's running depth took a hit with the loss of Jonas Gray, and Stanford might be getting injured tight end Zach Ertz back. Even if he doesn't catch a single ball, his presence forces defenses to significantly alter how they blitz and defend the Cardinal. And if Ertz doesn't return, we saw this past week what the Cardinal are capable of with Ryan Hewitt at the No. 3 tight end spot. Too many weapons and too many mismatches for the Irish to cover them all.

In the spotlight: Assuming Oregon takes care of business against Oregon State, this will be the final game in Stanford Stadium for the fourth- and fifth-year seniors who helped turn Stanford football from a Pac-10 afterthought to a national powerhouse in just a few short years. Not just Luck but also tireless workers such as Michael Thomas, Delano Howell, Griff Whalen, Corey Gatewood, Jeremy Stewart, David Green, Jonathan Martin, David DeCastro, Chris Owusu, Johnson Bademosi, Chase Thomas, Coby Fleener, Max Bergen, Matt Masifilo and others. All of them will have their chance to take a bow. Luck gets a lot of the credit, but these guys should, too.

Out on a limb: After David Shaw's fiery speech about Luck on Tuesday, my first out-on-a-limb thought was that Stanford would come out gunning and Luck would go for 375-plus and four touchdowns. He still might -- but only if that's how the game is being dictated. I'm going the other way. Stanford sticks with what it does best -- running the power, being balanced and using the play-action when the time is right. The Cardinal are more concerned about winning games than about Luck winning a Heisman. Shaw won't sabotage his game plan for an individual award. As always, that's just me going out on a limb ...

Several members of Stanford's football team were named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team, the conference announced. To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a player must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant substitute.

• Quarterback Andrew Luck (Architectural Design, 3.48 GPA) and linebacker Brent Etiz (Economics, 3.52 GPA) were named to the first team.
• Offensive guard David DeCastro (Management, Science and Engineering, 3.10 GPA) and cornerback Johnson Bademosi (History, 3.05 GPA) were named to the second team.
• Honorable mention went to defensive end Henry Anderson, tight end Coby Fleener, long snapper Andrew Fowler, punter David Green, defensive end Matt Masifilo, linebacker Shayne Skov, wide receiver Griff Whalen and kicker Jordan Williamson.

Tomorrow is the judgment day; Tomorrow we’ll discover what our God in heaven has in store; One more dawn, one more day, one day more. -Ensemble, Les Miserable

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Even as the sweet and sticky nectar of orange was trickling down the bearded chins of Stanford’s football players, on their lips, they still had the sour taste of duck. The Ducks. It was the lone stain on an otherwise Clorox’d season. The black eye on their runway-model complexion.

Not even a victory in the Orange Bowl last season -- one of the prestigious BCS bowl games -- was enough to satisfy those who would return for another year and another chance to face Oregon.

So here we are. One year, one month and nine days later. Just 35 hours to go. One more day. One more day until we learn whether Stanford is truly ready to skyrocket itself into national legitimacy. Or whether the Cardinal are what the rest of the country thinks they are -- a cute little story with an over-hyped quarterback that will get their comeuppance when they finally play a "real" team.

"It's not just some pill that we are going to take or something that we listen to on an iPod that will all of a sudden get us pumped up and make us ready," said Stanford corner back Johnson Bademosi. "This is all about preparations we've made throughout the off season and in the preseason. We've been evolving. We're prepared for this."

Since David Shaw was given the keys to Stanford, he's been subtly directing his players' eyes on the biggest prize -- taking down the Oregon Ducks.

There are little things -- like during spring ball, when the team would break from a practice, in lieu of the usual "Team!" or "Stanford!" it would be "Beat Oregon!" During individual workouts, sometimes the defense would have the offense run a little spread-option, just to work on angles.

On more than one occasion during the course of his weekly meetings with the media, Shaw would make indirect references to Oregon:

• "These are the sorts of things you have to do to beat the best team in the league."
• "This is what the best team in the league does, so it's what we have to do better."

