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."

With the Cardinal kicking off spring ball next week, there will obviously be a lot of focus and attention on position battles. Who will be the quarterback? Who will step up on the offensive line? What about the safeties?

Chances are, most or none of those questions will be answered by the time spring turns to summer. In fact, we might not have some of those answers until kickoff against San Jose State. So rather than speculating, let's take a look at 10 players on the current roster who will be vital to Stanford's success next season. (Trust me, trimming the list to 10 was tough).

• No. 10, Jordan Williamson, K: What we need to know is if his head is right following the debacle in the desert. No need to re-hash the gory details. We all know how his teammates rallied around him. If he's fully healthy in his leg -- and his mind -- he will be critical to Stanford's success since they are likely to play some closer games next season.
• No. 9, Trent Murphy, OLB: The other outside linebacker. Chase Thomas is going to draw double-teams, trap blocks and all sorts of creative crack-backs to keep him out of the opponent's backfield. That means Murphy -- who quietly had a very good 2011 with 40 tackles and 6.5 sacks -- should get more one-on-one attention.
• [+] Enlarge
  Jason O. Watson/US PRESSWIREStanford running back Stepfan Taylor will be vital to the success of Stanford next season.
  No. 8, Ty Montgomery, WR: Coming off a fantastic freshman campaign, the pressure is on to see if he can 1) produce over the course of an entire season; 2) produce without Andrew Luck throwing him the ball. There is a lot of inexperience at wide receiver and incoming freshmen that will press him. He can be a stabilizing factor for whoever gets Luck's old gig.
• No. 7, Terrence Stephens, NT: Under-appreciated for the role he plays on the defensive line, Stephens does the dirty work that lets the linebackers claim all of the glory. He's also a vocal, emotional leader that the defense is going to need with the oft-quoted Michael Thomas graduated and pursuing a professional career.
• No. 6/No. 6A, Zach Ertz & Levine Toilolo, TEs: (Yes, I'm cheating a bit with two players) Both were security blankets for Luck on third down, dangerous red zone targets and much improved blockers. They'll have to be all of that and more. A new quarterback is likely to check down more often than not, which means the remaining dos Amigos could have big years.
• No. 5, Wayne Lyons, DB: Coming off a foot injury, Lyons should quickly play his way back into the cornerback rotation -- if not win a starting job outright. He entered with a ton of hype as a true freshman and even though he missed the majority of the season, expectations shouldn't be tempered if this dynamic defender can stay healthy.
• No. 4, Chase Thomas, OLB: He's the No. 1-rated senior outside linebacker in the country and a terror to quarterbacks and running backs. The next step for him is to do more of the same -- but do it quicker and more consistently. Knowing his work ethic, that shouldn't be a problem. Thomas should have a monster year if he stays healthy and his decision to return should be rewarded with a nice bump in his draft status.
• No. 3, Sam Schwartzstein, C: David Yankey and Cameron Fleming should continue to improve upon very good first years starting. But Schwartzstein is the guy who makes the line go. He's a tireless worker -- both at the physical and mental aspects of the game -- and should provide a calming presence to whoever takes the snaps from him. He's not a vocal leader -- but neither was David DeCastro. Guys follow guts and brains and Schwartzstein has both.
• No. 2, Ryan Hewitt, FB: Another player whose efforts often go overlooked. He'll likely see his short-yardage carries increase with the graduation of Jeremy Stewart and as a blocking back -- he's one of the best in the country. He's versatile enough to play tight end (the three-tight-end-sets didn't leave with Coby Fleener) and you have to love a guy that loves contact.
• No. 1, Stepfan Taylor, RB: The workhorse. Taylor will be the catalyst for Stanford's offense next year. He'll get plenty of reps while the new quarterback develops and should get better reps as the new guy matures. He's the best blocker of the running backs and when he does go out for passes, he's sure-handed and shifty in the open field. He does everything. And in a time of transition, those kind of guys are simply invaluable.

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 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.

Saturday night had all of the ingredients for another historical Big Game. But Coby Fleener's recovery of the onside kick in the final minute dashed Cal's hopes of a crazy comeback. Before we start looking ahead to Saturday's regular season finale against Notre Dame, let's take a look back at a few highlights from the 114th Big Game.

