It's difficult to talk about Stanford football without acknowledging the perceptions and stereotypes that surround the program even to this day. A decade ago most people felt the admissions requirements were too severe to allow the football program to be competitive on a consistent basis. Sure, you could get lucky and get a quarterback once in a while, but beyond that?
When Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw arrived in 2007 they wanted to change these perceptions, but first they had to change the reality of what was happening on the field. Firm in their belief that a powerful offensive line is the foundation of any successful team (and aware that there tend to be a fair amount of academically-minded offensive linemen available), they started there. They found a valedictorian from Texas to play quarterback, they found receivers who were great route runners, they found huge tight ends who were matchup nightmares, and they signed intelligent linebackers and safeties who could captain the defense.
What they couldn't quite do, however, was convince any of the best high school cornerbacks to come to Stanford. And then Richard Sherman happened.
Not too many people outside of the Pac-12 knew anything about Sherman when he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2011, but soon enough he was proclaiming himself in interviews to be the best cornerback in the NFL and backing it up with stellar play on the field. He became something we've never seen before -- a brash, arrogant gladiator between the lines, but a thoughtful, contemplative student of the game during the week.
Within the space of a few weeks surrounding Super Bowl 48, Sherman joined Andrew Luck as the face of Stanford football in the NFL, but while Luck's quiet, nerdy persona matched the old image of the program, Sherman brought an edginess that would not be quieted. Suddenly, Stanford football had some street cred, and it didn't take long to see the effects on the recruiting trail.
In 2014, the Cardinal inked four defensive backs, and when one of them, Terrence Alexander, was asked on Signing Day about whom he modeled his game after, he answered before the reporter got through the question: "Richard Sherman."
The following year there were four more defensive back signees, including four-star corners Frank Buncom IV and Quenton Meeks, both of whom also acknowledged the Sherman factor and spoke openly about being excited to train with the All-Pro corner when he returns to work out at Stanford during the summer.
And so it is that we find ourselves in the dawning of a Golden Age of Stanford defensive backs. While most of the players are young, the defensive backfield is led by a trio of seniors, most notably fifth-year senior and team captain, Ronnie Harris. The top cornerback on the team, Harris led the group with ten passes broken up. Starting alongside Harris at the two safety positions were free safety Kodi Whitfield and strong safety Dallas Lloyd, two players who converted from the offensive side of the ball and often showed their inexperience by taking incorrect routes to the ball or not reacting to open receivers.
While there might have been missteps along the way, it's impossible not to be excited about the future of this young secondary. Starting across from Harris is sophomore Alijah Holder, a player who rarely looked overmatched or overwhelmed despite his youth. Equally impressive was freshman Quenton Meeks, who served as the nickelback. If you're looking for someone to thank for the Cardinal's Rose Bowl bid, you can start with Meeks. Without his two second-half interceptions against Washington State, Stanford would be in San Diego instead of Pasadena. Sophomores Alameen Murphy and Terrence Alexander also contributed when needed, making cornerback perhaps deeper even than the linebacker position.
There's a youth movement waiting behind Lloyd and and Whitfield, as well. We saw flashes from freshmen Justin Reid and Ben Edwards, and sophomore Brandon Simmons has the potential to be great.
The key word in assessing this group is "potential." With perhaps the best defensive back coach in America, Duane Akina, there's no doubt that this unit will become one of the best in the conference over the next couple years, but they aren't there quite yet. As mentioned above, there were examples of miscommunication, most egregiously in the Oregon game, when players didn't seem to know their assignments. Also, especially in the early going, there were several dropped interceptions, at least two in the end zone that would've prevented field goals.
The most interesting thing about watching the Stanford defense this season was how much it changed in the red zone. With the danger of the deep pass eliminated, these big, athletic cornerbacks were free to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage, and they were almost always able to leverage that advantage. I look forward to watching this group develop, and I'm curious to see what they become if and when Akina unleashes them and asks them to be more aggressive between the twenties. They have the potential to be great, but even now, they're pretty good.
Overall Grade: B