We'll have more information on the status of Aziz Shittu and Brennan Scarlett on Tuesday, but one way or the other, it's clear Stanford's defensive line is not in a great spot right now.
A few comments on how things got to this point. The short version is that a combination of issues with the 2011 + 2012 classes, deciding not to take DL in 2013 + heavy admissions attrition* in '14 and '15 have taken a toll.
(*Admissions attrition always impacts Stanford's board at all positions - but there have been four rejections - kids who went all the way through the admissions process, which indicates they were in the ballpark - in the last two years, which is a substantial number for one position group.)
Stanford's dominant defensive lines of the last few years have been loaded with upperclassmen.
2012 key contributors: Terrence Stephens (senior), Ben Gardner (redshirt junior), Josh Mauro (redshirt junior), David Parry (redshirt sophomore), Henry Anderson (redshirt sophomore)
2013 key contributors: David Parry (redshirt junior), Henry Anderson (redshirt junior), Josh Mauro (redshirt senior), Ben Gardner (redshirt senior), Blake Lueders (redshirt junior)
2014 key contributors: Anderson (RS Senior), Parry (RS Senior), Lueders (RS Senior), Shittu (junior)
So, in analyzing this year's defensive line, it's particularly instructive to consider Stanford's 2011 and 2012 defensive line recruiting classes.
2011
Signed Anthony Hayes, JB Salem and Lance Callihan. Also Charlie Hopkins, who ended up moving to TE, and Kevin Anderson, who fit as an OLB in Stanford's scheme.
Brennan Scarlett was admitted but chose Cal. Lake Koa Kai was admitted but chose Oregon, though he might have profiled as more of an OLB.
Todd Peat, Jr. liked Stanford but didn't end up having the academics. Stanford was in the top three or so for Michael Bennett, who ended up at Ohio State, but he opted to stay closer to home.
2012
Signed Aziz Shittu, Luke Kaumatule, Jordan Watkins, Nate Lohn and Ikenna Nwafor.
On paper, a terrific class. But Lohn and Watkins have not lived up to the hype and Kaumatule started off his career at tight end and has never settled into + been productive at a position. And after showing signs early in his career, Ikenna Nwafor was forced to take a medical retirement.
Aziz has not had the career that his five-star ranking may have suggested, but he has developed into a very capable player. You just hope the injury isn't too serious.
2013
After signing strong numbers at the position in the prior recruiting classes, Stanford decided not to sign a defensive lineman in 2013 - they focused on other positions in what was a very small class.
2014
Signed Harrison Phillips and Solomon Thomas and appear to have hit on both. Nifae Lealao committed but was denied by admissions. Stanford offered Andrew Trumbetti (who signed with ND) relatively early in the cycle but he never showed all that much interest in heading to the West Coast. They didn't seem to get anywhere with Dontavious Russell or Andrew Brown. Stanford evaluated a few more DL at camp as well, but Phillips was the only camp DL offer.
2015
Signed Dylan Jackson and Wesley Annan. Ross Donelly, Anree Saint-Amour and Zach Abecrumbia very likely would have ended up at Stanford but things didn't work out with admissions. Donelly is the really painful one here - he's playing as a true freshman at Ole Miss and was probably more college ready than Annan is. Was a bit of a surprise that one didn't work out, but such are the challenges for Stanford football. (Stanford also got visits from Jonathan Ledbetter and Rasheem Green, but those were always going to be extremely challenging recruitments.)
Canton Kaumatule loved Stanford but the academics weren't there. Rex Manu was committed for a while but some combination of fit/perhaps not wanting to do the academic work pushed him elsewhere. Breiden Fehoko was pretty excited about the Cardinal offer at one point, but he wanted to enroll early and has a bunch of family ties to Texas Tech.
So I think the conclusion here is that a)injuries have hit Stanford's DL harder than any other position (both with Nwafor and the current players who are out), b)for whatever reason, Stanford's 2011 + 2012 DL classes didn't pan out all that well and c)admissions has taken a bit of a toll.
The good news is that Thomas and Phillips do look like they're the real deal and 2016 recruiting is going well. I haven't heard much recently on Jackson or Annan either way - at some point I'll try to get an update on the two of them. But for the time being, Stanford's DL is certainly not in an optimal place, and I don't think it's due to any single factor.
