Alright, I’m gonna do a very brief and shallow scouting analysis of Stanfurd.  I’m sort of a busy guy this time of the year for academic reasons, so I can’t do lots.  Nor do I have a ton of tape to work with either.  In fact, for this scouting analysis the only game I looked at was Stanfurd versus Notre Dame.  So bear with me.  This will be fast and furious.  But if you want some sort of "preview" at what you might see on Saturday, then I think I can provide that since I haven’t seen anything else out there.

Here we go…

The Stanfurd offense:
*A quick note: Notre Dame plays the 3-4 occasionally.  Stanfurd’s tendencies which they showed in this game might have been in response to ND’s 3-4 and might not use the same tendencies or strategies against us.

*Furd offense uses mostly 21 personnel sets (2 backs and 1 TE), and some 22 (2 backs and 2 TEs).  They use their freshman FB (#48 - I think) a lot like an H-Back.  He’ll be in motion a lot - going from one side to the other or into the backfield.  Furds like to play their TE off the LOS a lot too.  When the TE is off the LOS it looks like they’ll run most of the time BUT NOT always.  And even when they put the TE on the LOS it ISN’T always indicative of a pass.  Putting your TE off the LOS means your WRs are on the LOS as split ends meaning they have less room to beat the jams.

*Furd will use shotgun for the two minute drill and possibly in obvious passing downs needing a mile for the first down.  They used 11 personnel (1 back 1 TE) in shotty.

*When run blocking, it’ll usually be a zone blocking scheme.  The OL will pretty much shift in one direction and catch the D in the wash.  Our backside defenders will have to maintain their backside containment and discipline so the Furd RB doesn’t cutback and get outside of our outside containment.

*That Pritchard dude can kinda run.  He’s not a big threat but he can scramble for a few if needed.  Furd also ran a QB naked boot keeper play against Notre Lame.  If we get too aggressive attacking their zone blocking and don’t keep backside containment, Harbaugh might throw this play at us.  

*They max protect on occasion like we do.  

*And when Harbaugh puts up a big green laminated paper that means 21 personnel (two backs and one tight end).  That’ll include their TE #84, and their FB who is sort of an H-back. 

The Stanfurd Defense:
*Their base defense is the regular 4-3 like us. 

*Their CBs play man coverage A LOT.  Their CBs will press very frequently too, especially CB #2.  Their CBs also play inside leverage (typical).  I think JT will take advantage of the tendency to play man coverage possibly by "picking" with twin-WR formations, or deep routes, or double move routes. 

*Their safeties don’t seem too concerned about playing deep coverage.  Seemed like they were more concerned with the run against Notre Dame.  Many times they’d get sucked up by the PA and the CBs are alone on islands.  I don’t think they can be like that against us.  If they are, well, I think JT will try to take advantage of that.

*Note: Furd’s tendencies to play man coverage, and press frequently might only be in response to ND putting one WR on each side of the formation.  ND didn’t use "twin" WR formations at all.  We use "twins" quite a bit.  I’m not sure how Furd will respond if we do that.  So keep in mind that these CB tendencies I stated above are for when we don’t use "twin" formations with 21 personnel.  

*For all you Gregory haters out there, when Stanfurd is defending a 3rd and a mile, they’re not afraid to rush 3.  

*Furd isn’t afraid to blitz a LB or two on non-3rd downs.  They’ll often try and mask their plays too by showing blitz but not blitzing, as well as showing blitz and blitzing, as well as blitzing when not showing anything.  

Random stuff:
*Furd uses honor/achievement stickers now.  I don’t remember them using that in previous years.  Must be a Harbaugh thing.  I don’t like them because I think it promotes individualism and "me" attitude (as in "give the ball to me more often so I can get more stickers and be cool").

*ND ran "the play" (sort-of) against the Furd to end the first half.  Furd threw a hail mary from ND’s 40 yardline or so.  It was intercepted, and after 4 laterals or so, ND scored.  But there was a personal foul flag during the play so it didn’t count.  That’s a shame. 

Let’s get this over with.

• Jumpin’ Jim Harbaugh says he’s staying at Stanford.  I’m not exactly surprised; given his comments about Michigan being a football factory and lack of emphasis on academics, I doubt he would have been seriously considered anyway.
• Jim Caple (it might not be my place to judge, but he looks like the quintessential couch potato/loser) puts Cal/Stanford as the number two rivalry in college football.  Of course.
• Somewhat surprisingly, Stanford has the 39th ranked recruiting class in the country.  I wonder how they pulled that off.  Oh wait, they have the number 1 punter in the country.  That’s going to come in handy.
• This might be somewhat interesting, an analysis on Stanford’s Scout.com website of NCAA graduation rates.  The news won’t shock you much, but because of its lag (it only measures recent graduates, and as such any recent improvement in the past one or two years is not reflected) it backs up Jim Harbaugh’s comments more than it does our own.
• An article on the San Jose Mercury News about how the Big Game has lost its luster…not only in terms of national significance, but between Cal and Stanford alums as well.  The conclusion?  In order for it to matter again, Stanford has to get better.
• Stanford’s long-time radio guy is hanging it up after the Big Game.  Not that I expect anyone reading this to know who the guy is, but it’s always news when a long-time broadcaster retires.  I guess.
• Notes for Saturday - 750 tickets are available (see the bottom of the article), T.C. Ostrander is again in a QB controversy (there’s gotta be some kind of joke here) as he has been for the past five years, the ever-injured Rulon Davis is questionable, Jahvid Best is out, and DeSean is questionable.
• And here’s a nice, innocuous preview.