After practice on Wednesday, Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum was asked what he sees from Stanford running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Christian McCaffrey on film.
“What do I see from Stanford on film?” Pellum asked.
No, when you see McCaffrey on film.
“When I see Stanford on film,” Pellum quipped, “I see an excellent team. McCaffrey is the feature person, but there’s a supporting cast. They’ve got a veteran line that’s really good at what they do. They’ve got big receivers who can create one-on-ones. The other running backs are running the ball well, breaking tackles, and McCaffrey is all over the place.”
While McCaffrey poses a huge threat to Oregon’s run defense, his presence in the Stanford backfield isn’t unique. Past Stanford running backs such as Tyler Gaffney, Stepfan Taylor and Toby Gerhart to name a few, have given the Ducks fits with their big, bruising style of running. The major difference in McCaffrey is his size. The sophomore running back is listed on Stanford’s roster as 6-foot, 201 pounds. His size, or lack thereof, makes him more shifty than the typical Stanford running back.
Still, to Oregon defensive linemen, there’s little difference in facing McCaffrey’s shiftiness instead of the prototypical Stanford power back.
“With the d-line going against their o-line, it’s the same deal,” senior defensive end DeForest Buckner said. “They get low in the run game, try to bully you. We just got to stay low and attack.”
Much of Stanford’s offensive success has been built on the system, not the personnel. Its head-scratching defeat against Northwestern to start the season was a bit of an anomaly.
“At the beginning of the season against Northwestern, they weren’t running their traditional seven linemen on the line, they were running more spread stuff,” Buckner said. “But as the year went on, they went back to their traditional running style.”
Since going back to its power offense, Stanford has returned to its old form. The Cardinal are averaging 228 rushing yards per game, the 15th best mark in the NCAA this season.
Though Stanford’s backfield has some new faces, its quarterback situation is as steady as any in the country. Senior quarterback Kevin Hogan has been the Cardinal starter since 2012, when he led Stanford to an overtime upset against Oregon, ruining its undefeated season and national championship hopes. Hogan is a capable passer, and has enough mobility to keep a defense honest.
“(Hogan)’s seen it all,” Pellum said. “He’s escaping pass rushes, using his legs to extend plays. They’ve done a tremendous job grooming him, and I think this year you’re really seeing the best of Hogan.”
While the Ducks head to Stanford on Saturday as nine-point underdogs, Buckner said the team hasn’t discussed playing “spoiler” to Stanford’s title hopes, a role reversal from the last few seasons. The Ducks know the importance of playing Stanford, no matter where either team currently stands at this point in the season.
“It’s Stanford week,” Buckner said. “Everybody’s focused. We’re just trying to go down there and get a win.”
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner