Stanford Football: 5 reasons why Cardinal will stink in 2017

3. Can Keller Chryst actually perform after knee injury?

Last year, Ryan Burns and Keller Chryst both tried to fill the shoes of departed quarterback Kevin Hogan. Burns got the first crack at the starting job, but the offense noticeably improved once Chryst took over the role. Burns started more of the games, but he was also the primary quarterback for all three of Stanford’s losses in 2016.

Burns is returning to the Farm for a fifth season, but the starting role is all Chryst’s to handle. That is, of course, if he has recovered completely from the severe ligament damage to his knee that he sustained in Stanford’s Sun Bowl win over North Carolina. Burns will probably still be relegated to third-string duties, having been pipped on the depth chart by sophomore K.J. Costello.

Chryst was a solid contributor last year, throwing for 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 136 attempts. He also rushed for nearly four yards a carry and two more scores on the ground. But if his knee cannot hold up to the rigors of college play when the season begins in earnest, things could really stink for Stanford’s offense in 2017.

Burns clearly proved himself to not be the answer for the Cardinal last year. If Stanford is forced to turn to him again, or to get Costello into game action too early, it could be costly for the championship ambitions of the team.