When Stanford beat USC in 2007 in The Biggest Upset Ever, it was amazing, but that win came with no guarantee of prolonged success. I've always argued that the single game that announced Stanford Football had turned the corner was the thrashing of USC two years later in 2009. The Cardinal's 55-21 win during the closing weeks of that season sent a message to USC, to the conference, and to all of college football that something was building in Palo Alto. It felt that way at the time, and there can be no doubt now.
Hidden behind Toby Gerhart's thunderous performance and the simmering feud between head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll, however, is another moment that still resonates. Here's what I wrote at the time:
On third down at his own thirty, [Matt] Barkley dropped back to pass and locked on to a receiver in the right flat. His pass floated a bit, and converted wide receiver Richard Sherman jumped the pass and intercepted it with nothing but green in front of him. Even before he caught the ball, all 90,000 people in the Coliseum knew what would happen. For much of the game I had been rather reserved, simply clapping for touchdowns or turnovers or big first downs, but this play hit me in my soul. I was on my feet with my fist in the air as soon as Sherman leapt for the ball, and I unleashed a guttural scream that lasted the entire forty yards of his return. As he sprinted across the end zone back towards the Stanford bench, I inexplicably yelled out "Straight outta Compton, baby! That's another local boy who got away!" I was quite possibly the only person standing on my end of the stadium, and heads turned from below to see who I was. Undeterred, I cupped my hands to my mouth and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Goooo Mighty Card!!!" I did not receive even a murmur of rebuke. The score was 42-21, and everyone knew they had witnessed a changing of the guard.
We could never have known back then what would become of that defensive back (nor could I have predicted that that moment would one day give me the name for this site), but Richard Sherman has become one of the most important figures in the transformation of Stanford football. His story has been told exhaustively, but here's the quick version: After being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft, he used his intellect, work ethic, and physical skills to become the best (and loudest) cornerback in the NFL.
Suddenly everyone knew Richard Sherman, and not just football fans. There was a time when he was the most polarizing figure in American sports, but if you were a young high school football player in 2014, there was no conflict. When a reporter at high school senior Terrence Alexander's Signing Day press conference asked him who he modeled his game after, Alexander answered before the question was finished: "Richard Sherman." Suddenly recruits saw Stanford a bit differently. The opportunity for an elite education remained the same, and consistent success on the field was apparent, as Stanford had just played in its fourth consecutive BCS bowl game.
But Sherman turned Stanford's mild-mannered reputation on his head. His brash attitude spoke to aspiring defensive backs, players at a position that demands athleticism, preparation, and a level of confidence bordering on arrogance. Richard Sherman exemplified all of those qualities, and defensive backs from around the nation were suddenly drawn to Palo Alto, eager to follow in their idol's footsteps.
Coinciding with Sherman's rise to prominence was one of the most important hires David Shaw has ever made. In March of 2014 he brought in Duane Akina, universally considered to be the best defensive backs coach in America. Akina's strength is as a teacher of the game. His players have always raved about his attention to detail, both in scheme and technique, and he can be seen during every game moving amongst his players, providing reminders and motivation. When I asked Shaw to explain Akina's influence, he absolutely gushed. "When I met him, it was the closest thing to my dad that I had been around, as far as the philosophy of teaching, slowing it down and teaching the fundamentals." In recognition of his importance to the program, his coaching position was endowed earlier this week, making him the Couch Family Defensive Backs Coach -- kind of like being named one of the Knights of the Realm.
So what's the significance of all this? Historically, defensive back has been the most difficult position for Stanford to recruit. There have certainly been players who have stood out over the years -- Kevin Scott, John Lynch, Tank Williams, and Ed Reynolds come to mind -- but until recently there was never a solid group of four or five players in the defensive backfield that was able to impact an opposing offense. With the combined impact of Sherman and Akina, however, the talent has flowed to Stanford like never before, leading to the greatest collection of defensive backs in the history of Stanford football.
Each year since 2014 has brought highly-recruited cornerbacks and safeties into the program, and the tutelage of Akina (and occasional tips from Sherman) has led to on-field production. The player that opposing quarterbacks and defensive coordinators will fear the most will be junior cornerback Quenton Meeks, who promises to be one of the best cover corners in the nation this fall. Meeks burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2015, coming up with two huge interceptions to save a game against Washington State, and then a game-sealing pick-six in the Rose Bowl. Last season he came up with another crucial pick six, this time against Notre Dame.
Even though he has all the physical tools necessary to star at the position, Meeks reaches the next level with preparation; it's doubtful that anyone studies more film than he does. In fact, it's been reported that he and Coach Akina are a perfect match in this regard. When asked about his success, he attributes it to his film study, indicating that four of his five career interceptions have been the direct results of things he saw on film. (See video below.) How important is he to the defense? It isn't just a coincidence that in the two games he missed last season, the Cardinal gave up 86 points and 7 touchdown passes. Heading into this season, Pro Football Focus names him one of the top five cornerbacks in the nation, which is no surprise. He is the perfect cornerback around which to build a dominant secondary.
Beyond Meeks, there is still more talent. The opposite corner will likely be manned by senior Alijah Holder, another big body (6'2") with an NFL future. He was an important part of the 2015 defense, but injury limited him to just four games in 2016. Expectations are high, and reports have been nothing but positive through the summer. Nickel and dime packages could include sophomore Malik Antoine, who redshirted last season; senior Alameen Murphy; and speedy senior Terrence Alexander, who has played in every game since arriving on campus three years ago.
Lining up in the middle of the back line of Stanford's defense will be junior strong safety Justin Reid and senior free safety Brandon Simmons. No less of an authority than running back Bryce Love names Reid as one of the four fastest players on the Stanford roster (his Stanford Football 4x100 relay team would be Love, Alexander, Reid, and wide receiver Isaiah Brandt-Sims), and Reid uses that speed to patrol the back level like a centerfielder, as evidenced by his team-leading seven pass breakups. The younger brother of San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, Justin was the starter last season and will provide experience and leadership for this year's group. Simmons doesn't have the extensive playing experience that Reid does, but coaches have always liked him, even going back to his days on the scout team, so big things are expected of him now that he's likely to be elevated to a starter.
Junior Frank Buncom was originally recruited as a cornerback and saw extensive time last year while Meeks and Holder were out, but he's been moved to safety this season and should continue to make an impact in some of Stanford's extra packages where his cover skills will translate nicely. I'm also looking forward to seeing more from junior Ben Edwards, a player who came to Stanford with a reputation as one of the biggest hitters in his recruiting class. He's another member of the Class of 2015 who's played in every game since enrolling, but he should see an expanded role this season. Beyond those players, I'm also curious about sophomores Andrew Pryts and Treyjohn Butler, two highly touted recruits who redshirted last season. Pryts was a late flip from Penn State, and Butler was one of the top high school players in California as a senior.
There's no telling where these players will end up once they leave Stanford, or which one will take the role of Richard Sherman and become an icon to future Stanford recruits, but we only have to wait a few more weeks to see how successful they'll be wearing the Cardinal and White. Without question, this will be the best group of Stanford cornerbacks and safeties ever to take the field, and I can't wait to watch.
