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| | Sunday, September 3 No surprise factor for Cardinal | |||||
| By Ed Graney Special to ESPN.com Season notes: 1999 record: 8-4, 7-1. Coach: Tyrone Willingham. Starters returning:12 (7 offense, 5 defense). Outlook: Predictions of doom seem to ignite this team's fire, proven by last year's improbable Rose Bowl appearance in a season that included the blowout loss to Texas and a second consecutive defeat to San Jose State. Now, being picked to finish seventh or eighth in league, the Cardinal again thinks it can prove skeptics wrong. Randy Fasani is the key, taking over at quarterback now that Joe Borchard has chosen pro baseball as his immediate future. Awaiting his turn is redshirt freshman Chris Lewis, one of the nation's top quarterback recruits two years ago. Stanford can't replace All-American wideout Troy Walters, but it does feature senior DeRonnie Pitts, the league's top returning receiver. Kerry Carter is a powerful running back who gained valuable experience as a true freshman. Kwame Harris (6-7, 320), considered the Pac-10's top recruit, could start at offensive tackle as a true freshman. Willie Howard (6-4, 290) is the league's best defensive lineman, but the senior needs help from an inexperienced secondary. Last season, opponents completed 54 percent of their pass attempts, averaging 15 yards per completion. Keep an eye on: Fasani. Texas comes to Palo Alto this time, and it's Stanford's third game of the season instead of its opener. Fasani needs to settle into his position the first two weeks against Washington State and San Jose State, establishing himself as a leader before the Longhorns visit. His size (6-4, 235) and athleticism mean nothing if he doesn't make correct decisions. It's a good season if: The Cardinal makes its fourth bowl under Willingham. This team is a bigger mystery than the high television ratings of "Big Brother." The schedule says five wins might be asking too much, but didn't we hear a similar song last year? Nothing should surprise you about Stanford. Ed Graney covers college football for the San Diego Union Tribune. |
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