[needle]

This was a gutty effort by the defense, and the interior of the offensive line--the biggest question mark going into the game--held up pretty damn well, I thought.

I don't see easy answers to all the problems that bit Stanford today. Kicker problems tend to be season-long problems. Hogan makes great plays but he's a guy that also gives the other team a chance sometimes (I'm thinking of the failed red zone pass to Montgomery that easily could have been picked off). Shaw will insist on doing things like giving a freshman fullback the ball for the first time in a critical situation. The front seven has some (relative) weaknesses.

But look at the play of Hooper and Kalambayi, just to name two guys who are only going to get better. This loss is disappointing, but nothing happened today that made me think this team can't beat anyone on its schedule if there's a sharp reduction in awful, negative plays. That's what I'm taking away from this game more than anything else.

[needle]

This was a gutty effort by the defense, and the interior of the offensive line--the biggest question mark going into the game--held up pretty damn well, I thought.

I don't see easy answers to all the problems that bit Stanford today. Kicker problems tend to be season-long problems. Hogan makes great plays but he's a guy that also gives the other team a chance sometimes (I'm thinking of the failed red zone pass to Montgomery that easily could have been picked off). Shaw will insist on doing things like giving a freshman fullback the ball for the first time in a critical situation. The front seven has some (relative) weaknesses.

But look at the play of Hooper and Kalambayi, just to name two guys who are only going to get better. This loss is disappointing, but nothing happened today that made me think this team can't beat anyone on its schedule if there's a sharp reduction in awful, negative plays. That's what I'm taking away from this game more than anything else.