2016 Sun Bowl: UNC-Stanford preview with Go Mighty Card

We are just a day away from the 2016 Sun Bowl between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Stanford Cardinal.rnrnThe two teams will wrap up their seasons on Friday, ending a year in which can be considered a disappointment for both.rnrnUNC lost to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game in 2015 and then were destroyed by Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl.rnrnMeanwhile, Stanford finished 2015 with a 12-2 record and losses to Northwestern and Oregon before beating Penn State in the Rose Bowl.rnrnBut this year is different and both teams are looking to end the season on a high note.rnrnWe spoke with Go Mighty Card to discuss the matchup Friday afternoon, giving you a little insight on Stanford from a blog that covers the team. Enjoy!rnrn rn Stanford's disappointing season rn[caption id="attachment_60392" align="aligncenter" width="482"] November 26, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Keller Chryst (10) passes the football against Rice Owls defensive end Brian Womac (44) during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn KIH: Talk about Stanford's season and the hype going into it. What happened this year? rnrn GMC: Expectations were high after that Rose Bowl, but probably unrealistically so. Even though Christian McCaffrey and a large portion of the defense returned, the four-year starting quarterback and three offensive linemen left, and the offense struggled through the first half of the season. rnrn Ryan Burns was the surprise winner of the quarterback competition, but he never really looked comfortable, and a switch was made after seven games. (It could be (and has been) argued that Burns suffered because those first seven games included the four best teams in the conference as well as a road game at Notre Dame, but such is a football life.) rnrn By that point in the season, the offensive line had settled in a bit (there were a handful of changes forced by injury and performance), and the offense was suddenly more productive with new junior quarterback Keller Chryst at the controls. rnrn Chryst was the one most observers and fans had expected to win the job initially, solely based on the hype we’ve been hearing about him since he was playing across the street from Stanford Stadium for Palo Alto High School. He’s brought more consistency to the offense, and he’s also a moderate running threat. rnrn He’s 5-0 as a starter, but he still has something to prove. Overall, I’d say this season is only mildly disappointing. rnrn rn Stanford without Christian McCaffrey rn[caption id="attachment_60393" align="aligncenter" width="381"] September 2, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs with the football past Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Dante Barnett (22) and defensive back Donnie Starks (10) during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn KIH: Losing Christian McCaffrey is HUGE. How does Stanford's game plan change, if any, with McCaffrey out? rnrn GMC: David Shaw answered this question fairly succinctly the other day — “Our offense hasn’t changed in five years.” rnrn Some people have noted that the offense actually looked more versatile when McCaffrey missed the Notre Dame with an injury. Versatile doesn’t necessarily mean better, but McCaffrey was so good that sometimes it didn’t make sense to involve the rest of the offense. rnrn Without him, I’d expect to see the ball spread around a bit more. rnrn He’ll be missed, without question, but this is still a really good offense, even without him. rnrn rn McCaffrey's decision rn[caption id="attachment_60394" align="aligncenter" width="298"] Nov 19, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) on the sideline against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn KIH: Were Stanford fans shocked McCaffrey decided not to play? What is the overall feeling towards the decision?

rn GMC: No one was surprised when he announced he’d be skipping his senior season, but I don’t think anyone — ANYONE — expected him to skip the bowl game.

rn It’s kind of unprecedented, especially at Stanford, and it led to some division in the fan base. Lots of fans felt betrayed and questioned his loyalty.

rn I think as fans we tend to see things with unrealistic idealism. We want the elite prospects to come to our school, but we don’t want them to move on to the NFL until we’re ready to let them go.

rn Some fans have even said that this decision — this one game — tarnishes his legacy. Personally, I’m disappointed that I don’t get to see him play one more game for the Cardinal but I completely understand and support his decision, and I wish only the best of luck in the NFL.