Highlight reel: Jarek Lancaster's sack on Zach Maynard in the third quarter was instinctual linebacking at its finest. Lancaster wasn't going in on a designed blitz. He reacted almost immediately to Maynard rolling to his left, he shed a blocker and then turned up field before throwing Maynard to the ground. Those are the kinds of plays that make defensive coaches giddy.

Best play: Ty Montgomery's 34-yard touchdown run was a text-book end around. A little motion to get the momentum going, then great blocking by Jonathan Martin and Griff Whalen. Loved the hustle by center Sam Schwartzstein to try and get downfield to make a block. But Montgomery was just too darn fast for his own linemen -- and the Cal defense. This guy has some serious speed.

Who's hot: No one hotter right now than fullback Ryan Hewitt. From various receiving positions -- tight end, receiver, slot and fullback, he caught all seven balls thrown his way against Cal for 64 yards and a receiving touchdown. He also got the job done in two short-yardage running situations.

Who's not: On the whole the offensive line. Still too many leaks and too much penetration. After going four games with just one negative play, running back Stepfan Taylor was brought down four times in the backfield -- and that's penetration. Plus, quarterback Andrew Luck was sacked twice against Cal, making it five in the last two games.

The good: A win anytime is good. A win against Cal is better. A win when four teams ranked ahead of you in the BCS standings all lose in the same weekend is absolutely smashing.

The bad: Still too many missed tackles in the open field. It got better with the return of safety Delano Howell, who had five solo stops. But still way more than you'd like to see 11 games into the season.

STANFORD, Calif. -- Babies don’t go from crawling to running marathons. They stumble along the way. They awkwardly grope for something to hold on to. And when there is nothing there, they fall.

In terms of playing in significant college football games, Stanford is a program still very much in its infancy. And when it tried to get up and run, it fell. And when it groped Saturday night -- usually for Oregon running back LaMichael James -- there was nothing there. And when the Cardinal fell, they took the nation’s longest winning streak and a shot at the national championship along with them.

“Now, we’re going to see maturity-wise how we handle coming back from a game like this,” said David Shaw, who suffered his first loss as Stanford’s head coach. “It’s hard to say what’s going to define a season because the season is not over. We have a lot of football to be played, so we’ll see how it all shakes out.”

Stanford may very well end up in a BCS game as an at-large team (let’s go ahead and assume Oregon doesn’t lose its remaining two games, to USC and Oregon State). It could still win out and have one of the strongest seasons in school history. No shame in that.

But this is the one that people are going to remember. The one-sided 53-30 score, for sure. But also the missed tackles and turnovers -- five of them, if you’re keeping count at home.

They won’t remember a fantastic, two-touchdown game from wide receiver Griff Whalen, who at times looked like the only guy in red capable of catching a ball. They’ll remember the drops. They’ll remember James going for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

They won’t remember a pretty good 99-yard rushing game from Stepfan Taylor -- who once again wasn’t tackled for a loss. They’ll remember the three sacks and two interceptions by quarterback Andrew Luck, who finished 27-of-41 for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

“They were fast on film and they were fast on the field,” said Luck. “It was no surprise. They are a very good defense. They did a lot of good things. That forced us to make some bad decisions. Fast, definitely. Probably the best defense we’ve faced all year.”

And that defense made a high-powered offense look mediocre, holding the Cardinal to 129 yards rushing and knocking Luck around the backfield. For perspective, he’d been sacked only four times in the previous nine games -- including seven games without a sack.

“We’re not a team that turns the ball over,” said center Sam Schwartzstein. “We’re a team that executes extremely well. When you turn the ball over, it doesn’t matter how well you execute. They did what we expected them to do. We had a good game plan. But they forced turnovers and got us out of our element.”

That might be the most telling thing any player or coach said all night. Stanford fell behind early and was forced to play catch-up all night. They were out of their element. They threw 41 times and rushed 35 times. It was the first time this season a tight end didn’t have a touchdown.

“Schematically, I thought we were fine,” Shaw said. “This was not going to be one of those games where we run for 300 yards. This was going to be, the way we had it mapped out, a tight game -- which is what it was for a while. But once you turn the ball over and put it back in their hands, that’s what they’re built for.”

And Oregon didn’t pussyfoot. It ran right at the teeth of the Stanford defense and the Cardinal failed to make the stops. Oregon ran between the tackles 34 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns.

“The bottom line is they’re a great team and great teams execute,” said defensive lineman Matt Masifilo. “Great teams find your glitches and they executed more than us. They found our flaws and they exploited us.”

