Gap Down Backer.

[djp73]

sometimes that makes it easier to be consistent

we'll see. sometimes you need a guy to make a play though or take over a game.

yeah, experiencing that this season at USF

[ShireNiner]

I like the extra coverage, gives more build up to the season.

[Soapy]

I like the extra coverage, gives more build up to the season.

thanks bro, always wonder if people really read or just wait for the games

[Soapy]

Stanford Football: 2031 Cardinal Season Preview and Prediction
Athlon Sports Staff Writer • 8 min read

Head coach: Bubba Mack (4th year)
Offensive Coordinator: Richard Wiley (4th year)
Defensive Coordinator: Brian Stewart (4th year)
2029 record: 12-2, 7-1 (1st in ACC)
Preseason All-American: None
Preseason All-Independent: WR Rodney Cookus (first), G Jalen Freeman (first), CB Chauncey Ankrah (first), S Shaquille Duke (first), HB Anthony Masifilo (second), HB Rashawn Crouse (second), WR Alsonfo Bramble (second), G Shaquille Marks (second), EDGE Percy Cadet (second), DT Shaquille Pullard (second), DT Athya Shade (second), LB Richard Caussin (second), CB J.T. Kipper (second), CB Kentrell Marvin (second), S Angel Bass (second)

The last two seasons, Stanford has bowed out of the playoffs at the hands of the eventual national champions. In the Cardinal's maiden voyage into independence following their exodus from the ACC, Stanford will likely end up playing the eventual national champions at some point as they feature one of the toughest schedules in college football. That is unless, of course, they are the ones holding the trophy once it's all said and done.

Previewing Stanford's Offense for 2031
Four years, four different starting quarterbacks for Bubba Mack and the Stanford Cardinal as Alex Rowe is out and in Houston and Earl Nienhuis, the transfer from Wake Forest, is in. Nienhuis doesn't have any experience after being a backup at Wake Forest for the last two seasons and never took a snap but the physical tools are there and he might be the most talented quarterback Stanford has had since Tavien St. Clair.

The stronghold of the offense is the offensive line which features two potential All-Americans in Shaquille Marks and Jalen Freeman, both multi-year starters and with Freeman, someone that could end up being a Day 1 or Day 2 NFL Draft pick come next spring. D.J. Baas slides in at left tackle and while the production hasn't always been there, the talent is there for Baas to replace Neil Pryor, who went in the second round of last year's draft.

The loss of Trumaine Lasike is a big one but they return practically everyone else at the skill position with two running backs in Rashawn Crouse and Anthony Masifilo that would have rushed for over 1,000 yards in practically any other offense and add dynamic true freshmen Malik Marshall and Trevon Winbush to the fold.

The biggest question mark is who will be WR3 as Rodney Cookus returns for his redshirt junior season and top slot option Alfonso Bramble had 43 receptions and five touchdowns as a true freshman. They'll need that third receiving option to break out in order to be a more balanced offense and have some big play capability in the passing game outside of Cookus.

---

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Previewing Stanford's Defense for 2031
After having to retool their secondary last year, it's the linebacker room that suffered major losses in Isaiah Lanovoi and Manu Toomer, two of their best players for the last two seasons.

Stanford brings back most of the secondary and the front line, led by cornerbacks J.T. Kipper and Kentrell Marvin and up front, edge rusher Percy Cadet and tone setter Javon Canady are primed for another big season as Canady had recorded at least 13 tackles for loss in the last two seasons and Cadet, a former four-star prospect, had 5.5 sacks as a true freshman and seems poised to take that next step into a draftable prospect.

Along the interior, they add a big body in Athya Shade from the portal at 321 pounds while bringing back their twitchy pass rushers in Shaquille Pullard, Cameron Drake, Tim Bing and Deontae Shorter.

Schedule (2030 record)
vs. Baylor (5-7, 3-6 Big XII)
vs. #9 Florida (10-3, 5-3 SEC)
vs. #3 Ohio State (14-2, 7-2 Big Ten)
at #17 LSU (9-4, 5-3 SEC)
OPEN
at #1 Georgia (14-3, 8-0 SEC)
vs. UNLV (3-9, 2-6 MWC)
vs. Hawaii (8-5, 5-3 MWC)
at #4 USC (12-2, 8-1 Big Ten)
at #15 TCU (12-2, 8-1 Big XII)
at #5 Oregon (11-3, 8-1 Big Ten)
OPEN
vs. California (3-9, 1-7 Pac 12)
vs. #23 Notre Dame (8-5)

The early rematch against Ohio State would be anyone else's marquee game of the season but it might end up barely being top five by season's end as Stanford, due to their agreement with the SEC, Big Ten and Big XII in order to boost revenue as an Independent, will face one of the toughest schedules in college football history.

They have Baylor, UNLV, Hawaii and California spread out throughout the schedule and have just two road games in their first six games but outside of that, there are no easy pickings. Right before they take on Ohio State, they host a very talented Florida team and right after the Buckeyes, they travel to Death Valley with potentially their season on the line should they drop the previous two games.

After that, it's a quick bye to catch their breath and then back on the road to face No. 1 Georgia before the schedule lightens, briefly, with games against UNLV and Hawaii before the final stretch of the season. They get to stay on the West Coast with trips to USC and Oregon sandwiching their visit to Fort Worth to take on TCU before another bye week and then their rivalry series against California and Notre Dame, both at home.

