I'm usually one to leave postgame thoughts to the "CSR pros" but seeing as it's 2am and I'm still detoxing from the game, I figure I'd share a few observations.
- I've been following the team closely for the last 20 years or so, and I think last night's game was the best Stanford football game I've ever watched. Obviously the dust hasn't settled on this one yet, but it sure feels even more gritty than Andrew Luck's 3OT victory against USC and even more improbable than Josh Nunes miraculous comeback against Arizona. It's probably not as crazy as the USC upset in 2007 and certainly not as symbolic, but it's up there. Curious if anybody can think of other games that might eclipse this one.
- I can't recall going up against a stronger QB performance than what we saw tonight from Herbert. I knew he could throw, but his arm strength, accuracy, decision making, and decisiveness running the ball were superhuman. At the half I wondered if there were even adjustments we could make because he was beating us in every which way.
- Interesting to see some former players like Shultz and McNally praise Turley after a game like this. We often think of Turley in terms of things like injury prevention, raw strength/speed/etc, but clearly our late game performance/resilience reflects his program as well.
- Watching the ESPN gameday crew dissect the perfect execution of "power" on Oregon's third TD (Verdell, 48 yards) made me a little bit jealous and a little bit upset.
- Frank Buncom took some...curious routes to the ball in the first three quarters.
- Our two-minute drills have been nearly unstoppable all season. I remember with Luck and Hogan we used to mix in periods of hurry-up in the middle of games. It sure feels like Costello's offense would really benefit from that as well.
- Similarly, our jump balls inside the 10 yard line are like a Madden cheat code. Seems like it would be positive expected value to go for 2 every time and throw a jump ball to whoever between JJAW/CP isn't double teamed.
- That's likely the last we'll see of Justin Herbert in green and yellow, who, unless he's using Andrew Luck's consultants, will leave college football 0-2 lifetime against Stanford. Ouch.
- As a linebacker in high school I was taught to fall on balls that have been fumbled; there are too many examples of people trying to be heroes only to shoot themselves in the foot by bobbling the ball or fumbling it downstream. On Joey's scoop and score you could almost see him processing whether to dive on the ball or take it and run. Thank God he ran.
- Most of the QB attention in this game has been rightfully focused on Herbert, but you'll start to see the tide shift more towards Costello, who also had a monster game. It's really great to see Costello's continued growth. In particular he has been doing a much better job of stepping up in the pocket and keeping his eyes up the field when rushers have circled behind him. I was also glad to see him effectively pump fake before his long completion to Irwin late in the third quarter. His ability to throw up the seams in the two minute drill is becoming legendary.
- Costello QBR: 95.3. Herbert QBR: 86.4. No, I don't believe KJ played better than Herbert. But he played damn good. I do think KJ would greatly benefit from being more decisive as a runner. Not sure that can be taught, or even if Shaw lets him run, but the offense would benefit from it.
- KJ's 50 yard completion to OSB to start off the second to last drive of Q4 was one of the most important plays of the game. Two score game and so we needed a TD quick. To be totally honest I was worried Shaw would run the ball. It was a miraculous play - KJ released the ball a split second before getting drilled by a rusher at full speed. The ball may even have been tipped - certainly it didn't come out of his hand cleanly - yet it still traveled about 30 yards in the air. KJ's got heart and he's also got a gun.
- JJAW often gets typecasted as a big man matchup nightmare, but that TD he scored to cap that drive was not a jump ball. The stunt he put on that corner was straight dirty. Yes, kid's got a super human catch radius, but he's got moves too, and speed to burn.
- I can't decide whether Parkinson's game winning touchdown, where he tipped the ball upwards before securing it was crazy athletic or crazy foolish. WRs are taught not to deflect balls upwards for obvious reasons. Maybe it was both.
- With all due respect to Drew Dalman, I have a new unexpected hero: Noah friggin' Williams. We all heard the announcers squint at their roster sheets when he forced the miracle fumble with 51 seconds left. But it was also Williams who, with Oregon at 2nd and Goal in OT (the play where Adebo made the incredible diving pass break-up) ran at Herbert on a perfect safety blitz to force him to throw just a bit earlier than he wanted to.
- Safe to say we've all forgiven Jet Toner for hooking his first FG of the season.
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