A few comments on how things got to this point. The short version is that a combination of issues with the 2011 + 2012 classes, deciding not to take DL in 2013 + heavy admissions attrition* in '14 and '15 have taken a toll.
(*Admissions attrition always impacts Stanford's board at all positions - but there have been four rejections - kids who went all the way through the admissions process, which indicates they were in the ballpark - in the last two years, which is a substantial number for one position group.)
Stanford's dominant defensive lines of the last few years have been loaded with upperclassmen.
2012 key contributors: Terrence Stephens (senior), Ben Gardner (redshirt junior), Josh Mauro (redshirt junior), David Parry (redshirt sophomore), Henry Anderson (redshirt sophomore)
2013 key contributors: David Parry (redshirt junior), Henry Anderson (redshirt junior), Josh Mauro (redshirt senior), Ben Gardner (redshirt senior), Blake Lueders (redshirt junior)
2014 key contributors: Anderson (RS Senior), Parry (RS Senior), Lueders (RS Senior), Shittu (junior)
So, in analyzing this year's defensive line, it's particularly instructive to consider Stanford's 2011 and 2012 defensive line recruiting classes.
2011
Signed Anthony Hayes, JB Salem and Lance Callihan. Also Charlie Hopkins, who ended up moving to TE, and Kevin Anderson, who fit as an OLB in Stanford's scheme.
Brennan Scarlett was admitted but chose Cal. Lake Koa Kai was admitted but chose Oregon, though he might have profiled as more of an OLB.
Todd Peat, Jr. liked Stanford but didn't end up having the academics. Stanford was in the top three or so for Michael Bennett, who ended up at Ohio State, but he opted to stay closer to home.
2012
Signed Aziz Shittu, Luke Kaumatule, Jordan Watkins, Nate Lohn and Ikenna Nwafor.
On paper, a terrific class. But Lohn and Watkins have not lived up to the hype and Kaumatule started off his career at tight end and has never settled into + been productive at a position. And after showing signs early in his career, Ikenna Nwafor was forced to take a medical retirement.
Aziz has not had the career that his five-star ranking may have suggested, but he has developed into a very capable player. You just hope the injury isn't too serious.
2013
After signing strong numbers at the position in the prior recruiting classes, Stanford decided not to sign a defensive lineman in 2013 - they focused on other positions in what was a very small class.
2014
Signed Harrison Phillips and Solomon Thomas and appear to have hit on both. Nifae Lealao committed but was denied by admissions. Stanford offered Andrew Trumbetti (who signed with ND) relatively early in the cycle but he never showed all that much interest in heading to the West Coast. They didn't seem to get anywhere with Dontavious Russell or Andrew Brown. Stanford evaluated a few more DL at camp as well, but Phillips was the only camp DL offer.
2015
Signed Dylan Jackson and Wesley Annan. Ross Donelly, Anree Saint-Amour and Zach Abecrumbia very likely would have ended up at Stanford but things didn't work out with admissions. Donelly is the really painful one here - he's playing as a true freshman at Ole Miss and was probably more college ready than Annan is. Was a bit of a surprise that one didn't work out, but such are the challenges for Stanford football. (Stanford also got visits from Jonathan Ledbetter and Rasheem Green, but those were always going to be extremely challenging recruitments.)
Canton Kaumatule loved Stanford but the academics weren't there. Rex Manu was committed for a while but some combination of fit/perhaps not wanting to do the academic work pushed him elsewhere. Breiden Fehoko was pretty excited about the Cardinal offer at one point, but he wanted to enroll early and has a bunch of family ties to Texas Tech.
So I think the conclusion here is that a)injuries have hit Stanford's DL harder than any other position (both with Nwafor and the current players who are out), b)for whatever reason, Stanford's 2011 + 2012 DL classes didn't pan out all that well and c)admissions has taken a bit of a toll.
The good news is that Thomas and Phillips do look like they're the real deal and 2016 recruiting is going well. I haven't heard much recently on Jackson or Annan either way - at some point I'll try to get an update on the two of them. But for the time being, Stanford's DL is certainly not in an optimal place, and I don't think it's due to any single factor.
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