We know Shaw can play chess and think moves ahead. He admitted as much following the USC game, explaining why he kept his starters in during some early-season blowouts. It was to prepare them in the event they play a physically and emotionally taxing game. The USC game was.

Tomorrow could prove likewise.

It's one of the reasons the Cardinal have a no-huddle, hurry-up offense of their own. Yes, they have the quarterback to run it in Andrew Luck. But it's also another thing Oregon has to prepare for. Stanford might never run a single no-huddle play the entire game -- but you know Oregon had to take time away from prepping for Stanford's base offense to study up.

Stanford might not run a single play out of the Wildcat this week. But you know Oregon had to dedicate time this week to preparing for the possibility that Tyler Gaffney will work at least a few plays out of the shotgun.

Same with the handful of gadget plays we've seen from the Cardinal offense this year. The more there is on film, the more time someone has to spend studying it.

Shaw has been taking indirect steps every week to prepare his team for this game.

For the players, it's a relief to be able to say the "O" word.

"We finally get to talk about (Oregon)," said safety Michael Thomas. "We've been preparing for this since the last time we played them."

One year, one month and nine days to let anger and frustration marinate. Just one more day.

Always the image of poise, Luck said last year's game, where the Cardinal led 21-3 before falling 52-31, is not a factor for him.

"I try to put it out of my memory," Luck said. "To me, it was last year. Maybe some guys will use it as revenge. But last year really has no bearing on this year -- teams we beat, teams we lost to -- it's a new year and I approach it like that."

If that's true, he has even more poise than we thought. Some of his teammates weren't as composed.

"It left a bad taste in everyone's mouth," said running back Stepfan Taylor.

Added wide receiver Griff Whalen: "You don't ever want to feel like that."

Even the younger players who are expected to play big roles in tomorrow's game felt the charge this week in practice.

"The older guys are putting something out there -- I can't describe it -- but it's something," said linebacker A.J. Tarpley, who redshirted last season. "We're feeding off it. I don't know what it is, but you get it."

Tomorrow will be one year, one month and 10 days since the Stanford Cardinal last lost a football game. That's a long time. A long time to go undefeated. An even longer time to lament the mistakes of the past.

In just 60 minutes tomorrow, Stanford can erase 584, 640 minutes of heartbreak. And change the opinion of a nation.

Stanford cornerback Johnson Bademosi talks about the challenges the Cardinal face when it hosts Oregon Saturday.

PULLMAN, Wash. -- It happened ... again. And the defense responded ... again.

That's three straight games where the Stanford defense had to make a play -- or a few -- in the opening minutes of a football game.

• Against UCLA, it was a four-down, goal-line stand that netted zero points for the Bruins despite a first-and-goal from the Stanford 4-yard line on the UCLA opening possession.
• Against Colorado, it was a fumble on the opening kickoff that put the defense in their own territory. A blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by Max Bergen swayed the momentum back in Stanford's favor.
• And again against Washington State, Andrew Luck was intercepted on his first pass of the game. The defense tallied two of their six sacks on that first possession and forced a five-and-out.

"Wherever they get the ball, it's our job to stop it," said co-defensive coordinator Jason Tarver. "We don't care where they get the ball, that's what we do. Our job is to keep them from scoring points and get the ball back in the hands of Andrew. That's it. That's what we do."

It was an unusual first 30 minutes from the Stanford offense, which unsuccessfully shied away from its tight ends in lieu of getting the wide receivers more involved in the offense. And there was a rare fumble from running back Stepfan Taylor -- his first in 219 carries.

"I was surprised to see our offense turn the ball over, but not fazed," said defensive lineman Ben Gardner, who forced a fumble, broke up a pass and had three tackles, including one for a loss. "We remained confident the whole game. We know how hard it is to stop our offense and we know how they wear on your through four quarters. Our offensive line is big and physical. As a D-lineman taking on those double teams, by the third and fourth quarter, you're not having too much fun out there. We remained confident in our offense and we know if we get them the ball, they're going to put points on the board."