Projected Final Record: 9-3

Stanford will likely be favored in six games this season (Baylor, UNLV, Hawaii, TCU, California, Notre Dame) so if they take care of business there, they would then need to pull out three wins from Florida, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, USC and Oregon. The Cardinal should beat Florida, potentially LSU and then it's just a matter of squeezing out the upset against either Ohio State, USC or Oregon and they are talented enough to do so to get to nine wins which would be a success with this schedule and enough to snatch one of the at-large bids.

[Captain Canada]

This fucking schedule

[Caesar]

LSU about to have you holding they pockets. STTDB.

[redsox907]

that is a fucking brutal schedule. Coach Mack better get in his bag

SN - I read the other updates too, they add nice depth to the season

[Soapy]

This fucking schedule

that is a fucking brutal schedule. Coach Mack better get in his bag

SN - I read the other updates too, they add nice depth to the season

these are the bammas that picked the schedule btw yall smh

Appreciate the read, my boy

LSU about to have you holding they pockets. STTDB.

If it was at Stanford, I'd feel confident but on the road with that composure loss? yikes

[Soapy]

Five-star quarterback George Ogbonnaya releases updated top with Stanford listed
Chris Wallace -- 247Sports Stanford Football Insider

During a recent press availability, Stanford head coach Bubba Mack openly spoke about the Cardinal's regression in the recruiting rankings last year, finishing outside the top 35 after a top six finish two seasons ago when they signed twenty-four high school prospects, including a top five of Kentrell Marvin, Alfonso Bramble, Rashawn Crouse, Tim Bing and Percy Cadet who all had impact as a true freshmen.

"We want guys that want to be at Stanford and don't just like the idea of it," Mack said of the Cardinal's high profile swing and misses.

Mack didn't mention any specific players but Stanford went after some highly ranked players in cornerbacks Tyler Fine (Oklahoma) and Immanuel Lovelace (Penn State) as well as quarterbacks Ben Radunz (Alabama) and JaMichael Jackson (Auburn), the kind of gets that would have boosted the class potentially into another top ten finish.

The most high profile pursuit was that of Malik Marshall, which ultimately landed with him signing with Stanford after originally committing to Notre Dame. Stanford fans should brace themselves for another long recruitment of another high profile target in quarterback George Ogbonnaya who camped at Stanford over the summer and recently released an updated top five school that included Texas, Alabama, TCU, Texas A&M and Stanford.

"I really like the coaching staff and the campus felt like some place I could see myself," Ogbannaya told 247Sports following his unofficial visit to Stanford in the spring which he followed up with another camp visit later that summer.

The thing is, which Mack has acknowledged in public comments, everyone can see themselves on Stanford's tree-filled campus and the academics are extremely appealing to schools. The hard part, however, has been getting kids to fully commit to a program that is still establishing relevancy among the caliber of prospects its fishing after.

"We're definitely fighting against that stigma or whatever idea that people have about the program," Mack added, "We as a coaching staff have to do a better job of figuring out who is for real, whose interest is real and who is just looking around and keeping us as a backup option. We need to prioritize those kids and do a better job of it."

2032 Stanford Cardinal Recruiting Class

2032 Stanford Cardinal Recruiting Board
George Ogonnaya [QB #2]: 6'0", 184lbs | Conroe, TX | 5-star
Willie Rudolph [ATH #8]: 6'3", 292lbs | Carrollton, GA | 4-star
Darren Calmelat [ATH #13]: 6'4", 222lbs | Sun Prairie, WI | 4-star
Marco Stick [FS #12]: 6'0", 203lbs | Lakewood, CA | 4-star
Ashton Bayless [RT #16]: 6'5", 284lbs | Franklin, KY | 4-star
Alex DiMarco [C #6]: 6'3", 276lbs | Lancaster, TX | 4-star
Cole Schlesinger [RT #20]: 6'6", 321lbs | Virginia Beach, VA | 4-star
Emari Cashman [RG #19]: 6'3", 319lbs | Cypress, TX | 4-star
Nasir Breaston [FS #18]: 6'2", 188lbs | Arlington, TX | 4-star
Damien Yeboah [WR #77]: 5'9", 171lbs | Broken Arrow, OK | 4-star
Bradley Turbin [WR #49]: 6'2", 223lbs | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 4-star
Stephen Flott [OLB #47]: 6'3", 219lbs | Burton, TX | 3-star
Kionte Keo [WR #89]: 6'4", 191lbs | Baltimore, MD | 3-star
Kenyon Stacy [ILB #34]: 6'0", 227lbs | Winder, GA | 3-star
James Bitonio [RT #38]: 6'7", 290lbs | Spring, TX | 3-star
Adrian Madden [WR #114]: 5'9", 175lbs | Roswell, GA | 3-star
Howie Whittaker [CB #56]: 5'10", 170lbs | Oxnard, CA | 3-star
Derek Worthy [OLB #57]: 6'1", 225lbs | Long Beach, CA | 3-star
Joey Ahlers [ATH #67]: 5'11", 239lbs | Fresno, CA | 3-star

[redsox907]

these are the bammas that picked the schedule btw yall smh

I forgot I picked tOSU/USC/Oregon

pulling Ogbonnaya would be huge