And it didn’t help that safety Delano Howell -- who had just returned after missing three games with a hand injury -- went out at the 8:13 mark in the second quarter after using his casted hand to force a fumble.

Stanford turned that into a 37-yard Eric Whitaker field goal to cut the deficit to 15-9. But in the third quarter, after James fumbled a punt, the Cardinal weren’t able to capitalize. Trailing 29-16, Stanford got the ball at the Oregon 34, but moved the ball only 4 yards before Whitaker missed from 48 yards. It was the first time Stanford failed to score this season after gaining a turnover.

Oregon, meanwhile, had three touchdowns off five Stanford turnovers (though the last two fumbles happened when the game was well out of hand and Oregon wasn’t trying to score).

“They took advantage of our turnovers,” Shaw said. “We got turnovers and didn’t turn them into points. That’s the bottom line. You play against a team with that kind of speed, that kind of talent that is as well-coached as they are, you turn the ball over and you can’t win.”

It was clear Saturday night that -- as a program -- Stanford has some growing up to do.

“We’re close,” Shaw said. “We’re not there yet. We have to keep recruiting. We have to keep coaching and our guys that are here have to keep pushing and fighting.

“I expect them to rebound greatly. We have a lot of guys in our locker room with a lot of character. They love playing the game of football. We’ve got two regular-season games and next week is Cal. We don’t need help with motivation this week.”

Saturday night, Stanford stumbled and fell. Next week, we’ll see if they can stand back up.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Three players who stood out in Stanford's 65-21 win over Washington.

1. Stepfan Taylor: Another 100-yard game for the running back, who set the pace for the team’s 446-yard rushing night. He finished with 138 yards on 10 carries -- including a 70-yard touchdown run. That’s an average of 13.8 yards per carry. Wide receivers would kill to have that as their yards per reception.
2. The offensive line: In front of every great running back is an outstanding offensive line. The starting five -- Jonathan Martin, David Yankey, Sam Schwartzstein, David DeCastro and Cameron Fleming should all take a respective bow. Head coach David Shaw called it their best performance of the season, deservedly so.
3. Michael Thomas: The safety not only nabbed his second interception of the season -- a pick-six that he returned 62 yards for the touchdown -- but he also switched from free to strong safety in the absence of the injured Delano Howell. He was a quarterback in the secondary helping some younger players adjust. After a shaky start, he got the troops in line and showed why he’s one of the key leaders of the team.

Everyone wants to pat the offensive line on the back for their performance this year -- everyone but the offensive linemen themselves.

Everyone wants to say that they turned a corner. But in their eyes, there is no corner to turn -- only a never-ending straight line of improvement.

"What corner?" asked guard David DeCastro. "I don't think there is a corner. We're just trying to get better every week."

What was once the biggest question mark of the Cardinal has turned into one of Stanford's greatest offensive assets. Not that DeCastro really cares much for other people's opinions.

"People are entitled to think whatever they want," said the bruising run-blocker. "If there were questions about us, that's fine. I don't think we really cared."

Gotta love the big guys.

With three new starters -- Sam Schwartzstein at center, Cameron Fleming at right tackle and David Yankey at left guard -- the initial thought was that there were going to be some growing pains. And there have been. But they are so minor that they usually go unnoticed. But not to the players or coaches.

"Once we got through training camp, we said it in our staff room that we thought it was going to take four to five games," said Stanford head coach David Shaw. "For a new center -- who is a fourth year senior -- we didn't think it would take too long for him."

And Schwartzstein has been outstanding commanding the offense. He's been called the second smartest player on the team -- behind the guy he snaps the ball to.

"He has to be," DeCastro said. "He's the center. He's the quarterback of the offensive line."

DeCastro, along with Jonathan Martin, are the only holdovers from last year's unit, which was considered one of the best in the country.

But their work ethic has caught on quick. Early in the season, Schwartzstein, Fleming and Yankey said they felt the pressure to match the tempo set by Martin and DeCastro -- both of whom are considered two of the best in country at what they do.

Case in point, the Cardinal are No. 1 in the nation in sacks allowed with two. That's 189 passing attempts out of 191 where the quarterback has not been put on the ground. Well, technically, it's 190, because one of the sacks was quarterback Andrew Luck running out of bounds against Duke. Either way, it's an impressive number.

