[CrazedZooChimp]

There seems to be a lot of trepidation about the prospects for the Stanford football offense in 2017.  If you look at 2016 as a reason, that certainly seems warranted, based on poor pass protection and inconsistent QB play that season. 

However, David Shaw interviews have suggested the offense will be spreading the ball around more than the last couple years, and that he feels the team will be better in 2017 than 2016 overall.  Hard to see significant defensive improvement with the DL situation, so the only place much improvement can come would seem to be the offense. 

On a related note, usually when a particular unit struggles one year, and the coaching staff prioritizes improving something specific about its performance, there is significant improvement the next season.  Specifically, the OL pass protection was awful in 2016 and has been a point of emphasis from the first Spring practice of 2017.  If you assume there will be better pass protection, the ball will be spread around more, and Keller Chryst is coming into his own as a QB now, might Stanford's offense be poised to be better than most people seem to be expecting in 2017?

I guess it's hard to see SIGNIFICANT improvement on D, but we return, what, 9 of 11 starters or something from last years D? That kind of return, including multiple stud DBs (and some pretty good LBs) who I don't think have peaked, implies there is definitely a chance for an even better defense.

And the same story is why I'm more optimistic for the O, returning starters. We lost CMac, Rector, and Caspers, right? Returning 8/11 starters, including several guys who were first year starters (or even first year players) implies a very likely increase in potential. Most football players get better, not worse. Like BC said, returning OL (and starters in general) often correlates to how good a team will be.

Also as CTCard said, it's an odd year. Money in the bank.

And for what it's worth, I started watching Stanford as a kid in the Willingham era and went to school during the Buddy/Wlat era. So you know my penchant isn't for unbridled optimism :)

[CrazedZooChimp]

There seems to be a lot of trepidation about the prospects for the Stanford football offense in 2017.  If you look at 2016 as a reason, that certainly seems warranted, based on poor pass protection and inconsistent QB play that season. 

However, David Shaw interviews have suggested the offense will be spreading the ball around more than the last couple years, and that he feels the team will be better in 2017 than 2016 overall.  Hard to see significant defensive improvement with the DL situation, so the only place much improvement can come would seem to be the offense. 

On a related note, usually when a particular unit struggles one year, and the coaching staff prioritizes improving something specific about its performance, there is significant improvement the next season.  Specifically, the OL pass protection was awful in 2016 and has been a point of emphasis from the first Spring practice of 2017.  If you assume there will be better pass protection, the ball will be spread around more, and Keller Chryst is coming into his own as a QB now, might Stanford's offense be poised to be better than most people seem to be expecting in 2017?

I guess it's hard to see SIGNIFICANT improvement on D, but we return, what, 9 of 11 starters or something from last years D? That kind of return, including multiple stud DBs (and some pretty good LBs) who I don't think have peaked, implies there is definitely a chance for an even better defense.

And the same story is why I'm more optimistic for the O, returning starters. We lost CMac, Rector, and Caspers, right? Returning 8/11 starters, including several guys who were first year starters (or even first year players) implies a very likely increase in potential. Most football players get better, not worse. Like BC said, returning OL (and starters in general) often correlates to how good a team will be.

Also as CTCard said, it's an odd year. Money in the bank.

And for what it's worth, I started watching Stanford as a kid in the Willingham era and went to school during the Buddy/Wlat era. So you know my penchant isn't for unbridled optimism :)