[OutsiderFan]

[quote author=OutsiderFan link=topic=10838.msg101485#msg101485 date=1412867119]
WIM, not everything can be explained by numbers.  There is a qualitative side of things that can't ever be measured.  And we can't dismiss what hasn't been tried out of hand, just because it doesn't "seem" like it will work.

Some of the greatest discoveries are made by accident, or otherwise as a result of things happening that weren't expected based on previous understanding.  Sometimes ingredients combine to be better than the sum of their parts. 
...
Sanders would be 27th in the country in YPC if he had a few more carries.  He had a 4.7 YPC against ND on 3 carries.  Young had 7 for 2.6.  It's difficult to have more evidence that Sanders should be playing more, given how productive he's been and the fact he can catch passes.

I enjoy that you say not everything can be based on numbers...and then give a totally deceptive case based on numbers. Sanders would be 27th in the country if he had more carries, but that assumes that his past carries predict his future ones. There's good reason to believe he doesn't. Against SC, UW, and N.D. Sanders is averaging 4 yards per carry. Young is at 4.2 and Wright at 4.6 against the same opponents.

I have little idea where you get the idea that Sanders is a better pass-catcher either. Wright has 3 catches for 42 yards; Young has nothing; Sanders 2 for 13.

But, look, if your logic is that we should just try things out on the basis that it can't be much worse, sure, that's fine. I respect that logic. Just don't pretend it's anything other than a faith-based case.
[/quote]

I've seen all the RBs play and it is clear from my observations that Sanders is the most talented receiver and ball carrier of all the RBs.  He's got the best hands and body control of any of them.  The fact his season YPC is the best among all of them is just anecdotal evidence to this reality, not a statistically provable reality.  But when you factor in that he has had the fewest carries, and that he hasn't had nearly as many chances to "get in a rhythm by playing so many consecutive snaps," and the offense is struggling, it is the combination of an educated guess and a "let's see if this works because nothing else is" that makes advocating more carries for Sanders a justifiable position.

I worried from the get go that Sanders was not a fit for Stanford's power running system.  He's really much more of a zone type runner, where he can read the defense, pick a hole and go.  If Stanford's coaches are looking for that guy who can run power and break tackles, he is not it.  So if that is why he doesn't get more carries, it makes sense.  But then Young and Wright don't break many either.  So you go back to trying to force personnel into a scheme instead of adapting your scheme to your personnel. 

Sanders is the most talented RB Stanford has other than maybe McCaffrey, but he doesn't seem to likely to play much as a True Frosh, so Sanders is the guy on which the offense should build around, IMO.  If they can't run power as preferred because they don't have that power RB, then don't run power or go with jumbo sets.  The coaches should have realized this in the Spring, but it seems they really felt the OL would be so good that they could even run power effectively without a true power RB. 

It's got to suck for the coaches because they are basically two plays away from being 5-0 and ranked in the Top 10, even with the deficiencies they have to overcome.  It's tough to justify change when so close, but given the team is 3-3 in its last six games, it does seem some kind of evolution in offensive thinking is warranted.

[OutsiderFan]

[quote author=OutsiderFan link=topic=10838.msg101485#msg101485 date=1412867119]
WIM, not everything can be explained by numbers.  There is a qualitative side of things that can't ever be measured.  And we can't dismiss what hasn't been tried out of hand, just because it doesn't "seem" like it will work.

Some of the greatest discoveries are made by accident, or otherwise as a result of things happening that weren't expected based on previous understanding.  Sometimes ingredients combine to be better than the sum of their parts. 
...
Sanders would be 27th in the country in YPC if he had a few more carries.  He had a 4.7 YPC against ND on 3 carries.  Young had 7 for 2.6.  It's difficult to have more evidence that Sanders should be playing more, given how productive he's been and the fact he can catch passes.

I enjoy that you say not everything can be based on numbers...and then give a totally deceptive case based on numbers. Sanders would be 27th in the country if he had more carries, but that assumes that his past carries predict his future ones. There's good reason to believe he doesn't. Against SC, UW, and N.D. Sanders is averaging 4 yards per carry. Young is at 4.2 and Wright at 4.6 against the same opponents.

I have little idea where you get the idea that Sanders is a better pass-catcher either. Wright has 3 catches for 42 yards; Young has nothing; Sanders 2 for 13.

But, look, if your logic is that we should just try things out on the basis that it can't be much worse, sure, that's fine. I respect that logic. Just don't pretend it's anything other than a faith-based case.
[/quote]

I've seen all the RBs play and it is clear from my observations that Sanders is the most talented receiver and ball carrier of all the RBs.  He's got the best hands and body control of any of them.  The fact his season YPC is the best among all of them is just anecdotal evidence to this reality, not a statistically provable reality.  But when you factor in that he has had the fewest carries, and that he hasn't had nearly as many chances to "get in a rhythm by playing so many consecutive snaps," and the offense is struggling, it is the combination of an educated guess and a "let's see if this works because nothing else is" that makes advocating more carries for Sanders a justifiable position.

I worried from the get go that Sanders was not a fit for Stanford's power running system.  He's really much more of a zone type runner, where he can read the defense, pick a hole and go.  If Stanford's coaches are looking for that guy who can run power and break tackles, he is not it.  So if that is why he doesn't get more carries, it makes sense.  But then Young and Wright don't break many either.  So you go back to trying to force personnel into a scheme instead of adapting your scheme to your personnel. 

Sanders is the most talented RB Stanford has other than maybe McCaffrey, but he doesn't seem to likely to play much as a True Frosh, so Sanders is the guy on which the offense should build around, IMO.  If they can't run power as preferred because they don't have that power RB, then don't run power or go with jumbo sets.  The coaches should have realized this in the Spring, but it seems they really felt the OL would be so good that they could even run power effectively without a true power RB. 

It's got to suck for the coaches because they are basically two plays away from being 5-0 and ranked in the Top 10, even with the deficiencies they have to overcome.  It's tough to justify change when so close, but given the team is 3-3 in its last six games, it does seem some kind of evolution in offensive thinking is warranted.