Stanford football: (Bryce) Love is all Stanford needs
Defense
Stanford’s defense is in a bit of a strange place. They weren’t great against anything last season, but they weren’t really awful against anything either. They allowed 42 points to USC in their first meeting, 31 in their second meeting, 39 to TCU, and 34 in a win over UCLA. Every other game, however, they held opponents under 24, even in losses to Washington State and San Diego State.
They also didn’t really have any excellent games though. They held Rice and Oregon to single digits, but every other team was able to do at least some damage, and sometimes that was enough to keep it close, or even win. They held two of the league’s worst teams in Oregon State and Cal to 14 points each and won those two games by a combined four points.
Stanford’s defense was hurt a lot by the inefficiency last season. If the offense improves, the defense should too.
They do have some of their own problems to address first though. Two of their three linemen are gone, as are two linebackers and a corner. They’ve got talent though. Can the young guys step up?
Stanford Cardinal Football
Up front, end Dylan Jackson will have to be the veteran leader, because nose tackle Dalyn Wade-Perry is a redshirt freshman, and the other end, Jovan Swann, is a sophomore. They were both pretty highly touted (the former more than the latter), and while Wade-Perry obviously didn’t play, Swann was pretty good in limited time.
The line will continue to rotate like it usually does, so these won’t be the only three that matter. Freshman Andres Fox and redshirt freshman Ryan Johnson should see time at end, and we may even get a bit of Andrew Pryts out of his usual linebacker spot, and up to the line. Inside, Michael Williams and Bo Peek should take some stress off of Wade-Perry.
Linebacker is in a pretty similar spot. Both outside linebackers from last year are gone, but both inside linebackers return, and the backups have plenty of experience because of injury issues last year. Bobby Okereke could be a Pac-12 All-Conference player by the end of the year, and if Sean Barton stays healthy, he should be a great complimentary player. Jordan Perez is there at middle linebacker too, so they should be able to rotate those three.
Outside is a much bigger question. Senior Joey Alfieri has plenty of experience, but he’s never been the guy. This year he is, and he’ll have to play like it, by consistently making plays and staying on the field. He can’t be a specialist anymore. Across from him, redshirt freshman Gabe Reid is a former three-star, pass rush specialist. He’s brand new and could struggle.
There are way more experienced players in the linebacker depths than up front. Casey Toohill, Jordan Fox, Curtis Robinson, and even Perez could all find time on the outside. I think Toohill will likely shoulder the majority of the load at the other OLB spot, but any number of these guys could fill in.
The backfield is probably the best part of this defense. Alijah Holder is back at corner and should be pretty good in a lockdown, number one cornerback spot. Safeties Ben Edwards and Frank Buncom are both awesome when healthy. They’re big playmakers and could be a huge part of this defense being better against the pass this year.
The new number two corner will probably be either redshirt freshman Paulson Abedo, senior Alameen Murphy, or sophomore Obi Eboh. I’m not confident that any of them will be great, but they should at least be pretty good. Safety Brandon Simmons will also likely find playing time, either as a slot corner, nickel safety, or a hybrid linebacker.
Replacing Phillips and Reid
The two best players from this defense last year are now in the NFL. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips is on the Bills, and safety Justin Reid is with the Texans. They were both crucial parts of this defense last year, and replacing their production is a huge concern for this defense. I think Reid will be easier to replace, because of the talent and depth at safety.
Phillips is another story. Stanford’s depth up front, especially in the middle, leaves a lot to be desired. Their rotation won’t be able to replace Phillips, and that’s a huge issue. Stanford has to play against great running backs in Juwan Washington, Stephen Carr, Zack Moss, Myles Gaskin, Patrick Laird, and whatever Chip Kelly throws at them. That’s brutal.