We know that the first team offense had a big day Wednesday in the final full
scrimmage of this fall camp, though the closed practice at Stanford Stadium
limits our ability to report details. Trent Edwards had a field day.
Mark Bradford went for a game-high three touchdowns. Anthony Kimble ran
for 100 yards, while Jason Evans shared running duties and powered for a solid day
himself. The offensive gave pass protection and run blocking, in control
throughout the scrimmage.
But the first team offense, for the first time in this preseason, was matched
up against the second team defense. While the closure of Wednesday's
scrimmage may leave us cloaked in uncertainty, there is an equal size question
mark that surrounds proficiency produced against a second string defense.
We drew more meaningful conclusions about the surge for Stanford's offense
from the last live (i.e. full contact) scrimmage held at the end of Tuesday
afternoon's practice, which included the first team offense battling the first
team defense. In both a normal drive situation and in the two-minute
drill, the "O" unlocked some yardage that brought a smile to many a visage.
Here is the transcript of what transpired:
1st team offense vs. 1st team defense
(Trent Edwards at quarterback; Anthony Kimble at tailback)
1st & 10: Kimble four-yard run on an option pitch
2nd & 6: Edwards seven-yard pass to Mark Bradford
1st & 10: Kimble three-yard run
2nd & 7: Nick Frank six-yard run
3rd & 1: Kimble three-yard run
1st & 10: Edwards 22-yard touchdown pass to Bradford
2nd team offense vs. 2nd team defense
(T.C. Ostrander at quarterback; Jason Evans at tailback)
1st & 10: Ostrander four-yard run (scramble after nobody open)
2nd & 6: Evans five-yard run
3rd & 1: Ostrander three-yard run on a quarterback sneak
1st & 10: Evans five-yard run on an option pitch
2nd & 5: Evans eight-yard run
1st & 10: Ostrander nine-yard pass to Marcus McCutcheon
2nd & 1: Evans 11-yard run
1st & Goal: Ostrander five-yard touchdown pass to Justin McCullum -
corner fade
That was a nearly flawless operation for both the offensive units. It
was as encouraging as anything we have seen on that side of the ball in this
camp. Next followed the two-minute drill. Both offenses were given
the ball on their own 40-yard line with just 40 seconds on the clock.
1st team offense vs. 1st team defense
(Edwards at quarterback; Kimble at tailback)
1st & 10 @ own 40: Edwards 26-yard pass to Michael Horgan
1st & 10 @ opp. 34: Edwards 15-yard pass to Evan Moore
1st & 10 @ 19: Edwards nine-yard pass to Marcus McCutcheon
2nd & 1 @ 10: Edwards spike to stop clock
David Marrero in for Anthony Kimble
3rd & 1 @ 10: Marrero five-yard run
1st & Goal @ 5: Edwards pass incomplete (caught by Moore out of
bounds)
2nd & Goal @ 5: With 0:01 left on the clock, Edwards five-yard
touchdown pass to Moore - corner fade.
2nd team offense vs. 2nd team defense
(Ostrander at quarterback; Evans at tailback)
1st & 10 @ own 40: Ostrander pass incomplete - intended for
Gerren Crochet
2nd & 10 @ own 40: Ostrander pass incomplete - intended for Crochet
3rd & 10 @ own 40: Ostrander 11-yard pass complete to Crochet
1st & 10 @ opp. 49: Ostrander 19-yard pass complete to McCullum
1st & 10 @ 30: Ostrander spike to stop clock
2nd & 10 @ 30: With 0:06 left on the clock, Ostrander "hail mary"
into the endzone incomplete
There were some stutters on the second unit offense's two-minute drill, but
the four possessions in toto were an impressive display. The ball
is moving in the air with both accuracy and precision, while the ground game is
starting to chew up yardage. Tuesday's end-of-practice scrimmage follows
on the heels of progress displayed on Saturday in Stanford Stadium in a more
extended scrimmage. After failing to score any touchdowns in last
Wednesday's extended scrimmage, the first team offense tallied two touchdowns
Saturday.
The one player who is making the biggest push forward on the offense is
redshirt sophomore running back Jason Evans. He has had a handful of
flashes to excite us his first two years in practices. He can look smooth
and quick the way he slashes through a defense. But he had not put
together the strength and power to augment his gliding ability. Evans was
not ready for prime time. This last week-plus of camp, he is radically
changing our perception. Both Saturday and Tuesday, he ran low and hard.
He powered through tacklers, carrying them with him or spinning away for bursts
of extra yardage. You expect and need that from a 6'1" running back, and
Evans is starting to deliver.
"Jason Evans played better in the scrimmage than he ever has since I've been
watching. That was impressive," praised head coach Walt Harris prior to
Tuesday's performance. "I think he ran the way Coach [Wayne] Moses wants
him to run, which is with his pads down and relentlessly... He spun off
and he broke tackles. Guys missed. He was running down the field and
ended up with his head toward the goalline. That's how you're supposed to
run, and that's what we are trying to get."
It takes more than one or two rousing performances to enrapture Harris,
however. The head coach and offensive coordinator is looking to see if
Evans can put these outings together, day-in and day-out.
"A guy shows that kind of hard running ability - that shows where his bar is.
Then I expect that bar all of the time," Harris comments. "Being younger,
I don't think he comes out every day with the intent of trying to move the bar
up."
"114th out of 117 last year, or whatever it was last year. We obviously
need someone to step up," Harris says of the running game. "Our line needs
to help them - no question about it. But we need some backs who can run
through some arm tackles, make people miss and finish with their head ahead of
their body at the end of the run."
Walt Harris may be starting to get what he wants from his running backs.
A starting tailback could be named as soon as today, with Wednesday's scrimmage
marking the end of the camp component of the preseason. Game preparation
for the season opener at Navy begins this afternoon, with a firmer depth chart
in place. We expect Kimble to be named the starter in the backfield,
though Evans has made a strong push this past week. He could be a solid
number two. And frankly, nobody is an established performer among
Stanford's running backs such that they would be "the man" carrying the ball in
Annapolis. Harris could easily go two or three deep with his running backs
at Navy. With just nine days until the 2005 season and Walt Harris Era
kicks off, we will know soon enough.
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