Steady Stanford Spots Oregon 17 Points, Then Ducks Them Over

Beyond question, no Power Five team does that keep playing thing better than the Stanford Cardinal.

Coach David Shaw has built a template designed to knock the snot outta the opposition for three quarters and than ram an attack into a resultant soft spot in the fourth.

That's nothing new, really. Shaw's twist is simply that's the plan and in virtually every situation, he's sticking with it.

 

Some would argue Shaw's approach is just a variation on a theme.

• Both Army and Navy don't deviate from their system because ... well ... they can't.
• Alabama doesn't, either, because ... well ... they don't need to.

 

Stanford's situation is different, though:

• Unlike the service academies, they need more and deeper talent to be competitive in their conference.
• Unlike Alabama and damn near every other FBS program, their university doesn't have loopholes in its stringent admissions policy.

 

However it's viewed, Shaw's system of discipline, physicality, and most of all, patience works.

Oregon just found this out again, to the tune of a 38-31 overtime stunner that saw them blow a 17-point lead. Stanford just kept playing and did their bit to help the hyperspeed Quack Attack self-destruct:

 

On the game-changing play -- the high snap that turned a possible 31-7 Duck lead into a 24-14 score -- ya think the Cardinal's pound-down, here-we-come barrage might've affected it?

 

The Pac-12's image is that of a finesse, pass-oriented conference. Washington and USC have their moments at power-first, and Herman Edwards' run-run-run strategy to shorten Arizona State's game against the Huskies shows potential.

But Stanford's the bellwether. Under Shaw, they're in the race every season ...

 

... and dudes win their share, no matter what the odds against them.

Just ask Oregon.