Panda Sees All: Stanford Preview
Our 2009 football previews have three parts: 1) A review of last year’s predictions. 2) Four bold predictions for 2009. 3) Who’s Your Panda? — the player who will emerge as a fan favorite like the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval. Hence the name.
WHAT THEY SAID LAST YEAR ABOUT STANFORD
ESPN.com: “Little is expected of [Stanford] this season. But, then again, what was expected out of a 41-point underdog whose first-year coach trash-talked Pete Carroll during the preseason last year?”
How’d that work out?:The Cardinal performed about as well as they were expected to, if not slightly better. There were no marquee wins — USC pummeled Stanford and Cal rolled over its rival in Big Game — but Jim Harbaugh’s squad handled its business against lesser foes. The Cardinal also blew late leads against UCLA and Oregon.
SI.com: Stanford was picked to finish eighth. “[Bo McNally] is a tackling machine, but the Cardinal is hoping an improved run defense will keep him from having to make as many touchdown savers as he did last season.”
The Chronicle: “The running game might be this team’s strength if tailbacks Toby Gerhart (who had 140 yards in his one game last season) and Anthony Kimble (who ran for 509 yards in seven games in 2007) stay healthy (they missed a combined 16 starts last season). The wide receivers are the biggest question mark with plenty of inexperience beyond junior Richard Sherman and injuries already thinning the ranks.”
Merc: “[F]or the Cardinal to win six games, it must start quickly because of a brutal finishing stretch. It must be 5-4 entering the last three weeks, when it plays Oregon (road), USC (home) and Cal (road).”
How’d that work out?: Stanford improved to 5-4 with a 58-0 thumping of Washington State, but that magical sixth win eluded them. The Cardinal led at Oregon in the final minutes, only to watch the Ducks waddle methodically down the field and score the game-winning touchdown with 6 seconds left. This year, Wilner sees the Cardinal in the postseason.
The Bootleg: “I fear those back-to-back sauna games at Arizona State and at TCU. Maybe I’m still shellshocked by the Card’s last visit to the Lone Star State in the 1999 season opener and that Hell-on-Earth visit to Tempe in 2002. Stanford lost those games by a combined score of 134-41. Not good times.”
How’d that work out?: There was good reason to fear that road trip, as Stanford was outscored 72-31 by the Horned Frogs and Sun Devils.
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By Scott on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm.
Tags: Stanford Cardinal
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
totally excited!! for the season and this series. bring on college football!
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Yes, indeed, bring it on.
September 4th, 2009 at 6:05 am
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