LB David Bergeron

2003 Statistics

Coach: Buddy Teevens
6-16, 2 years
2003 Record: 4-7
SAN JOSE STATE WON 31-10
at Brigham Young WON 18-14
at Washington LOST 17-28
at Southern Cal LOST 21-44
WASHINGTON STATE LOST 14-24
at Oregon LOST 0-35
UCLA WON 21-14
ARIZONA STATE WON 38-27
at Oregon State LOST 3-43
CALIFORNIA LOST 16-28
NOTRE DAME LOST 7-57


2003 Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR

2004 Outlook

After the good days with Ty Willingham, the Stanford football program has suffered through a couple of disappointing campaigns. Now's the time where we will really see what Buddy Teevens is capable of doing at "The Farm". He doubled the previous year's win total in '03, and if the same happens this year, we'll see an eight-win season from the Cardinal. He's a player's coach, a guy who can really relate to his men and who gets the maximum effort when they play for him. With all of these intangibles stated, it's time to get down to business now.

Stanford had the chance to play much of their young talent in 2003 (six freshman and nine sophomores saw prime action), so the excuse of inexperience and youth no longer applies. To win this year, he needs to make sure this young team believes they can compete (and keep up) with any team in the country- just as Pete Carroll did at USC (not that we're making a direct comparison, but maybe we are, huh).

The offense with Edwards will be in full throttle, especially if the spring injuries at receiver fully heal. He'll finish the season as a (statistical) leader, making this pass offense one of the best in the Pac 10. Whether they finish as the one of the top overall offenses will depend on the run game. Overall offensive improvements will be shown through combining enhanced vision from the backs and straight-ahead blocking from the line.

The defense will improve, with their quickness being their best ally. Christoff will have his troops ready for battle and will keep this team battling through 60-minutes each week. The Cardinal was nearly doubled up in points (324-186, combined point totals), with the bulk of that disparity coming in the first (86-40), third (63-33), and fourth (82-43) quarters.

A four-game home stand to open the season will be the only "break" they get (some break, with USC third in that sequence). We say they have the 28th toughest schedule, and we also think the average Pac-10 team they confront is (presently) ranked 37th, so this Stanford team hovering around the mid-sixties has their work cut out for them. They will surprise quite a few, winning some most will not see coming.

They fall under the category of those "one-year-away" teams. But does Buddy have that much time? There's simply too much talent elsewhere in the Pac-10. All the teams they could beat they play on the road, where Stanford is 1-10 under Teevens. Your buddy, his buddy, my buddy - no-Buddy, unless he beats a big one and finishes out of the conference cellar! Too much pride and tradition here says otherwise.


Projected 2004 record: 3-8
LB Jared Newberry
STANFORD
*POWER RATINGS
Offense
Defense
QB - 2 DL - 2.5
RB - 2 LB - 3
WR - 2.5 DB - 2.5
OL - 1.5 ..
RETURNING LEADERS

Passing: Trent Edwards, 170-77-9, 750 yds., 4 TD

Rushing: Kenneth Tolon, 150 att., 522 yds., 2 TD

Receiving: Mark Bradford, 37 rec., 587 yds., 3 TD

Scoring: Michael Sgroi, 7-13 FG, 21-22 PAT, 42 pts.

Punting: none

Kicking: Michael Sgroi, 7-13 FG, 21-22 PAT, 42 pts.

Tackles: Oshiomogho Atogwe, 90 tot., 54 solo

Sacks: Babatunde Oshinowo, 4 sacks

Interceptions: Trevor Hooper, 3 for 66 yds.

Kickoff returns: Kenneth Tolon, 9 ret., 20.8 avg, 0 TD

Punt returns: none

 

STANFORD
OFFENSE - 5
----RETURNING STARTERS----
DEFENSE - 9
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Drew Caylor-C, Kirk Chambers-OT, Chris Lewis-QB, Brett Pierce-TE, Luke Powell-WR, Mike Sullivan-OT
DEFENSE: Louis Hobson-DE, Eric Johnson-P, Amon Gordon-DT (NFL)
2004 OFFENSE

Quarterback
Alas, Trent Edwards, it's your turn to shine. Coming to Stanford as the top QB recruit of his class, Edwards brought some lofty aims to the Cardinal. And, after a prominent spring performance, the hype will finally turn to harvest, making this the year he breaks out. He was only good on 48% of his pass tries, and Edwards' longest completion was for 36 yards. After a rough four-game stretch (that included tilts versus two of the Pac-10's best defenses), he's (so far) making better decisions, grasping the offense, limiting his mistakes, and providing leadership. The numbers will improve and he'll enjoy an all-Pac 10 nomination.

