ASU Football: Q & A with Stanford Analyst

Devils in Detail recently exchanged a Q and A with Cardinals Analyst Hank Waddles.  Hank answered four question posed by Devils in Detail editor Mike Slifer.

1)  Devils in Detail:    Do you feel that the mystery surrounding who will start at QB for ASU changes anything for Stanford’s preparation?

A:   The Stanford defense has faced a variety of different quarterbacks, ranging from Washington State’s Connor Halliday to Notre Dame’s Everett Golson. They’re definitely familiar with Taylor Kelly’s game, having faced him twice in 2013, but they see Mike Bercovici instead, they should still be prepared. They’ve got experience with quarterbacks who want to throw the ball fifty or sixty times a game. One thing to watch for, though, will be how the Stanford defense adjusts during the game. It isn’t unusual for teams to have early success against Stanford before the defense figures things out and clamps down. If the Sun Devils truly are going to play both quarterbacks, that could give them a bit of an advantage as the Cardinal will have to deal with two different styles of play.’

2)  Devils in Detail:  Do you think Stanford has any kind of mental edge over ASU after beating them twice last season?

A:  I wouldn’t think that much has been mentioned about last year. Like most coaches, Stanford’s David Shaw does everything he can to avoid emotional let downs, and I expect that will be the team’s focus.

3)  Devils in Detail:    The Stanford offense doesn’t appear to quite have found their rhythm yet.  Any comments on that and how it may play out versus ASU’s young, struggling defense?

A:  The Stanford offense has DEFINITELY not found its rhythm yet, but there were signs last week against Washington State that things might finally be heading in the right direction. (Of course, the WSU defense has never scared anyone.) Kevin Hogan has been a bit inconsistent throughout the season, but I think his ills could be cured if the coaching staff were to focus on his strengths by moving him out of the pocket and even calling some designed runs. The wide receiving corps will be a bit thin this week with starter Devon Cajuste sitting out after suffering what appeared to be a concussion last week, but Ty Montgomery remains one of the more powerful wide receivers in the nation. He had his most active game last week, so hopefully we’ll see a continuation of that on Saturday. Watch for him to get the ball in numerous ways — downfield, screen plays, reverses, and maybe even straight handoffs out of the backfield. As for the running backs, it seems like maybe the coaches have settled on Remound Wright, who’s more of the typical bruising Stanford back, and Barry J. Sanders, who is what you’d imagine. Finally, watch for true freshman Christian McCaffrey, son of former Stanford and Denver Bronco star Ed. McCaffrey is probably the most electric player on the Stanford roster, and he’s been getting three or four touches a game, which is good to see. All in all, I expect a big game from the offense.

4)  Devils in Detail:  Can you guess how the Stanford defense will deal with covering WR Jaelon Strong? (different defenders playing man to man, press, hi/lo, bracket) 

A:   It would be nice if Coach Shaw could convince Richard Sherman to come back for the game, but since that likely won’t happen, I’d bet that Strong will see a variety of coverages. The main priority will be to limit his yards after catch, and the Stanford defense has been great at doing that in recent years. As for defending him, I’d guess he’ll see different looks all game long. Alex Carter will probably have him in man coverage some, but there will also be a fair amount of zone. The defensive backfield is probably the area that’s shown the biggest improvement over the past few years. Stanford finally has the athletes capable of lining up against elite receivers, so this will be a great test. It’s a matchup that I’m really looking forward to watching.

Stand by for Devils in Details answers to Stanford’s Hank Waddles questions