rn

rnrn Bryce Love's season rn[caption id="attachment_60395" align="aligncenter" width="590"] November 5, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love (20) scores a touchdown Oregon State Beavers cornerback Xavier Crawford (22) during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn KIH: Bryce Love was a RB that got away from UNC in recruiting. How has he performed at Stanford and what should we expect from him? rnrn GMC: If Christian McCaffrey hadn’t come to Stanford, we’d all be gushing about Bryce Love — he’s that good. rnrn He’s been used a lot on gimmick plays — sweeps, reverses, screens — plays designed to get him the ball in space. rnrn In 2015 he averaged an insane 7.8 yards per carry and 16.7 yards per reception. The question, just as it was with McCaffrey, has always been whether or not he could run between the tackles. He answered that question quite nicely when he got the start against Notre Dame and carried the ball 23 times for 129 yards and a touchdown. rnrn Any team in America would take a back who averages 5.6 yards per carry at Notre Dame. I think we’ll see a big game from him on Friday, and a huge season from him in 2017. rnrn rn Stopping Mitch Trubisky rn[caption id="attachment_60396" align="aligncenter" width="435"] Nov 5, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) scores a touchdown on his forth quarter run against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 48-20. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn KIH: How will Stanford attempt to slow down UNC's offense and quarterback Mitch Trubisky? rnrn GMC: Stanford’s defense has been great all season, especially the defensive front and the secondary. Solomon Thomas is an absolute force on the defensive line. rnrn He was named the Pac-12’s Morris Trophy winner, an award which is given annually to the top defensive lineman as voted on by the conference’s offensive linemen. rnrn There are reports circulating that he’d be a first-round pick should he choose to bypass his senior season, but he hasn’t yet made an announcement. All of that is to say that he’s really good. The secondary is Stanford’s deepest position, led by sophomore cornerback Quenton Meeks, another future pro. The weakness, however, has been the pass coverage of the linebackers. rnrn If the Tar Heels can manage to isolate some receivers on the Cardinal linebackers, Trubisky will have success. rnrn rn Stanford names to know rn[caption id="attachment_60397" align="aligncenter" width="438"] Sep 30, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Trenton Irwin (2) is pursed by Washington Huskies defensive back Darren Gardenhire (3) during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn KIH: Give me one offensive and one defensive player that is a game-changer for Stanford rnrn GMC: I’ve already written about Thomas, Meeks, and Love, so lets look elsewhere. rnrn On offense, watch for sophomore wide receiver Trenton Irwin. His numbers are modest, but he’s been the Cardinal’s most consistent receiver, and I think he might be one of the primary beneficiaries of what should be a more balanced offensive attack. rnrn Here’s a fun note on Irwin. rnrn He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and when he went to the various all-star camps during the summers he earned the nickname “White Boy Boogie,” because none of the defensive backs could cover him. rnrn On defense, let’s go with senior linebacker Peter Kalambayi. Stanford plays a 3-4 scheme, and Kalambayi is the linebacker most likely to be rushing the quarterback out of that look. rnrn With that in mind, he could be a critical part of the Cardinal’s plan to get after Trubisky. rnrn rn Stanford's offensive game plan and prediction rn[caption id="attachment_60398" align="aligncenter" width="590"] October 24, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love (20, center) runs against Washington Huskies defensive lineman Taniela Tupou (90, left) and defensive back Darren Gardenhire (3, right) during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn KIH: How will Stanford attack UNC's defense? Will they attempt to run early and often? Or air it out?

rn GMC: As mentioned earlier, the offense isn’t going to change. Stanford has been and always will be a run-focused offense.

rn How focused? Five years ago the team set a school record by rushing for 446 yards against Washington, and as David Shaw and Andrew Luck were walking off the field together, the coach apologized to his quarterback for the lack of passing plays.

rn Luck had only passed 21 times in the 65-21 win, but he told his coach that he thought it was the best game he had played because he kept checking into the right run play. This is something that’s ingrained into the culture of Stanford football.

rn McCaffrey’s absence will force carries deeper into the depth chart, so in addition to Bryce Love, we’ll also see a bit more of sophomore Cameron Scarlett, especially in short yardage situations.

rn Once the run is established, watch for play action. It’s a simple formula, but it’s been working for a long time.

rn Prediction: I think Bryce Love will have more than a hundred yards, but it will be the Stanford defense that makes the difference. Stanford 27, North Carolina 17.

Keeping It Heel

2016 Sun Bowl: UNC-Stanford preview with Go Mighty Card

Newsletter

Your North Carolina Tar Heels.
Your Inbox. Every Day.