Running Back
Kenneth Tolon II and J.R. Lemon were used interchangeably, and with Teevens' one-back sets, we expect much of the same. Teevens is looking for "the complete back", but we see no headway between the two. Tolon is the slasher, while Lemon is the bigger, more direct runner. Then, there is David Marrero, who reminds us of a Darin Nelson-type. The role of these backs is to catch and block, more so than to provide a traditional runner. However, in order to maximize the passing game's effectiveness, the rush offense has to improve enough, so as to make defenses not know what kind of play to expect - only five teams (in the country) finished with a worse run-game than Stanford!

Receiver
The Cardinal receiving corps has a bright future in sophomore Mark Bradford. Bradford came onto the scene and delivered a 37-catch campaign, establishing himself as a legit long-ball threat (15.9 YPC). He's a stellar athlete (backup point guard for the basketball team) and is joined by two other superior Stanford athletes - Gerren Crochet (track) and Evan Moore (basketball) - out on the flanks. Watch out for Moore, who, at 6'7", 235 lbs., will be one of most physically imposing receivers in the Pac-10. Marcus McCutcheon (Pac-10 followers should recognize the name) will also give this regiment some needed speed in Teevens' "Fun n' Gun" scheme.

Tight End and Offensive Line
Every year, the Pac-10 has a standout at TE, and this year, it's Alex Smith. He stands 6'5" and is blessed with great hands. Defenses beware! He is a prime target in Teevens' system.

The restored finesse in the aerial game indirectly will speak volumes as to the improvement in pass protection on the line. Collectively this is a young group, but two starters, Edwards and Simpson, saw extensive action as freshman and another, Cochran, painted the field a considerable amount as well. The improvement in pass blocking (33 sacks forfeited in '03) will be a start, but they have to also do something about the miserable run "blocking" from a year ago, where the Cardinal averaged only 2.5 YPC!!! The cupboard, though, is getting loaded with young talent - Stanford has no senior (scholarship) offensive linemen on their roster! Look for this area's level of quality to be reflected through the numbers on the ground. If the enemy thinks pass without considering the Cardinal run, the line will again be Swiss cheese on a hot day.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
In 2003, Stanford was like the slow kid in dodgeball - they could only hope the stronger, more athletic guys wouldn't pay attention to them, and they prayed to stay out of harm's way. But now, they've cut the fat and are ready to throw- literally. The offense responded well to challenges posed by the coaching staff this spring. While they put up some of the ugliest numbers, this is essentially/luckily a new team. They'll bring one of the better pass offenses in the conference and put up some hefty point totals. A more established identity on offense will not be enough to overcome the lack of ground production. The pass game alone is not enough to carry this team to wins in many conference games, let alone against BYU and SJSU.

 

TE Alex Smith

 

STANFORD 2004 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
OFFENSE
QB Trent Edwards-So (6-4, 210) T.C. Ostrander-Fr (6-3, 210)
Kyle Matter-Jr (6-2, 195)
FB Kris Bonifas-Jr (6-1, 235) Emeka Nnoli-Fr (6-1, 230)
RB Kenneth Tolon-Sr (6-1, 210) J.R. Lemon-Jr (6-1, 225)
WR Gerren Crochet-Jr (6-0, 170) Justin McCullum-Jr (6-4, 220)
WR Mark Bradford-So (6-2, 190) Evan Moore-So (6-7, 235)
Greg Camarillo-Sr (6-2, 195)
TE Alex Smith-Sr (6-5, 255) Pat Danahy-So (6-5, 240)
TE Matt Traverso-Jr (6-5, 255) Michael Horgan-Fr (6-6, 240)
OT Jon Cochran-So (6-6, 315) Amir Malayery-Fr (6-4, 275)
OG Ismail Simpson-So (6-4, 290) Preston Clover-Fr (6-4, 275)
C Brian Head-Jr (6-4, 295) Mikal Brewer-Fr (6-3, 290)
OG Josiah Vinson-So (6-4, 310) David Beall-So (6-5, 300)
OT Jeff Edwards-So (6-7, 290) Tim Mattran-So (6-5, 295)
K Michael Sgroi-Jr (5-11, 200) ..