And that's exactly what happened. Washington State did score off Taylor's fumble in the second quarter, but they were blanked the rest of the way. The defense held Washington State to 48 yards rushing and limiting WSU quarterback Jeff Tuel to just 145 yards in the air.

Meanwhile, the offense exploded in the second half behind four touchdown passes from Luck and a big second half from tight ends Levine Toilolo, Coby Fleener and Zach Ertz. Even if it hadn't, Stanford's minute-man defense said they would have been up to the challenge.

"We're always ready," said cornerback Johnson Bademosi, who had five tackles and forced a pair of fumbles. "Whether the ball is on our side of the half or their side of the half. It's an opportunity for greatness. We can be backed up on our 1-yard line. Whatever. We have to show up. But we knew our offense would get going and they did."

PULLMAN Wash. -- Fumbles have turned into touchdowns.

While Washington State wasn't able to do anything with its first quarter interception of Andrew Luck, they were able to find the end zone after Stepfan Taylor's first fumble of the season in the second quarter.

But that was after the Cardinal were able to turn Jared Karstetter's fumble into points.

Corner back Johnson Bademosi forced the wide receiver to fumble at the Stanford 37 and Michael Thomas recovered and returned it 33 yards to the Washington State 20. Seven plays later, Jeremy Stewart barreled in from 1 yard out for the touchdown.

But with 2:18 left in the half, the Cougars got on the board on Carl Winston's 2-yard run following the Taylor fumble. It's the first fumble this season by a running back -- on a running play -- for Stanford.

Sloppy game thus far from both teams.

Whether it's on the track, the rugby field or the football field, cornerback Johnson Bademosi knows that speed is essential. That's why the multi-sport, multi-talented athlete doesn't like to slow down for very long.

In high school, he played for the U-17 and U-18 USA Rugby national teams. He also earned all-conference honorable mention for Stanford's track team. He hasn't ruled out rugby completely and says he might take a stab at it when it becomes an Olympic sport in 2016.

The senior history major from Silver Spring Md., leads the Cardinal in solo tackles (18) and is tied for the team lead with four passes broken up.

1. How have your rugby skills translated to football? Rugby is a lot of fun because everyone gets to handle the ball. Tackling is a big part of the game. I play out in the wing so it's a little bit like running back, so they swing the ball to me and trying to get loose on the sidelines. I'd say tackling, being physical. In rugby, you have to ruck and drive over people.
2. You also do track. What are the advantages of being in another sport? It's cross-training. You get to meet different people and get different coaching. It's the Stanford experience. You use that speed to close on balls and close on defenders and you get to compare yourself to other guys in the conference.
3. You're a history major. If you could live in any era, which would it be? That's a hard question. There is so much stuff going on. I was recently talking about the Persian Empire in one of my classes, so if I could experience what they were doing, that would be pretty cool.
4. How many Facebook friends do you have and what was your last update? I don't really know. I stay pretty low-key on the social networking. I don't get on too much.
5. Finish this sentence, 10 years from now, I hope to be ... ? I hope to be continuing my career in the NFL or maybe perhaps, however long that goes, being in business school or having some kids. Anything can happen at this point.

There's a saying among the players in Stanford's secondary: Finish the drive.

What that means is no matter what happened previously -- be it a 76-yard screen pass or a three-and-out -- it's the last play of the drive that counts. And more often than not for Stanford's defense, the last play of the drive usually doesn't end with a touchdown dance.

Stanford's secondary has been an interesting case study this season. It's given up a lot of yards -- 240.6 per game. But it's only yielded four passing touchdowns in five games. And only one of those has been to a wide receiver.

It's been more lockout than lockdown.

"Our mentality is good as far as being aggressive, swarming to the ball and we stop players from getting in the end zone," said safety Delano Howell. "We always play the field. If it's a big play, we get back and defend the rest of the field. If they are in the red zone, our goal is to keep them out of the end zone. We never quit if they have a big play or get a lot of plays. We always want to finish the drive."