"They are all great guys," Luck said. "... It's a neat dynamic with two guys who played a lot and three guys with relatively no experience at the college level. It's a neat dynamic to see them all grow in the system."

While Shaw wasn't as concerned with Schwartzstein because he was a veteran player, there were concerns about Yankey and Fleming.

"Those are two guys who started off shaky, but have progressed tremendously," Shaw said. "I'm excited about their futures. They've got three years to go and they are playing like veterans right now. I'm excited where we'll be in three games, four games from now."

But it's not just the guys on offense who have been noticing. Defensive lineman Ben Gardner says he can see -- and feel the improvement -- each week in practice.

"We do a 9-on-7 drill every Tuesday, starters against the starters, and David Yankey is coming off the ball and hitting me harder than any offensive lineman I've faced this season," Gardner said. "They have come a long way since the beginning of training camp."

Shaw graded the offensive line at a B, B-plus level after starting the season in the C to C-plus range. He continued to heap praise on Schwartzstein, noting that he's "calmed the seas" in the middle. He said Fleming and Yankey have progressed nicely, but there is still plenty of work to be done for the redshirt freshmen.

"Those guys as playing well, but there are still three or four plays a game where they look back and say 'gosh, how can I miss that?'" Shaw said. "That's the growth you have with young players."

And yet behind that line, the Cardinal running backs have been able to tally 181.7 rushing yards per game and an average of 5.1 yards per carry. The yards per game is 42nd nationally, while the passing offense is 16th. More importantly, the scoring offense is fifth with 45.8 points per game.

"That's football," DeCastro said. "It's never as good as you think it is and it's never as bad as you think it is. There is definitely some growth. We're nowhere close to where we want to be. There is always stuff to clean up."

For the Stanford Cardinal, the next six weeks will be very different than these first seven.

The critics have been out in full force since the Cardinal stomped San Jose State 57-3 on Sept. 3. And there is certainly some validity to that. Stanford’s first six opponents have a combined record of 14-24. None of the teams they faced is better than .500.

But Andrew Luck doesn’t make the schedule. Chase Thomas didn’t have a vote on whether to bring Colorado into the Pac-12. San Jose State is an annual game that will always be on the schedule. The Duke deal was inked before David Shaw was collecting a head coach's paycheck. And I'm pretty sure Sam Schwartzstein doesn't call the plays at UCLA nor Stepfan Taylor at Washington State.

In other words, knock them if you want, but don't blame them.

"We've said from the beginning of spring football what people think about us is not important to us," Shaw said. "It's how we play and can we find a way to win on game day."

And that's what the undefeated Cardinal have done -- in a big way. But now things definitely change. The combined record of the teams in the second half: 23-13. Starting with No. 25 Washington (5-1) on Saturday in Palo Alto.

No one needs to tell the Cardinal they are playing a ranked team. They get it. But that isn't changing their approach to the game.

"I think it's understood," said Luck. "It's also understood the deeper you go into the season and conference play, you're going to have to improve game week to be successful. We've won all of our games. You can't complain about that. We've obviously made some mistakes. That's the nature of the game. But I don't think guys are satisfied by any means, which is a good sign."

Satisfaction, or the lack thereof, seems to be a theme throughout The Farm this week.

"We expected to be undefeated, but we're definitely not satisfied," said tight end Zach Ertz. "We're excited for the U-Dub game ... but I would say it's the same feeling in the locker room."

The No. 8 Cardinal can make a statement with this game. Though that's not their primary objective. Their goal is to keep winning. If it affects the polls, great. If it doesn't, they aren't going to care.

"We can't control (the BCS standings)," said safety Michael Thomas. "All we can control is who we play and how we play. So we're going to go out and keep taking care of business."

It doesn't get much easier in the coming weeks. Following Saturday, they have back-to-back road games at USC and Oregon State (the only sub-.500 team remaining on the schedule as of this week) before returning home for a season finale stretch of Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame.

Shaw said his team is yet to fire on all cylinders. Which is a good thing, because there is still room to grow. No one wants to play their best football in Week 4.

"Record wise, yes (we're happy), but as for style of play, I would say that we are close, but we're not where we want to be," Shaw said. "We'd love to say that we've played our best football. But we've played in spurts. A quarter here, a half there. We haven't done it for 60 minutes and to a certain degree, that's great for coaches because we can show them on film doing it in the third quarter and not doing it in the first or second quarter ... we're putting urgency on it because we're going to need to do it."