 

2004 DEFENSE

Defensive Line
Half of the line leaves, but this is an area where the Cardinal is particularly deep. Babatunde Oshinowo (jr) accounted for eight TFLs and a team high in sacks from his NT setting. Jon Alston will do the same job but change titles from OLB to rush end, accentuating his athleticism and giving the pass rush permanently-added quickness. This platoon helped the defense finish 41st nationally against the run, but will step up the pass rush to aid their marginally defective secondary.

Linebacker
The defense sacked opposing QBs 22 times in '03, and ten of those came from the LBs. More of the same will be expected from a deeper, more talented brigade. The lone loss might be Michael Craven, who's enrolled at a local CC and is unlikely to return (he is certainly talent they could use). OLB Jared Newberry and MLB David Bergeron were solid in the middle, especially in disrupting QBs. Coaches are looking to this group to be the strength of the defense. Depth here helps too.

Defensive Back
What's the difference between the Stanford pass defense and an open field? The open field is less likely to get burned. No team was worse at protecting the air than the Cardinal (ranked 117th in yielding 296 passing yards per game). Ugh! Well, the mixed blessing here is that all five starters are back to have another go at it. They tackle well, but it was their cover skills that were lacking. Atogwe is an all-star. He led the team in tackles and Hooper can fly from his SS position. The most scrutinized area will be the corners, where three players are vying for two spots. If mistakes pave the way to perfection, then this group will be close to the top of their game.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Stop the pass- that's it, STOP THE (*%#@! BLEEPIN') PASS!! There's no problem tackling, nor is there any real concern in stopping the run. But if you give up 300 yards a game through the air, your defense will ultimately be doomed. We believe the coverage will get better (well duh, it has to get better, or the recruiters have to go, eh) because of the man running the show- AJ Christoff. He's architected stout pass defenders at Colorado, Oregon, and UCLA (among others), so he knows how to stop these Pac-10 aerial assaults. We expect vast improvements in this area.

 

FS Oshiomogho Atogwe

 

STANFORD 2004 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
DEFENSE
DE Will Svitek-Sr (6-7, 280) Taualai Fonoti-So (6-2, 250)
DT Casey Carroll-Jr (6-2, 280) Scott Scharff-Sr (6-5, 275)
NT Babatunde Oshinowo-Jr (6-2, 320) Nick Frank-So (6-2, 270)
DE Jon Alston-Jr (6-1, 215) Julian Jenkins-Jr (6-4, 250)
Michael Lovelady-Jr (6-5, 250)
OLB Jared Newberry-Sr (6-2, 235) Michael Okwo-So (6-0, 215)
ILB David Bergeron-Sr (6-4, 245) Landon Johnson-Fr (6-1, 225)
ILB Kevin Schimmelmann-Jr (6-3, 215) Mike Silva-So (6-3, 225)
CB Stanley Wilson-Sr (6-0, 189) T.J. Rushing-Jr (5-11, 175)
CB Leigh Torrence-Sr (6-0, 183) Nick Sanchez-Fr (6-0, 180)
SS Trevor Hooper-So (6-1, 205) Bryan Bentrott-So (6-1, 180)
FS Oshiomogho Atogwe-Sr (6-0, 205) Calvin Armstrong-Jr (6-1, 195)
P Jay Ottovegio-Fr (6-0, 190) Derrick Belch-Fr (6-0, 185)

 

 

2004 SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker
Mike Sgroi was nothing spectacular last season. He hit on 7-of-13 FGAs, but nothing beyond 38 yards. RSF Derrick Belch has a stronger, more consistent leg and is pushing him for the job. This bodes well for them.

Punter
RSF Jay Ottovegio came to Stanford as one of the nation's premier all-around kickers, boasting a very strong leg. He will be used on punts and kick-offs and may end up with the placement chores, too, if those don't improve.

Return Game
It's anyone's guess here, as they look to replace all-American Luke Powell. T.J. Rushing looks to be the guy on kicks, while the speed of track star Crochet will help on punt returns.