Pac-12 Breakfast Links: 06.22.2011

*Only four BCS schools have never been dinged for a major NCAA violation, Stanford being one of them.  In this day in age, that seems almost amazing.  [Wall Street Journal]

*Show me the Money! After Washington, Colorado was the second most profitable program in the Pac-12. Way to let the newbie show up the conference.  [The Ralphie Report]

*Speaking of that overused line from Jerry Maguire, there is a trail of red paint leading to the hands of those that run the Oregon program.  Like an AA member falling off the wagon, the NCAA has lost complete control. [Business Insider]

*Oregon State Head Coach Mike Riley is upbeat about a Beavers turnaround this season.  Take a picture because this might be the last time we see the coach so positive. [Mail Tribune]

*Andrew Luck is finally getting some 1st team All-American love. What took so long? [Lindy Sports]

*In case you miss the Pac-10, here is great stat rundown of how the 33 years played out.  It is kinda sad that Cal was the only team during that period not to make a BCS bowl.  [Tucson Citzen]

Stanford Cardinal Recruiting Round-Up

Recent Commits

·         No recent commits

Trending on the Trail

Drew Madu, S, 6-1/196 (NR): heading out to the Farm on the 20 th; recruitment process is still really wide open

Top Commits for 2012

·         Noor Davis, OLB, 6-4/225 (****): a cerebral player that is fast, smart, and can deliver a hit; Davis’s commitment with Stanford is one of the biggest surprises this offseason. 

·         Alex Carter, S, 6-1/185 (***):  a bigger, more physical safety; can go both ways, but palys better on defense.

·         Jontrey Tillman, RB/WR, 2-9/165 (NR): speed and athleticism drew the Cardinal to Tillman, now they have him.


***Check out how the rest of the Pac-12 is doing on the recruiting trail here.  

Stanford Football: Do the Cardinal Need a Top Tier Receiver?

Stanford’s top three receivers from last season are gone, leaving a gaping hole at wide-out on its depth chart.  But, with Andrew Luck leading the charge for the Cardinal’s offense, it begs the question: does Stanford even need a top tier receiver to be successful in 2011?

While it might be outlandish for some to compare Luck to Tom Brady or Peyton Manning this early in his career, it is certainly not a stretch if you call him one of the best quarterbacks in college football today.

Like Brady and Manning, Luck has the tools to succeed at his position despite an apparent lack of talent lining up wide.  The vision and cerebral nature of these quarterbacks allows them to find the open guy and let even the most unknown of names become a league leading receiver.

Breakfast Links: 05.10.2011

*The Pac-12’s TV deal is supposedly threatening the "Friday Night Lights" of high schools across the nation.  Hopefully this collegiate option will keep these kinds of fans at home gambling on the semi-pros. [Columbian] 

*Pete Carroll recently gushed over Steve Sarkisian’s success at Washington after attending a few of the Huskies’ spring practices.  Sark certainly has Carroll to thank, considering he is using most of Caroll’s staff and strategies from USC.  Nonetheless, you gotta love the football environment that they both are creating in the state of Washington.  [Go Huskies.com]

*Many writers are questioning whether it is genius or absolute nonsense that the Pac-12 Title Game is being played with a home field advantage.  I think its genius.  It’s unique and it guarantees a raucous, packed crowd at every Championship event. [Bruins Nation]

*Four-star tight end Evan Baylis commits to Oregon.  The tall, lanky (6’6”, 220lbs) target runs well and should be a matchup problem against smaller defenders.  A decent, early grab for Chip Kelly [Scout.com, You Tube] 

*Luke Kaumatule, an outstanding, four-star defensive end from Honolulu, has every Pac-12 team knocking at his door step.  After a recent visit to Palo Alto, Stanford seems to have the early edge.   With the shallow pool of talent at defensive line for the Cardinal, this could be a huge recruiting win for David Shaw. [The Bootleg, You Tube]  

Pac-12 Football: Stanford Cardinal Spring Game Report Card

Spring Game Type: 1st Team (Cardinal) vs. 2nd Team (White)

Final Score:  Cardinal 42, White 3

The Stanford Cardinal offense hasn’t missed a beat since Jim Harbaugh’s departure.  As long as they have that Heisman Trophy candidate, they should be just fine.  

Offense:

It only took a few plays for Andrew Luck to quickly remind everyone why he is considered to be the best quarterback in the conference.  Under Luck’s directions, the Cardinal squad scored a touchdown on every drive. He connected on 16 of 22 passes and tossed three touchdowns with ease. 

Stepfan Taylor also provided the Cardinal with a steady ground game, gaining 61 yards and scoring one touchdown. 

Even with the coaching change, it appears that Stanford’s offense is still legit with Luck running the show.

Grade: A

Defense:

With the departure of Vic Fangio and five key defensive starters, there are some concerns about how the Cardinal’s defense will stack up to last year’s impressive outing. 

While Stanford is stacked at the linebacker position with Chase Thomas and Shane Skov, Thomas missed the spring game with an undisclosed matter, which raises some questions.

Despite these variables, Fangio’s successor, former secondary coach Derek Mason, is pumped about his team chances at continuing the dominance it asserted last season.

Grade: B