Hoping to continue mastery of USC
David Shaw knew all about the Stanford-USC rivalry long before he took part in it as a Cardinal wide receiver in the early ’90s.
His father, Willie, served on the Stanford coaching staff in the ’70s, and his uncle Nate was an All-American safety at USC in the ’60s and later was an assistant coach for the Trojans. They told him all about it.
The Stanford head coach knows that beginning in 1976, USC went 15 years without losing in the series. He was the Cardinal’s offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh when they pulled off the miracle upset of 2007 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. And he has helped Stanford win seven of the past nine games and eight of 11.
The No. 14 Cardinal (1-0) venture into the Coliseum again Saturday against the No. 6 Trojans (1-0), who dropped two spots in the AP poll after a surprisingly tight win over Western Michigan.
Stanford is coming off a 62-7 crushing of Rice in Sydney on Aug. 27. This week, it will be the underdog.
“We’re under no illusions about what we did in our first game and what we’re going to need to do in our second game,” Shaw said Tuesday. “I don’t believe there’s any false confidence on our team. We know how good USC is.”
It helped Stanford that, aside from Harbaugh’s move to the 49ers in 2011, the program has been the model of stability and consistency, and USC has had an attrition rate like “Game of Thrones.” Five head coaches, three athletic directors, dozens of lost scholarships as a result of as a result of improper benefits for Reggie Bush, a postseason ban, a head coach fired on a tarmac, another fired while on his way to a rehab clinic. Troy, for years, was a mess. Still, USC has had plenty of talent.
Asked if there was a common denominator in Stanford’s recent triumphs over the Trojans, Shaw said, “If there is, I’d like to find it.” Many of the recent games have been cliffhangers.
In quarterback Sam Darnold, the Cardinal will take on one of the early favorites for the Heisman Trophy. Shaw likens him to ex-Stanford QB Andrew Luck in his uncanny ability to anticipate receivers’ breaks. “It’s something that’s innate to a certain degree, but I know (head coach) Clay Helton and his staff have really cultivated it.” Health report: Wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside and outside linebacker Mike Tyler will start Saturday after missing the Rice game with injuries. But with A.T. Hall’s status still up in the air, Devery Hamilton and freshman Walker Little might split the offensive right-tackle duties. … Backup cornerback Terrence Alexander is out with a left forearm injury. … Freshman wide receiver Osiris St. Brown is still nursing an injury. If he can’t play in the next few weeks, there’s a chance he’ll redshirt, Shaw said. Briefly: Delighted with Keller Chryst’s opening performance (253 yards, 2 TDs, no picks), Shaw said, “What’s he done since last December (blowing out his knee in the Sun Bowl) is nothing short of amazing.” … It’s been called the Year of the Quarterback in college football in general and the Pac-12 in particular, but Josh Rosen’s leading UCLA to an amazing comeback victory from 34 points down against Texas A&M was, in Shaw’s words, “legendary.”