[OutsiderFan]

Listen to interviews with college coaches who have gone to more simplified offenses in an effort to increase the pace of play.  You will hear three reasons espoused by any such coach:

1. Don't have a lot of practice time with student athletes, so want to make the system as easy to learn as possible; fewer plays, more reps
2. Simplified systems allow the best athletes to get on the field and contribute faster
3. Instead of tiring out defenses with brute physical force, we tire them out by pace and number of plays they must defend

It may very well be that Stanford gains a strategic advantage over its opponents by in general putting more physically prepared players on the field, with knowledge of more sophisticated schemes.  We've seen the results when Stanford maybe hasn't had the same quality of athletes as its opponents at the skill positions.  As the better skill athletes Stanford has brought in over the last few years begin to take on a greater role on the team, it will be quite interesting to see if more developed and prepared, better skill athletes means Stanford gets even better as a team.

[OutsiderFan]

Listen to interviews with college coaches who have gone to more simplified offenses in an effort to increase the pace of play.  You will hear three reasons espoused by any such coach:

1. Don't have a lot of practice time with student athletes, so want to make the system as easy to learn as possible; fewer plays, more reps
2. Simplified systems allow the best athletes to get on the field and contribute faster
3. Instead of tiring out defenses with brute physical force, we tire them out by pace and number of plays they must defend

It may very well be that Stanford gains a strategic advantage over its opponents by in general putting more physically prepared players on the field, with knowledge of more sophisticated schemes.  We've seen the results when Stanford maybe hasn't had the same quality of athletes as its opponents at the skill positions.  As the better skill athletes Stanford has brought in over the last few years begin to take on a greater role on the team, it will be quite interesting to see if more developed and prepared, better skill athletes means Stanford gets even better as a team.