The Cardinal have been notorious this season for slow starts on offense. And even though they are yet to yield any points in the first quarter this season, the offense hasn't performed to its abilities in the first 30 minutes. And while Stanford has been outstanding in the second half, the first half issues have to change in the latter part of the season."

"A lot of it has to do with our team's character and resiliency," Shaw said. "We have not started fast in the majority of our games. But we've finished fast in every one of our games, going all the way back to the Orange bowl. That's just excepted at a higher level. That's been one of our calling cards this year. But we know the games are getting tougher. The opponents are getting tougher and we have to play a full 60 minutes to win."

Kevin Gemmell talks with Stanford center Sam Schwartzstein about the offensive line, Colorado's pass rush and which Cardinal had the better one-handed catch against UCLA.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Has there ever been a more appropriate nickname for an offensive lineman than “Moose?” It leaves little to no room for interpretation about size or demeanor.

And except for the fact that Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin is extremely articulate -- and lacks antlers -- the nickname fits him as snugly as his shoulder pads.

“That’s how he introduced himself to me (the first time I met him),” joked quarterback Andrew Luck -- whose blindside is protected by the 6-foot-6, 304-pound Martin.

Martin was crowned with the moniker when he was in fifth grade. He was too big to play Pop Warner football in California, so during a flag football game, one of his teammates first called him Moose.

“I guess I was mauling people,” Martin said. “It stuck since then.”

It's how he still introduces himself -- though not to his professors.

"I'm more comfortable with Jon or Jonathan Martin in an academic setting," he said.

So when his name is called in the first round of the NFL draft -- probably not too long after the guy he’s protecting -- chances are it will be Jon or Jonathan.

“He has natural tools,” said head coach David Shaw. “An old coach once told me you have to find the guy that can do the things that you can’t teach. And you can’t teach a guy to be 6-5, 304-pounds and be athletic. And that’s what he is.

“He’s long. He’s got long arms. He’s tall, but he’s flexible. He can kick and punch, and a lot of the publicity he’s gotten is from NFL draft rankings, because he looks like an NFL tackle. Guys like that don’t come around very often to be able to do the things he can do.”

It’s tough to statistically quantify the progress of an offensive line or lineman. But there are a few telltale signs. For example – Stanford has increased its rushing total every week, from 141 yards against San Jose State to 205 against Duke to 242 against Arizona. Luck has only been sacked twice (though one was him running out of bounds). Those are pretty good figures.

“He’s a tireless worker,” Luck said of Martin. “He takes a lot of pride in being consistent and using the right technique … he sets such a great standard for the younger guys. He’s very meticulous, which I appreciate, obviously.

“(The offensive line has) done a great job. They are still hungry … they take pride in the fact that they want to be a physical group.”

Martin, who has started in 27 of the past 29 games since redshirting in 2008, checks in as the No. 6 player on ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s Big Board. He said he still needs some work on his pass protection (Luck would disagree), but he might be the best run blocker in this year’s draft class.

“I really like those drives at the end of games when you get to run the ball for 10 straight plays,” Martin said. “It’s a pretty gratifying feeling."

Shaw has asked Martin to do more than just protect the presumptive top pick in the NFL draft. With three starters from the offensive line graduating last season, Martin and David DeCastro became the veterans of the line. Tackle Cameron Fleming, center Sam Schwartzstein and guard David Yankey had never started a college football gamed prior to the season opener. And if the group was going to meet their coaches’ expectations, Martin and DeCastro were going to have to whip them into shape.

“The roles those two guys played were so vital,” Shaw said. “It’s one thing when the coaches demand it of a young player. It’s an entirely different deal when the veteran players, the guys they see in the locker room, in the weight room, and in the training room demand it of them also. There is no soft place to land when you don’t do it right. And that’s a good thing. David and Jon have been very vocal in their expectations about how the line should play. And each game it’s getting better.”

The younger players speak highly of Martin, calling him, among other things, an impressive leader. He’s made it an emphasis that as a line and a team, he won’t accept anything but their best effort. Martin arrived at Stanford in the midst of the culture change and has seen firsthand the strides the program has made. His hope is that he leaves it in better shape than when he first arrived.

“We want to win. We expect to win,” Martin said. “That’s where the standard has been set. Before, it was just to get to a bowl game. Now we have higher aspirations to win the Pac-12. It’s been a fun process to be a part of.”

