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July 27, 2010
No. 5: Stanford
by
LOU SOMOGYI
Senior Editor
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Entering his fourth season at Stanford, head coach Jim Harbaugh is considered one of the rising stars in the coaching profession. The 1987 Michigan graduate might be his alma mater’s top target (along with LSU’s Les Miles) if the Rich Rodriguez era continues to sputter or reel in Ann Arbor in 2010.
Harbaugh has transformed the culture of the once moribund Cardinal program into a hard-nosed, balanced outfit with an air of nastiness, highlighted by rubbing USC’s collective nose into a 55-21 rout at the Los Angeles Coliseum last season. Stanford will not be intimidated when it walks into Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 25 and tries to break a seven-game losing streak there.
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Luck, a redshirt sophomore with just a season of experience, is already considered a likely first-round draft pick next spring.
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HEAD COACH
Jim Harbaugh — 17-20 (.460) in three seasons at Stanford.
Harbaugh also was 29-6 (.829) in three seasons at FCS San Diego before reviving Stanford.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the 24-game history between the two schools, including 13 straight meetings since 1997, Stanford has never defeated Notre Dame two consecutive times. The series was 5-5 in the 10 meetings from 1990-2001, with Tyrone Willingham’s 3-2 record from 1997-2001 against Bob Davie helping him succeed Davie in 2002.
The Irish won seven in a row against Stanford from 2002-08 before the Cardinal rallied from a 38-30 deficit last season to post a 45-38 victory in Charlie Weis’ last game as Notre Dame’s head coach.
LUCK ON THEIR SIDE
Long-time NFL quarterback Harbaugh believes there isn’t a better all-around signal caller in the country than his redshirt sophomore Andrew Luck, who passed for 2,575 yards and added 354 yards on the ground last season while directing an 8-4 regular season. ESPN Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. almost agrees — he has Washington’s Jake Locker and Luck 1-2 on his current “Big Board” for the 2011 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame junior wide receiver Michael Floyd is listed as the 19th pick.
POSITIVES
• Quarterback Luck has a quality support cast, notably a physical offensive line that returns four starters and is rated among the 10 best in the country this preseason. His top 3 receivers also return, led by Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu, and the tight ends, including Notre Dame transfer Konrad Reuland, are talented as well.
• Special teams is led by another Notre Dame transfer, Nate Whitaker, who converted 40-, 47- and 29-yard field goals against the Irish last year in his three attempts. Owusu returned three kickoffs for scores in 2010.
• The defensive front seven is undergoing changes similar to Notre Dame, moving to a 3-4 alignment under new coordinator Vic Fangio, who had spent the last 24 seasons in the NFL.
• Stanford should be able to get a good scouting report personnel wise on Notre Dame with 2009 Irish assistants Brian Polian (special teams) and Randy Hart (defensive line) now on the Cardinal staff.
NEGATIVES
• The Cardinal will replace “by committee” 2009 Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart, who rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns against the Irish last year while adding a clutch 33-yard reception.
• The secondary returns cornerback Richard Sherman for a sixth-year of eligibility but is otherwise searching, even auditioning backup quarterback Alex Loukas at free safety.
WHY STANFORD IS 5TH AMONG 12
Harbaugh has been recruiting top-20 ranked classes during his tenure and the dividends began to pay off last year with a second-place finish in the Pac 10 — highlighted by the 51-42 triumph against Pac 10 champion Oregon followed by the 55-21 massacre of USC.
Gerhart probably is irreplaceable, but Harbaugh has instilled a mean element into the program that will make the Cardinal a tough out.
ANALYSIS
Stanford is looking for its first back-to-back winning seasons since 1995-96 and first victory at Notre Dame since 1992. Seven points decided each of the last three meetings, and we can envision more of the same in 2010.
Combine a program that has been learning how to win, has experienced upgraded recruiting, good coaching, a top-tier quarterback and a physical mentality, and the formula is there to continue to be competitive, if not excel.
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