Rain (most likely) or shine I'll be at Stanford's open practice that starts at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.With the understanding that there are no big answers from these peeks behind the Cardinal curtain, there are still some things to keep an eye on.
I'm not sure if Dalton Schultz will be full go in the scrimmage. But if he is then we may get to see some of the three tight-end sets that Kaden Smith spoke positively about yesterday. It's also worth keeping an eye on Smith's blocking. He didn't fare so well in that part of his game in the last open practice. But Stanford doesn't have pushover pass rushers and Smith is still developing.
I don't expect any proclamation-worthy developments this spring with the linebackers. But do we begin to see if the staff likes who is at outside enough to keep Joey Alfieri inside? And is Alfieri progressing well enough inside that having him there is the way to get the best four linebackers on the field? News related to those questions may have less to do with what we see Saturday and more what answers Lance Anderson gives after practice.
Do we get to see Casey Tucker at guard? He was held out of the last open practice but Mike Bloomgren said before then that Tucker was getting time at guard in what he described as an open competition at the guard spot opposite Nate Herbig. Spring may not really be a time for jobs to be definitively won or lost, but if Tucker can find a home at guard it changes how the line competition is viewed for the fall.
I'm not sure if Dalton Schultz will be full go in the scrimmage. But if he is then we may get to see some of the three tight-end sets that Kaden Smith spoke positively about yesterday. It's also worth keeping an eye on Smith's blocking. He didn't fare so well in that part of his game in the last open practice. But Stanford doesn't have pushover pass rushers and Smith is still developing.
I don't expect any proclamation-worthy developments this spring with the linebackers. But do we begin to see if the staff likes who is at outside enough to keep Joey Alfieri inside? And is Alfieri progressing well enough inside that having him there is the way to get the best four linebackers on the field? News related to those questions may have less to do with what we see Saturday and more what answers Lance Anderson gives after practice.
Do we get to see Casey Tucker at guard? He was held out of the last open practice but Mike Bloomgren said before then that Tucker was getting time at guard in what he described as an open competition at the guard spot opposite Nate Herbig. Spring may not really be a time for jobs to be definitively won or lost, but if Tucker can find a home at guard it changes how the line competition is viewed for the fall.
