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Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - Printable Version

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Re: Irwin? - pefloresjr - 08-22-2015

(08-22-2015, 05:32 PM)socalstanfan1 link Wrote:Our success in the recent past, especially in the Kevin Hogan era when we could not rely on the otherworldly ability of Andrew Luck, has been based on a disciplined as hell defense with good athleticism, and a grind-it-out offense that by its nature minimizes the athletic gap by grinding the opposing defense into dust and keeping the opposing offense off the field.

Where is my plus 100 button?  I absolutely agree with this.  Shaw set the overall strategy that the team needed in the post-Luck era that gave us the best chance for success.  He would prefer to be multi-dimensional, as he has stated numerous times, but he has used the grind-it-out scheme because he had to.  He has greatly expanded that basic strategy when the team is able to execute it as shown by the final three games of last year.  I have high hopes for similar variety and success this year, but I am trying to temper my enthusiasm because of the youth of the defense. 

Cheers,
Pete F.



Re: Irwin? - Rally - 08-22-2015

(08-22-2015, 05:32 PM)socalstanfan1 link Wrote:[quote author=ferrari link=topic=12562.msg125303#msg125303 date=1440288813]
[quote author=Mick link=topic=12562.msg125301#msg125301 date=1440286171]
I think Hulk means that we rarely get Gene Washington, James Lofton or Ken Margerum level talent.  Great when we get it, no question, but we don't often get it.  We more often get very productive talents like Troy Walters, Greg Camarillo, the Whalens, DeRonnie Pitts, Vataha.

It's still an unreasonable statement IMHO.NOBODY gets Washington, Lofton, or Margerum talent on a regular basis because they don't come along regularly.  There's a reason we don't regularly get Lucks, Gerhardts, Washingtons, Loftons or Margerums regularly.  They rarely exist.  And I think you do Troy Walters and, maybe, Vataha, a disservice.
[/quote]

The general point is true: A talent like Andrew Luck doesn't come along every year, so rarely does anyone get that kind of talent. But I think it's a bit too simplistic. I'm very happy with how our recruiting has been going in recent years, but in terms of true premium athletes the football factories (VSC, Ohio State, Alabama, etc), where academics are either an afterthought or a nuisance, have a wider range of talent to draw from and, yes, have in the past put on the field generally more athletic teams. (We've done better with OL for sure) That gap seems to be narrowing lately, with Stanford's football reputation improving (which may be why more premium athletes last year and in this year's cycle, so far, are strongly considering us). If we were truly drawing this same calibre of athlete, why would there be so much pleasant surprise on this very board at the serious interest being shown by Demetris Robertson?

Our success in the recent past, especially in the Kevin Hogan era when we could not rely on the otherworldly ability of Andrew Luck, has been based on a disciplined as hell defense with good athleticism, and a grind-it-out offense that by its nature minimizes the athletic gap by grinding the opposing defense into dust and keeping the opposing offense off the field.
[/quote]

Put this way I agree completely.  We have no shot at those athletes whose main or only claim to fame is freakish athleticism.  Many names come to mind, as I'm sure they do to each of us.    So in that context I see it as a complement to our staff, and to the players who have, in large part, created today's Stanford football environment.

Chryst - JohnR34231 - 08-23-2015

As was pointed out, he was 7-11 for 96 yds in the scrimmage. A very nice thread the needle pass to Austin Hooper in the highlights. It looks like he is the number 2 guy at least for the time being.

Re: Chryst - OutsiderFan - 08-23-2015

(08-23-2015, 04:44 AM)JPRI link Wrote:As was pointed out, he was 7-11 for 96 yds in the scrimmage. A very nice thread the needle pass to Austin Hooper in the highlights. It looks like he is the number 2 guy at least for the time being.

The Chryst reports were quite encouraging.  I'm going to guess the backup QB plays against NU, and that is going to be Chryst.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - needle - 08-23-2015

This was posted in another thread. Impossible not to get excited about No. 20 with the ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lUljXC6D4&feature=youtu.be

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - Hulk01 - 08-23-2015

We've attracted lots of skill players who have had excellent careers.  But Toby, Stepfan, Gaffney, Fleener and Ertz, among other, were not athletic freaks..  Few of our skill players, all the way back to my 70s, had the freakish talents you see in measurables like sub 4.4 40s and sub 4.0 shuttles, or simply in the truly jaw-dropping elusiveness of Darrin Nelson. 

Vataha was lovely and had quite a leap.  But I would never think of him among the freaks.  Eric Cross had many of Randy's skills, but without the vertical.

James Lofton, John Winesberry before the injury, maybe Milburn but perhaps not. 

Love has a freakish speed/quickness combination, and Irwin has whatever gifts it takes to run square outs that are literally that: right angles.  On defense, Alfieri and Thomas have skills at their size that I don't recall seeing in any Stanford defenders before them.  These four guys are part of what makes me feel like we are watching a new era.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - socalstanfan1 - 08-23-2015

(08-23-2015, 01:48 PM)Hulk01 link Wrote:We've attracted lots of skill players who have had excellent careers.  But Toby, Stepfan, Gaffney, Fleener and Ertz, among other, werent' athletic freak.  Few of our skill players, all the way back to my 70-s, had the freakish talents you see in measurable like sub 4.4 40s and sub 4.0 shuttles, or simply in the truly jaw-dropping elusiveness of Darrin Nelson.  Jamee Lofton, John Winesberry before the injury, mayb Milburn but perhaps not. 

Love has a freakish speed/quickness combination, and Irwin has whatever gifts it takes to run square outs that are literally that: right angles.  On defense, Alfieri and Thomas have skills at their size that I don't recall seeing in any Stanford defenders before them.  These four guys are part of what makes me feel like we are watching a new era.

Would you put Kalambayi on that list, Hulk?

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - Hulk01 - 08-23-2015

Kalambayi deserves to be mentioned with them, yes. 

I am certain, beyond all doubt, that we never have we this many gifted athletes on any Stanford team.  We used to get an Alfieri, Thomas, Love, or Kalambayi once in a decade at best. 

Now we have four of them over the last three classes.

And who were the others the athletic equal of those four?  Again, Lofton. maybe Winesberry.

And my point isn't that superb athletes make great football players.  It's just that if they love the game and have the guts to play it, and understand the game a bit, they often win games with one brobdingnagian play.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - needle - 08-25-2015

Two names not discussed here very much but featured prominently in this Palo Alto Weekly recap of the scrimmage: Rollins Stallworth (former walk-on WR described as, along with Owusu, having "received many reps during fall practice") and Justin Reid (frosh S who, according to PA Weekly, led all tacklers with five at the scrimmage).

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/08/23/quarterbacks-impress-at-stanfords-annual-open-house

Edited to fix Reid's name.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - socalstanfan1 - 08-25-2015

I think you mean Justin Reid, who is credited in the article with 5 tackles.

For a moment there, when I first read your post, I thought we had somehow lured another Reid brother to the team as a walk-on.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - needle - 08-25-2015

Yup, my error. For those who don't know, Justin Reid is the brother of 49er Eric Reid.

Re: Irwin? (and 8/22 open scrimmage discussion) - socalstanfan1 - 08-26-2015

I once, while speaking at a conference of historians, publicly referred to Perry Miller, an eminent historian of Puritan New England, as Henry Miller, the author of highly erotic literature in the 1920s.  Now, that went over well.