Stanford football didn’t win the Pac-12 in 2016 but still won 10 games for the sixth time in seven years. Can the Cardinal win the conference in 2017?
Stanford has won three Pac-12 championships and played for another in six seasons under David Shaw. The Cardinal missed out on the conference title last season, however, when both Washington schools passed them in the Pac-12 North.
While the Cardinal still won 10 games again like clockwork, 2016 still felt like a letdown. After going to the Rose Bowl, Christian McCaffrey came back for one more season. By the end, he didn’t even bother playing in Stanford’s bowl game. Now that 10-win seasons are considered a baseline performance rather than a special campaign, Shaw needs to return the Cardinal to the top of the league.
While McCaffrey is gone to the NFL, Stanford brings back even more talent in 2017 than it did last year. The defense is loaded, ready to enjoy plenty more parties in the backfield. The offense should be more well-rounded now that McCaffrey is less of a focus. And the schedule lines up well on the back end.
The Pac-12 North will be even more competitive this year, with several teams vying with Stanford for top honors. Shaw has a roster that will be in the thick of the race to play for the conference title. What does this year’s Cardinal team need to do to return to Pac-12 supremacy and contend for a College Football Playoff spot?
Offense
Last year Keller Chryst barely played in the first half of the season. With Ryan Burns leading the offense, Stanford went 4-3. They lacked a dynamic presence at quarterback, as Burns was prone to taking sacks and throwing picks. That changed once Chryst came in after the Colorado loss and turned around Cardinal fortunes. Chryst returns, with K.J. Costello waiting in the wings.
Greater confidence at quarterback will help a receiving corps that brings back all of its main receiving threats. Trent Irwin and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside return at the starting receiver positions, while senior tight end Dalton Schultz offers another weapon. With a full season working with Chryst, the unit should be more productive than they were collectively in 2016.
Yet another veteran Stanford offensive line further benefits everyone. Redshirt senior David Bright will be protecting Chryst’s backside, and senior center Jesse Burkett is an early Rimington Award candidate. Nate Herbig, the only sophomore slated to start, earned six starts at left guard last year as a true freshman.
Out of McCaffrey’s shadow
The loss of Christian McCaffrey is not something to scoff about. Setting aside his ability to change the complexion of a contest in the return game, McCaffrey was a dual threat unlike many others. An electric rushing threat, McCaffrey also added nearly 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches in his last 25 games.
Bryce Love is slated to take over primary rushing duties for the Cardinal in 2017. Love averaged over seven yards per carry in his first two seasons spelling McCaffrey, serving as a dynamic understudy. Now that Love is an upperclassman, look for him to capitalize on increased playing time to become one of the Pac-12’s best dual-threat running backs.
Defense
Yet again in 2016, Stanford fielded one of the top defenses in the Pac-12 and the entire nation. The Cardinal finished 22nd in sacks and held opponents under 145 rushing yards per game. They ranked in the top 20 in points allowed, holding opponents under three touchdowns per outing.
Stanford’s success was predicated in large part on a stifling front seven that returns all of its key players. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips is an early dark-horse candidate for the Bednarik and Outland Awards for top defensive player and top lineman respectively. Peter Kalambayi made the Butkus Award watch list. The starting seven is loaded with senior talent, though the two-deep features far more sophomores behind them on the depth chart than David Shaw might like.
The defense’s 2016 performance was hardly a fluke, though. Few teams are as prepared as Stanford to handle the myriad varieties of offense practiced in the Pac-12. That should bode well in 2017 as they try to regain their crown.
How good is this secondary?
The Cardinal gave up over 220 passing yards per game last year, about middle of the road for FBS teams. That mark was over 50 yards more than conference champion Washington gave up en route to the College Football Playoff. But Stanford ranked 25th in passing efficiency defense, and feature one of the deepest secondaries in the league.
That unit is poised to improve even more in 2017. Two juniors, cornerback Quinton Meeks and strong safety Justin Reid, are on the Thorpe Award watch list. The two-deep is comprised of nothing but upperclassmen. Between the skill and experience on offer, Stanford has no excuses in pass coverage. If they are going to move back into the upper echelon nationally, this unit will need to step up its game further and shut down opponents.
2017 Schedule
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
| 1 | Aug 26, 2017 | Stanford v. Rice | Sydney, Australia |
| 2 | Sep 9, 2017 | Stanford @ USC | Los Angeles, CA |
| 3 | Sep 16, 2017 | Stanford @ San Diego State | San Diego, CA |
| 4 | Sep 23, 2017 | UCLA @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
| 5 | Sep 30, 2017 | Arizona State @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
| 6 | Oct 7, 2017 | Stanford @ Utah | Salt Lake City, UT |
| 7 | Oct 14, 2017 | Oregon @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
| 8 | BYE WEEK | ||
| 9 | Oct 26, 2017 [THU] | Stanford @ Oregon State | Corvallis, OR |
| 10 | Nov 4, 2017 | Stanford @ Washington State | Pullman, WA |
| 11 | Nov 10, 2017 [FRI] | Washington @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
| 12 | Nov 18, 2017 | California @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
| 13 | Nov 25, 2017 | Notre Dame @ Stanford | Stanford, CA |
What’s in store for Stanford in 2017?
The season starts with a trip to the Land Down Under to kick off the college football season later this month. The Cardinal take on Rice in Sydney, then turn around and play USC in Los Angeles in their Pac-12 opener. Stanford stays on the road the following weekend at San Diego State before opening things on the Farm against UCLA and Arizona State to close out September.
By October, the Cardinal should be in a groove. Stanford plays at Utah and hosts Oregon before a bye week in the middle of the month. They come out of their break and begin a road swing in Corvallis against Oregon State.
November opens with a trip to Pullman to face Mike Leach’s Washington State squad. Then Stanford stays home for the rest of the regular season. The conference slate closes out as Washington and California visit Stanford Stadium. Then the annual grudge match against Notre Dame takes place on Thanksgiving weekend. By then, Stanford will know whether or not they are headed a dozen miles southeast to Levi’s Stadium for the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Next: Ranking the top 50 CFB players in 2017
Prediction: 11-1 (8-1 Pac-12)
The game against Rice is as close to a guaranteed win as a team like Stanford can get. A fortnight later, the Cardinal face a tricky test against USC. That game is likely going to end in a loss. But it could be the only loss Stanford suffers in the regular season, as Chryst and the offense find their stride against San Diego State. Look for a possible Trojans-Cardinal rematch in the conference title game.