Pac-10 Position Breakdown: Offensive Line – Stanford Cardinal
After losing virtually the entire 2007 campaign to injury, Toby Gerhart showed just what he was capable of doing in a full healthy season in 2008. Gerhart racked up 1,136 yards over 210 carries with 15 touchdowns, solidifying himself as one of the top running backs in the conference.
Toby Gerhart hit the holes with authority in 2008, and there were plenty of them thanks to the outstanding play of the offensive line. Even when defenders cheated run, the Cardinal line kept opening up holes and Gerhart kept powering through them.
The passing attack was a disappointment last season, averaging only 152.2 yards a game (105th in the nation), but it was certainly no fault of the offensive line, which surrendered a respectable 21 sacks on the season. With redshirt freshman Andrew Luck being penciled in to take over the starting job, hopes are high in Stanford that the passing game can do more damage in 2008.
In order for the passing game to take a step forward and the running game to continue to be as strong as it was in 2008, the offensive line will have to find a way to lessen the blow of losing three seniors, including Second Team All-Pac-10 center Alex Fletcher and First All-Pac-10 left tackle Ben Muth.
It won’t be easy, but head coach Jim Harbaugh has amassed plenty of talent to work with.
Chris Marinelli and Andrew Phillips celebrate a win over Arizona
Left Tackle:
61 Matt Kopa, 6-6, 305, Senior
73 Jonathan Martin, 6-6, 291, Redshirt Freshman
- Matt Kopa has done a little bit of everything on the lines at Stanford. Recruited out of high school as a 4-star defensive end, Kopa saw action as a reserve at defensive end and defensive tackle in 2006 and 2007. He also saw action as a blocking tight end in 2007, and made the transition to the offensive line last year. In 2008 he played in 11 games and started in the last six; five at right tackle and one at left guard.
With plenty of experience and natural ability under his belt, Kopa should do fine in a full-time starting role and provide leadership to the younger players on the team as well.
Jonathan Martin was rated a 3-star offensive lineman and ranked the 44th best offensive tackle in the class of 2008. If he carries the momentum he had in the spring into fall practices, Martin should earn himself playing time as a reserve in 2008.
Allen Smith was granted a 6th year of eligibility after losing the entire 2008 season to injury, but another setback this spring makes it look less likely that he’ll be able to make a return. If he is able to, it would be a huge boost for the line not only from a talent perspective but from a morale perspective as well.
Left Guard:
71 Andrew Phillips, 6-5, 299, Junior
64 Sam Schwartzstein, 6-3, 280, Redshirt Freshman
- One of the keys to the offensive line last season, Phillips saw action in all 12 games and made 11 starts at right guard. One of the most highly touted recruits of Stanford’s 2006 class, the rivals.com 3-star offensive guard was ranked 41st in the nation at his position in 2006. He has lived up to the hype, and his physically tough game usually allows him to get the first push at the point of contact. Phillips has improved each year he’s been with the program, a trend that will likely continue in 2008.
Center:
72 Chase Beeler, 6-3, 285, Junior
70 Bert McBride, 6-3, 295, Junior
- Chase Beeler takes on the daunting task of trying to replace Alex Fletcher at center. Beeler was ranked the 22nd best offensive guard of 2006 by rivals.com after a fine high school career and saw action in five games as a true freshman while playing at Oklahoma. After sitting out in 2007 to make the transfer to Stanford, Beeler started in seven games at left guard before being sidelined by a high ankle sprain.
An intelligent player that uses his feet well, Beeler makes up for what he lacks in size with good positioning and a great feel for the game.
Bert McBride stepped in for Beeler when he got injured last season, and was listed as the backup to the center in 2008 as well. He will once again be there in relief should anything go wrong for Beeler or another member of the line.
Right Guard:
52 David DeCastro, 6-5, 310, Redshirt Freshman
53 Derek Hall, 6-5, 301, Junior
- David DeCastro will take over the center position in a year or two, but will gain valuable experience starting at right guard this season. The scout.com 4-star high school standout was ranked the 3rd best center in the country in his class of 2008 by scout.com (7th by ESPN, 11th by rivals), and he has grown considerably in size since then.
DeCastro bulked up to 310 and learned the ins and outs of the position as a redshirt last year and this spring, not playing like a player that is as young as he is. The fact that he will likely get even bigger over the course of his career is scary to think about, especially for opposing teams.
With a work ethic to match his size and ability, DeCastro looks like a natural. He will undoubtedly make mistakes as all young players do, but he shouldn’t look too out of place this season.
Right Tackle:
63 Chris Marinelli, 6-7, 300, Senior
77 Tyler Mabry, 6-7, 295, Sophomore
- Chris Marinelli has been a staple on the line for years, and it could easily be argued that he is the best player on Stanford’s offense not named Toby Gerhart.
Marinelli made an immediate impact as a redshirt freshman in 2006, playing in 10 games and starting five of the last six. He built on that effort in 2007, earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors as a sophomore and winning the Frank Rehm Award (awarded to the most outstanding lineman in the Big Game).
Last season he started in 11 of 12 games (missing the Washington State game with an injury) and once again earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors.
A consistent and powerful lineman, Marinelli will provide great stability and leadership this season in his last year with the Cardinal.
My Take
Man, Jim Harbaugh can recruit, can’t he? A quick look at all of this depth that isn’t even including all of the additions in the 2009 and 2010 class, and it doesn’t look like it is going to be long before Stanford finds themselves in the top tier of the conference again.
Despite the two big hits of losing Fletcher and Muth, I think personnel-wise this line looks strong. Everyone on the line has starting experience with the exception of DeCastro, who just looks like a natural out there. As mentioned, he will make mistakes as I’m sure Beeler will in his first year as a center, but both seem capable and should improve as the year progresses.
The big question mark not mentioned in this breakdown is new line coach Tim Drevno. With plenty of past offensive line coaching experience and having worked the last two years closely with the line as a tight end coach, I’m sure Drevno will do fine; but it is something to watch closely, especially in the development of the younger players.
All in all, the talent is there, and the running back is definitely there. If Andrew Luck is as good as advertised and the line can keep the injuries to a minimum, this offense might really surprise some people.
Stanford Cardinal
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Allen Smith, Andrew Phillips, Bert McBride, Chase Beeler, Chris Marinelli, David DeCastro, Football, Jonathan Martin, Matt Kopa, Offensive Line
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