Stanford Football: 5 takeaways from 2017 Cardinal regular season

3. Stanford had an elite turnover margin thanks to both sides of the ball

In many ways, football success is largely predicated on winning the turnover battle. Sometimes it is a mark of luck, and it isn’t something that can be depended upon year after year. But over the course of a dozen games, a general trend can begin to develop. Last year the turnover luck just wasn’t with the Cardinal. This year the pendulum flipped back in the opposite direction.

For Stanford in 2017, the trend generally went well for David Shaw’s squad on both sides of the ball. Not only did the Cardinal generate plenty of turnovers on defense, they also were adept at holding onto the ball when they had it on offense.

Last year, Stanford generated 20 turnovers on 14 interceptions and six fumble recoveries. This year the secondary snatched two more interceptions, while the Cardinal also snagged three more fumbles. It was enough to improve from a middle-of-the-road unit into one of the top 15 teams in turnover generation during the regular season.

Even as the offense sputtered at times, it wasn’t turnovers that beat Stanford in its losses. Between Keller Chryst and K.J. Costello, Stanford quarterbacks tossed just six picks all season long. And the Cardinal lost just four fumbles in their 12 games, showing a deft ability to maintain possession. The end result was the sixth-best turnover margin in the country that translated to nine victories.