Shaw: No letdown with veteran group
STANFORD >> After beating San Diego State and USC — teams Stanford went 0-3 against last season — by a combined score of 48-13, the ninth-ranked Cardinal should have a breather against UC Davis before upcoming trips to Oregon and Notre Dame.
Davis did win 20-17 at Stanford Stadium in 2005 and is 2-0 for the first time in 14 years, including
a 44-38 win at San Jose State on Aug. 30. But assuming the players all set their alarm clocks properly, Stanford’s biggest challenge will be to guard against complacency.
“We’re going to get too many pats on the back this week,” Shaw said. “I know that, that’s fine, that’s what happens when you win. But we can be so much better. And that’s our charge, to see how good we can be, week after week.”
Here are five things to watch for today:
1. POTENTIAL LETDOWN >> Because of the team’s maturity, Shaw isn’t worried about his players losing focus despite Davis being an FCS opponent. The Cardinal starts nine seniors and two juniors on
defense and is likely to start six seniors on offense.
“Such a high percentage of our team is upperclassmen, and they’ve been doing a really good job of pushing each other,” Shaw said. “We talk a lot about our Stanford standard, and our standard can’t change depending on the opponent.”
2. EARLY START >> The 11 a.m. start is the earliest at home in program history.
“I think it’s great,” Shaw said. “I don’t mind getting up and getting ready to go. Between the early game and the late game, I’ll take the early game. Have the rest of the day for the players and coaches to spend time with their families, pretty much like the rest of the conferences
get every single week.”
3. LOVE LOST >> Bryce Love won’t play due to an undisclosed injury, so other halfbacks will get the chance to shine. Running backs Cameron Scarlett (389 yards, eight touchdowns last season) and junior Trevor Speights (two carries, seven yards this season) will see a lot more action, while Dorian Maddox should also get his first carries.
“Won’t change anything,” tight end Kaden Smith said. “I’m expecting that we’ll do a great job and O-line will open up lanes and I know our backs will run through them.”
4. OFFENSIVE LINE MOVEMENT >> The offense has sputtered at times this season against two solid defenses, needing 29 minutes to score against San Diego State and scoring three points in the second half against USC.
Part of that is because of instability on the offensive line.
“We’re still coming together,” Shaw said.
The Cardinal will be without left tackle Walter Little and backup lineman Foster Surrell, who were both injured against USC. But the line should receive a boost from the return of fifth-year senior center Jesse Burkett, a two-year starter and allPac-12 honorable mention selection from last season.
5. NEW CHALLENGE >> Shaw said the front seven played “the best they’ve played in a couple years” last week against USC. The Cardinal forced three turnovers and posted four sacks and 11 pass breakups.
Now the defense will get its first look at an up-tempo offense. UC Davis put up 98 points in wins against San Jose State (44-38) and San Diego (54-21).