Stanford Cardinal 5-3 Overall (4-2 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Stanford 33 – Arizona State 14

Next Week’s Opponent: @Arizona

The big win over Arizona State couldn’t have come at a better time for Stanford, who had an excellent day on both sides of the ball. Coming off of two straight rough losses and with nothing but Top-25 opponents waiting on the other side of this week’s bye, Saturday’s game was a virtual must-win to get some confidence back and keep Stanford’s bowling hopes alive.

Stanford’s balanced attack had another great day, racking up 473 yards of total offense in as balanced an effort as you will see (236 yards through the air, 237 yards on the ground). Andrew Luck added another mistake-free day to his resume, going 17/28 with no interceptions or touchdowns.

All four touchdowns came on the ground; remarkably, four different ball carriers rushed for a touchdown; Toby Gerhart, Stepfan Taylor, FB Owen Marecic, and WR Jamal-Rashad Patterson. Gerhart led the way with 23 carries and 125 yards.

ASU’s defense is a top-notch unit, one of the best in the conference; so to see Stanford have the success they did against them is certainly a reassuring sign with the slew of big opponents coming up.

Defensively, the Cardinal had the best game they’ve had in weeks. Not only did they hold ASU to only 290 total yards, but shutting them out in the first half gave their offense the chance to put this one out of reach early. The Sun Devils’ offense leaves plenty to be desired, but that shouldn’t take away from the pride that this unit should feel after a very strong game.

Not a bad way to head into a bye week. Coach Harbaugh will have an extra week to prepare for the slew of tough opponents (Oregon, @USC, Cal, Notre Dame).  Having three of the four games at home doesn’t hurt, and a few more efforts like this one could easily result in an upset win and bowl eligibility for the Cardinal.

The top two receivers from last year’s team are back, and head coach Jim Harbaugh’s excellent recruiting class from 2008 gives Stanford a much-needed influx of talent at the position.

Last season’s leading receiver is junior Ryan Whalen. The reliable Whalen had 41 receptions for 508 yards last year, which were both team highs by a mile. The Alamo (CA) native only found the end zone one time, but came up with critical grabs throughout the season. He appeared in all 12 games last year, making seven starts. The 6-2 205 pound Whalen is a former walk-on that only had one career reception before exploding onto the scene in 2008.

Now on scholarship, Whalen is a sure-handed receiver that has steadily improved since arriving on campus in Palo Alto in 2007. He doesn’t possess great speed, but he’s a smooth route-runner and can create space very effectively.

Ryan Whalen goes up for the grab

He had a productive spring, leading the White team in receiving yards during the spring game. Whalen caught four passes for 78 yards from Andrew Luck in a winning cause against the Cardinal team. The steady junior should continue to build on the early chemistry he has established with Luck.

Junior Doug Baldwin is Stanford’s best returning playmaker. The 5-11 189 pound wideout is the field-stretcher of the unit. His big-play ability is used in a variety of ways. Last season, Baldwin finished with 23 receptions for 332 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns. He also had 81 rushing yards and a rushing TD.

On top of being a dynamic receiver, Baldwin is an excellent return man. He has averaged over 24 yards per kick return and 8.5 yards per punt return during his career. The Gulf Breeze (FL) native played in all 12 games last year, starting nine of them. Like Whalen, Baldwin also enjoyed a nice spring game. He enters 2009 as a key component of the passing attack.

The Stanford coaching staff is very high on sophomore Chris Owusu. After the surprising decision by Harbaugh and Co. to move former starting WR Richard Sherman to the defensive secondary, Owusu will see increased playing time.

The speedy wideout from Westlake Village (CA) missed the first half of last season with a torn MCL but rebounded nicely in the second half of the season. Owusu finished his freshman season with 5 catches for 80 yards. Rivals.com gave Owusu 4-stars and ranked him as one of the best 250 players in the 2008 recruiting class. His combination of size and speed should give the Cardinal an added element in the passing game.

The major backup for Ryan Whalen looks to be sophomore Warren Reuland. At 6-5 210 pounds, Reuland only caught three passes for 29 yards, but he is a promising athlete with good hands and leaping ability. He could factor into Stanford’s offense in red-zone situations. The Mission Viejo (CA) native played in nine games as a true freshman last season.

The 2008 recruiting class features two potential game breakers for the Cardinal receiving corp in 2009.

True Freshmen Jemari Roberts and Jamal-Rashad Patterson were two of Jim Harbaugh’s prize recruits last year. They are both tremendous talents that could see the field in week one.

Long Beach (CA) native Jemari Roberts fielded offers from numerous Pac-10 programs, but elected to help build the ‘Furd into something special. The 6-3 205 pound wideout has great speed to go along with his size, and could be a return man for the Cardinal as well. He was given 4-stars by Rivals.com and ranked as the 18th best receiver in the 2009 class. At Wilson High School (CA), Roberts totaled 2,700 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns in his career.

Jemari Roberts made it official on signing day

Patterson arrives on the Farm from McDonough, Georgia. Harbaugh has praised the 6-3 201 pound receiver for his tremendous potential. Like Roberts, Rivals.com gave Patterson a 4-star rating and ranked him the 28th best receiving prospect in the class. During his four-year career at Henry County High School (GA), Patterson accumulated 3,100 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was also a track star in high school, setting school records in the 300m hurdles, 4×100m relay, and 4×400m relay.

Tight Ends

Senior Jim Dray is atop the depth chart at tight end. The Paramus (NJ) native has made a full recovery from a serious knee injury suffered in the 2007 season that required two surgeries. Dray played in eight games last season and although he only caught two passes for 12 yards, both were touchdown receptions.

For his career, the 6-5 255 pound veteran has 30 receptions for 306 yards and four TDs. Through great determination, Dray has proven that he can fight adversity and will now look to end his career on a high note. He is a balanced tight end, with great blocking and receiving skills.

Right behind Dray is junior Coby Fleener. The 6-6 248 pound hybrid is agile enough to be a wideout, but has the size of a tight end. He can stretch the field with great speed, which he demonstrated in the spring game when he hauled in a 32-yard touchdown from Andrew Luck.

Last season, Fleener finished with 13 receptions for 176 yards (3rd most receiving yards on team). The Lemont (IL) product could have an increased role in the passing game this season. His size and athleticism could be of great use in red-zone situations.

Junior Konrad Reuland will be joining his brother Warren on the Cardinal this season. The 6-6 257 pound tight end is a transfer from Notre Dame, and will be playing his first season with Stanford in 2009. He was one of the premier tight end prospects in the 2006 recruiting class when he left Mission Viejo High School (CA). Rivals.com gave him a 4-star rating and he was a Parade All-American. Reuland should split time with Dray and Fleener.

Other receivers and tight ends competing for time are: junior Marcus Rance, and freshmen Drew Terrell, Levine Toilolo, Ryan Hewitt, and Zach Ertz.

My Take

This unit had a fantastic spring and enters 2009 with confidence. Still, with so many young players being counted on, it’s difficult to know how much improvement will be made from last season. I do believe Stanford will be much better than 103rd in passing, but this should continue to be a run-dominated offense. I expect Whalen and Baldwin to be steady but not spectacular. Owusu may be the key for the passing game this season, and he must establish a deep-threat presence for the Cardinal.

Harbaugh has done a great job bringing in blue-chippers at receiver and tight end, and the offense will one day be a very balanced attack. I think both Roberts and Patterson are future stars, and it will be interesting to see how soon they hit the field.

Toby Gerhart will lead the charge for Stanford this year, but Andrew Luck and his talented cast of young receivers will be fun to watch in the future.