Stanford football coach Jim Harbaugh explained a rudimentary football lesson to his team before this season began.
“If you’re going to be a good football team you better be able to tackle and you better be able to block,” he said.
And with that simple, smashmouth philosophy, the Cardinal has taken a huge step forward in the first half of this season.
One year after finishing 4-8 ““ and opening with a 45-17 loss to UCLA ““ Stanford has won four of its first seven games, including a huge win last weekend against then-first-place Arizona.
A win Saturday against UCLA would push the Cardinal’s Pac-10 record to 4-1.
Stanford has found such success with a very basic brand of football; the team isn’t worried about outthinking its opponents anymore, Harbaugh said.
“This is just a team that is trying to move the ball by whatever means we can,” Harbaugh said.
Running back Toby Gerhart has led the offense in rushing so far this year.
Gerhart, a junior from Norco, CA, is a big, bruising back who averages 5.7 yards per carry and has already tallied seven touchdowns.
Gerhart splits carries with Anthony Kimble, a speedier back, and Kimble has also put up impressive numbers so far this season, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
As quarterback, the team expects the return of starter Tavita Pritchard. Pritchard suffered a concussion in the win against Arizona last week, but Harbaugh said he is likely to play Saturday.
“It was a mild one and he is going through his concussion protocol and is doing very well,” Harbaugh said earlier this week.
Pritchard has played well too. He has a current quarterback rating of 118.9.
But the real foundation of the offense is its front line, Harbaugh said.
“The offensive lineman are playing very physical, and they’re playing very well together,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a group that trusts each other and believes in each other. They have a blue-collar mentality. It’s great when your leadership is coming from your line.”
Harbaugh called center Alex Fletcher, a 6-foot-3-inch senior, the best captain he’s ever been around as a coach.
Harbaugh also hailed Chris Marinelli as a standout lineman. A 6-foot-7-inch senior tackle, Marinelli has started for Stanford since the second half of his sophomore season.
“Marinelli embodies that blue-collar mentality,” Harbaugh said. “He’s just a competitor and a fighter and a talented guy.”
As far as the defense goes, middle linebacker Pat Maynor leads the unit with 54 tackles and has also recorded 4 sacks. But the defense has struggled as a whole, allowing 27 points per game.
Harbaugh also said that his team needs to work on limiting turnovers.
But if Stanford can improve in those two areas and follow its offensive line to victory Saturday, it will find itself in a very unfamiliar position entering the final month of the season, fighting for a conference title.
INJURY REPORT: Offensive lineman Chase Beeler is listed as probable for the UCLA game after missing last week because of an ankle injury.
Safety Austin Yancy is questionable. Yancy started all 12 games last year for the Cardinal. He is still healing after a hamstring injury. Redshirt freshman Sean Wiser will start if Yancy cannot play.