Ask head coach David Shaw what he thinks about yards allowed and you'll get an honest answer.

"Passing yards given up is the biggest misleading stat there is," Shaw said. "We've had large leads. And in those large leads we're going to get teams to pass the ball more. But the biggest stat for a defense is touchdowns allowed. We've been able to stop teams from scoring touchdowns and trying to force them into field goals ... we've been able to keep people's scoring down. When it's all said and done, the only thing that matters is how much you score and how much you allow them to score."

The large leads is one reason. Stanford has yet to trail in a game this season so everyone is in constant catch-up mode. Another reason is the run defense. Stanford's front seven has taken away the opponents' rushing attack and made them one-dimensional by the end of the first half. In the first 30 minutes of the game, Stanford is outscoring opponents 104-34 and holding teams to an average of 6.8 rushing yards in the first quarter and 4 yards in the second quarter.

And the pass defense gets stronger as the game goes on. The Cardinal have allowed an average of 53.6 passing yards in the first quarter and 111.8 in the second quarter. Compare that to the second half where they allow an average of 30.4 in the third and 44.8 in the fourth.

But there have also been some missed tackles. Missed tackles lead to touchdowns, and no drive was a clearer example than in Colorado's lone scoring drive last Saturday. Buffs running back Rodney Stewart caught a screen pass that went for 76 yards. Safety Devon Carrington read the play perfectly. He sniffed it out and was in position to make the play at the line of scrimmage. But he missed the tackle. And then several other Cardinal defenders took improper angles and missed tackles. To Carrington's credit, he did rally and make the touchdown-saving tackle 76 yards later.

But two plays later, running back Tony Jones caught a 5-yard inside screen -- in which Stanford missed two tackles -- and he scored.

"We are missing out on some opportunities to make plays," Howell said. "We're leaving some production on the field, so we do realize that in order to eliminate the yards against, we need to eliminate missed tackles."

Despite the one hiccup, the secondary is coming off one of its best games of the season against Colorado, where it broke up nine passes.

"We've had our hands on balls," Shaw said. "It's not like guys have been running all over the place wide open."

Plus, Stanford nabbed its first interception of the season, courtesy of safety Michael Thomas, which was a bit of a relief.

"It's great that it happened," said Shaw. "Now, let's try to get it some company. Even with that chatter the last two weeks [about not having an interception yet], our guys haven't been jumping at things and taking chances. They've been playing the coverages like they're supposed to be playing them.

"... There is nothing we have to change schematically to get more. Our guys just need to keep playing in the structure of the defense and they will come."

This week against Washington State, Stanford faces an offense that's similar to what it saw a couple of weeks back in Tucson, Ariz. Mostly spread formations. But the Cougars have tried to be more balanced the past couple of games. If recent history has anything to say about it, Wazzu will abandon the run if it gets into a deep hole. That's been the trend this season. So it'll likely lean on the pass. Which means the defense will have to lean on the secondary.

"We like to play tight coverage," said cornerback Johnson Bademosi. "We like to play top down and we can't give up touchdowns. We just keep everything in front of us and not let things fly over our heads.

"And you got to tackle. You have to get your man down every time. You can't just be a cover guy. You have to be well-rounded and we take tackling really seriously."

Given the fact that so many teams pass against Stanford, it's no surprise that the top three tacklers on the team come from the secondary. Thomas and Bademosi lead the Cardinal with 22 tackles apiece and Howell is right behind with 22. Howell and Bademosi also lead the team with four breakups each.

"Those few opportunities you have to make a play, you have to make them," Howell said. "You have to play sound, technical football and trust the defense."

The Cardinal were working on a four-man rotation at cornerback until freshman Wayne Lyons injured his foot and has been inactive the past three games. That leaves Bademosi, Terrence Brown and Barry Browning as the primary rotation.

"We've been playing together for a while," Bademosi said. "We know each other really well. There is a lot of verbal and non-verbal communication. We all see the same thing so we know how to react to it."

