No college football offseason is complete unless it contains a healthy dose of intrigue and uncertainty, and Stanford football's lead-up to their fall camp has plenty of both to go around. With that in mind, here are the 5 Biggest Questions For Stanford Football Heading Into Fall Camp.
1. How will Kevin Hogan approach the beginning of his college swansong?
Hogan's consistency and efficiency have been trademarks during his three years in Palo Alto, but there's a feeling around the team this spring that he's ready to make the jump from being great to being truly elite. With four massive tight ends to throw to both as primary targets and safety valves, can Hogan post a completion rate comparable to his career-high 71.7% mark in 2012? It's plausible, but the work has to begin early and often in fall camp.
2. Is the wide receiving corps as good as we think?
"Between Devon Cajuste, Michael Rector, Francis Owusu, and a promising young foursome of tight ends, the Cardinal's aerial attack is as versatile as its been since Andrew Luck's departure," ESPN's Dave Lombardi wrote recently. "Touted true freshman Trent Irwin is also expected to immediately contribute, and his presence further deepens Kevin Hogan's arsenal."
Potential is one thing. Tempering it with repeated reps in fall camp is another. The dedication and resolve of this talented group faces its first test in fall practices that can be brutal on the body for skill-position players. If they pass with flying colors, Kevin Hogan's job will be that much easier in 2015.
3. Is Remound Wright ready to lead a power rushing attack?
This will likely come down to how the offensive line protects him, but Wright has shown himself capable of bludgeoning defenses (despite a 2014 weight of just 204 pounds) while giving Stanford the edge of a near-pure power running game. He added seven pounds of muscle this offseason so there's more of him around to make up for a teammate's missed block or two and pick up major yards after contact. If Wright again functions as a mini bowling ball in 2015, the rest of the offense will open up considerably.
4. What's up with the defense?
Injuries ravaged Stanford's defensive line last year, leaving defensive coordinator Lance Anderson to cobble together patchwork units despite the team running a 3-4. In addition to that, the only former defensive starter who practiced with the team this spring is Blake Martinez. In addition, the secondary is young and was reportedly behind the curve. Stanford's going to be young and talented on D , but how the actual depth chart's gonna shake out is anyone's guess.
5. How does David Shaw begin to approach the team's brutal schedule?
Firstly, that season-opening trip to Northwestern is more than just a trap game -- it's a red flag, hands-waving potential disaster against a VERY fast Wildcats squad. Stanford does get Notre Dame at home, but they also land UCF who is arguably the best non-Power Five squad in the nation. Add in a road trip to face the aforementioned Pac-12 South favorite Trojans and this could be a slate full of landmines for the Cardinal. That makes David Shaw's coach-em-up job in fall camp all the more important heading into the season.
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