Part three of the ongoing report card for the Stanford Cardinal during the bye week.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Grade: B

Summary: No other unit had a brighter spotlight on them during the spring and fall camps than the offensive line. With three starters from last year graduating and just Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro returning, the question wasn’t simply can they replicate a front that led the NCAA in time of possession and pounded out 213.8 rushing yards a game. But can these guys keep quarterback Andrew Luck upright? So far, they have answered the call – for the most part – on both fronts.

At left tackle, Martin is in the conversation for best offensive tackle in college football. On the other end, Cameron Fleming has shown steady improvement as one of three newcomers. DeCastro, a returning all-Pac-10 performer last year is a pure run blocker. Center Sam Schwartzstein and guard David Yankey have grown tremendously from Week 1 till now.

This line is not as good as last year’s. And it probably won’t be. That’s not a knock on them. And it’s not because they don’t have the talent. Rather, that was a special group that had the benefit of playing together for two years. Continuity is key with offensive linemen.

Take the Duke game, for example. The Blue Devils threw delayed blitzes at the Cardinal in the first half – something they hadn’t shown on film. It caught the younger players off guard and took them a half to make adjustments. The next time they see delayed stunts, they’ll be better at it. There are about 17,000 different things they’ll have to experience for the first time as a line before it becomes second nature and they start playing as one group, not five players.

The run blocking has gotten significantly better each week and the line is coming off its best performance in a 37-10 win over Arizona last week. Just ask Stepfan Taylor.

The pass blocking has been good at times, so-so at other times. Andrew Luck has only been put down once (officially twice, see funny Duke fumble for details), but he’s taken a couple of pretty good shots that have made coach David Shaw cringe.

Backups: So far only guard Kevin Danser and tackle Tyler Mabry have appeared in all three games, and guard Matt Bentler and center Khalil Wilkes appeared in the Duke game. Shaw has said repeatedly that he likes the depth at offensive line and thinks he has his two-deep set.

Previous report cards:

Quarterbacks

Defensive line

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- It was center Sam Schartzstein who jumped off the film and into Stanford coach David Shaw's good graces following Week 1 against San Jose State.

Last week, against Duke, it was offensive guard David Yankey who made the proverbial big leap between Weeks 1 and 2. And Shaw didn't hesitate to praise the 6-5, 300-pound redshirt freshman.

"David Yankey played a very, very good game," Shaw said. "Pretty much one bad play early in the game and the rest of the game was very, very good. I'm very pleased with him."

The offensive line, with three new starters this season, has been, and will be a point of interest all through the year. The loss of All-American center Chase Beeler, guard Andrew Phillips and tackle Derek Hall, both Pac-10 honorable mention, was perhaps the biggest question marks going into the season.

Against Duke, the new guys got their first taste of delayed blitzes -- something the Blue Devils hadn't shown on film. And it caught the rookies off guard in the first half.

"I believe after this game we'll be prepared for that for the rest of the season," Shaw said. "... We said it in the beginning, we knew we were starting two redshirt freshmen [Yankey and tackle Cameron Fleming]. We know Game 5 they are going to be better than they were Game 1. Every game is going to be taking another step with these two young guys."

Yankey took his coach's praise in stride.

"It's nice, but I still have a long way to go," said Yankey, who was born in Australia and raised in Georgia. "Playing next to Moose (Jonathan) Martin and David DeCastro just shows me how far I have to go. These are just minimal leaps. But it's still nice to hear."

Shaw said he thought the line play, overall, was better than against San Jose State. Fleming didn't make as big a jump as Yankey, Shaw said. But noted, overall, he thought Fleming played better.

Yankey said he and the rest of the line take responsibility for not responding quick enough to Duke's delayed stunts. It's an experience and communication issue that he expects will improve as the new line grows together.

"I'm glad we made the corrections in the second half," he said. "But honestly, you have to be ready for it in the first place. We're coached to respond to everything and be prepared. But we picked it up and got better as the game went on."

While the line was figuring out Duke's scheme, quarterback Andrew Luck took more hits than his linemen were comfortable with. That was also a concern for Shaw.

"I would love for him never to get touched," Shaw said. "The bottom line is, that's what I love about him. He doesn't care. But we care a lot. He says 'Coach, I'll stand in there.' At the same time, it's a big reason why we need to be balanced so we don't play against pass rushers all game."