Walk-on guys always play with a chip on their shoulders -- but a lot of them lose it after they earn their scholarship. Not Griff Whalen. He plays the game like he eternally has something to prove.

Even when the senior was awarded his scholarship following his sophomore year in 2009, he continued to play with the attitude that he could be cut at any moment.

"It meant a lot and I felt like I had to work harder than the guys who were already on scholarship," said the wide receiver from Sylvania, Ohio. "But I don't think getting it changed me. I think I would play this way regardless of that."

Whalen, generously listed at 6-foor-1, 193 pounds, is the type of player a team needs to take the next step into national prominence. Not for what he does on the stat book. But for all the things he does that aren't measurable.

A quarterback and defensive back coming out of high school, Whalen played position carousal when he arrived on the The Farm. Also a standout high school lacrosse player, he was tried out at quarterback, running back and defensive back. But he found his calling as a wide receiver.

"I think we knew it was a perfect fit for him because of how smooth he is," said defensive back Johnson Bademosi, who has had to cover Whalen more than a couple of times in practice. "He's a hard worker. He runs great routes ... he's a competitor. I think he's comparable to some of the best receivers in the conference."

Whalen's not the fastest guy on the team. He's not the biggest. But he'll do everything asked of him and more. He'll block downfield and play faster than his scouting report indicates. "Steady Eddie" as coach David Shaw likes to call him. He'll sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team. He appreciates the position he's been put in and will be damned if he's going to let his coaches or his teammates down.

That's how you earn playing time as a walk-on true freshman.

"A lot of walk-ons that come here are highly recruited by the Ivys and would have had a chance to be really, really good in the Ivys," said Shaw. "Griff is one of those guys. His highlight tape was phenomenal coming out of high school. But the size-speed deal, he wasn't as big or as fast as other guys getting a scholarship ... when he got on the field, he showed what we'd seen on film that he had the ability to play."

Saturday against Colorado, Whalen had the breakout game of his career -- catching four balls for 92 yards and a touchdown. He made a fantastic grab on a third-and-26 that went for 27-yards down to the Colorado 1-yard line. The next play, Jeremy Stewart scored. Wouldn't have happened without Whalen.

His first touchdown of the season was a 30-yard pass. He cut inside on a slant pattern and Andrew Luck delivered a 15-yard strike. Whalen then juked two defenders and dragged a third into the end zone, taking it the remaining 15 yards on his own.

"I never thought he was too small," Shaw said. "Crazy thing about the time I spent in the NFL, you see some guys like Calvin Johnson and think 'oh my gosh.' Then turn around and right next to him is Wes Welker. At the Pro Bowl. Good is good. There are guys that are diminutive in size that can make good plays ... size is what it is. But it's all about the production on the field."

That production isn't always measurable. Whalen is a fantastic blocker. A lot of routes call for him to be a decoy to pull a safety or defensive back out of an area where a tight end awaits.

"We talk about it all the time," Whalen said. "You can't play here if you can't play without the ball. That's something I worked hard on in the offseason. We all take a lot of pride in playing without the ball and blocking downfield."

As far as the statistical results go, Whalen has upped his game in the past two weeks. In the first three games, Luck targeted Whalen 12 times, but he had just six catches. In the past two games, Whalen has been targeted eight times and has seven catches.

Luck, who has been roommates with Whalen the last three years, said an off-the-field relationship has nothing to do with on-field chemistry.

"When you leave the building, sometimes you don't want to talk [about football]," Luck said. "I don't want to be cheesy and say it makes all the difference, because I don't think it really does ... I don't know if there is any special thing going on.

"I just have to listen to him more than anybody else."

Considering the way Luck distributes the ball -- 44 percent to wide receivers, 31 percent to tight ends and 24 percent to backs ( 1 percent undefined) -- Whalen knows there aren't going to be a ton of opportunities to make plays.

"We're fortunate that our whole team gets along really well and no one is jealous," Whalen said. "We're all pretty selfless and we do whatever it takes to win. You never know how many touches you're going to get per game. And when you do, you have to make the most of whatever you get."