[OutsiderFan]

Ed Reynolds gets all the attention for being the guy who picks off passes and returns them for TDs (even ones that aren't awarded to him), but Jordan Richards makes contributions just as important.

I've liked him since he was a Frosh last year, and he's only gotten better this year, but the last two weeks he's been even better.  After reflecting on the game last night, I thought to myself who were the standouts on defense, in a game the defense played its second worst game of the season?  The name that came to mind was Richards.  So I went and looked, and sure enough, he led stanford in tackles.

Richards is a great and physical tackler.  Between he and Reynolds, I'm not sure there are two more instinctive Safeties in the country.  And they are both Sophs, who will probably just get better next year.  It's kind of amazing how we went into the season thinking FS was the biggest question mark on the team, and how Reynolds stepped up to perform beyond anyone's imagination.  Richards was thought to be solid, but has turned out better than most expected as well.  Richards is becoming my favorite player on the Stanford defense, though there are admittedly a lot to like!

I loved Delano Howell and MT3 was solid, but Reynolds and Richards have been brobdingnagian upgrades.

[OutsiderFan]

Ed Reynolds gets all the attention for being the guy who picks off passes and returns them for TDs (even ones that aren't awarded to him), but Jordan Richards makes contributions just as important.

I've liked him since he was a Frosh last year, and he's only gotten better this year, but the last two weeks he's been even better.  After reflecting on the game last night, I thought to myself who were the standouts on defense, in a game the defense played its second worst game of the season?  The name that came to mind was Richards.  So I went and looked, and sure enough, he led stanford in tackles.

Richards is a great and physical tackler.  Between he and Reynolds, I'm not sure there are two more instinctive Safeties in the country.  And they are both Sophs, who will probably just get better next year.  It's kind of amazing how we went into the season thinking FS was the biggest question mark on the team, and how Reynolds stepped up to perform beyond anyone's imagination.  Richards was thought to be solid, but has turned out better than most expected as well.  Richards is becoming my favorite player on the Stanford defense, though there are admittedly a lot to like!

I loved Delano Howell and MT3 was solid, but Reynolds and Richards have been brobdingnagian upgrades.

[DC]

Did the safeties have responsibilities on the long runs by the QB and Franklin on UCLA's first two drives?  On the Franklin run, the commentators mentioned that he motion man made Ed Reynolds veer off to his left slightly, allowing Franklin to hit the crease.  Don't know our scheme on the QB run.

[DC]

Did the safeties have responsibilities on the long runs by the QB and Franklin on UCLA's first two drives?  On the Franklin run, the commentators mentioned that he motion man made Ed Reynolds veer off to his left slightly, allowing Franklin to hit the crease.  Don't know our scheme on the QB run.

[Hurlburt88]

I think we had trouble at the linebacker level plugging the right holes.  I remember once, I think in 3rd quarter on a TD run, Skov was moving to the hole but slipped. 

I am VERY impressed by  the tackling of our secondary.  Sure, and with little forward lean from the receivers once they are in Richards' and also carter's grasp

[Hurlburt88]

I think we had trouble at the linebacker level plugging the right holes.  I remember once, I think in 3rd quarter on a TD run, Skov was moving to the hole but slipped. 

I am VERY impressed by  the tackling of our secondary.  Sure, and with little forward lean from the receivers once they are in Richards' and also carter's grasp

[Griffins78]

I haven't reviewed the video but it seemed to me that UCLA schemed to play off our LBs. it looked like they would give a look and depending on what our LBs UCLA would be ready to respond. Hundley would drop back to pass and when he saw our ILBs blitzing around the outside he would immediately run up the middle to where they vacated.

[Griffins78]

I haven't reviewed the video but it seemed to me that UCLA schemed to play off our LBs. it looked like they would give a look and depending on what our LBs UCLA would be ready to respond. Hundley would drop back to pass and when he saw our ILBs blitzing around the outside he would immediately run up the middle to where they vacated.

[jayasena]

I haven't reviewed the video but it seemed to me that UCLA schemed to play off our LBs. it looked like they would give a look and depending on what our LBs UCLA would be ready to respond. Hundley would drop back to pass and when he saw our ILBs blitzing around the outside he would immediately run up the middle to where they vacated.

Yup, I noticed that too. I felt the wet field helped them here though -- the blitzing LBs seemed to have a lot of trouble gaining enough traction to change direction in response to Hundley's runs. So I don't know if those runs would have worked as well on a dry field but a good strategy nonetheless.

[jayasena]

I haven't reviewed the video but it seemed to me that UCLA schemed to play off our LBs. it looked like they would give a look and depending on what our LBs UCLA would be ready to respond. Hundley would drop back to pass and when he saw our ILBs blitzing around the outside he would immediately run up the middle to where they vacated.

Yup, I noticed that too. I felt the wet field helped them here though -- the blitzing LBs seemed to have a lot of trouble gaining enough traction to change direction in response to Hundley's runs. So I don't know if those runs would have worked as well on a dry field but a good strategy nonetheless.

[fullmetal]

It looked like the field was nearly tractionless at times.  The rain did appear heavy on tv despite reports to the contrary--odd.  I'm sure the game tilts in our favor with dry grass.

[fullmetal]

It looked like the field was nearly tractionless at times.  The rain did appear heavy on tv despite reports to the contrary--odd.  I'm sure the game tilts in our favor with dry grass.