photo from gostanford.com: The Stanford Cardinal Tyrell Terry (3) goes for the throw down in the Cardinal victory over WNC Wilmington at Maple Pavilion on Sunday afternoon
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Stanford returned to the win column in men’s basketball on Sunday, as the Cardinal defeated UNC-Wilmington 72-54 in non-conference play at Maples Pavilion.
The Cardinal are off to their best start since 2011, when they won 10 of their first 11 contests.
Oscar da Silva netted a career-high 26 points, as the Cardinal bounced back from their only loss of the season. Da Silva was 11 of 14 from the field and grabbed five rebounds despite missing a few minutes early in the second half after taking an errant elbow to the head.
Spencer Jones scored 17 points, including a career-high five f3-pointers for the Cardinal (8-1). Freshman Tyrell Terry was in early foul trouble, but still scored nine points while collecting four rebounds and five assists.
Marten Linssen and Jaylen Sims scored 12 points each to lead the Seahawks, who have not defeated a Pac-12 team since 2006.
Stanford never trailed in the game, leading by as many as 25. It was UNC-Wilmington’s fifth game in 10 days, and, after falling behind 12-0, the Seahawks never caught up. The Cardinal held a 33-30 rebounding edge.
The Cardinal led by 19 in the first half behind the inside-outside games of da Silva and Jones. Jones sank four of his 3-pointers in the first half, as Stanford built a 38-19 lead.
The two head coaches — Jerod Haase of Stanford and C.B. McGrath of Wilmington — were teammates for two years while playing at Kansas, and coached together for 14 seasons at North Carolina.
Stanford has nearly two weeks off before its next game on Dec. 14 at San Jose State.
STANFORD — On a cold, windy, rainy day, the Stanford Cardinal met the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the final game of the 2019 season.
The 15-ranked Irish fell behind early in the game 17-7. The Cardinal dominated in all phases of the game for the first 26 minutes of the game. They led in time of possession. They led in yards passing and yards rushing. It appeared that Stanford quarterback Davis Mills would lead his squad to an upset. Everything changed late in the first half when the Irish blocked a Ryan Sanborn punt. Notre Dame scored, and from that point on until late in the fourth quarter, the dominated the Cardinal. They scored 31 unanswered points to lead 38-17. The Cardinal scored with just 1:54 left in the game. With 41 seconds left to play, the Irish stripped Davis Mills of the ball in the end zone. The Irish recovered for the score to win 45-24.
The Cardinal dominated play until late in the first half. Stanford scored a touchdown on their first drive of the game. They went on a 75-yard drive in 3 minutes and 34 seconds to go-ahead 7-0. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish responded with a touchdown of their own. The Irish went 80 yards in five plays to tie the game 7-7. The essential play was a 16-yard pass from Ian Book to Micah Jones for the score.
Stanford went on a long 82-yard drive that consumed 8 minutes and 15 seconds, and all they could come up with was a field goal. They had first, and goal from the two-yard line but could not get the ball across the goal line. Ryan Sanborn made the field goal, and the Cardinal led 17-7. Things were looking good for Stanford until late in the first half. The Irish defense forced the Cardinal to kick, and Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey blocked Sanborn’s put. The ball was recovered on the one-yard line. The ball was moved back to the sixth when the Irish were called for a false start. Quarterback Ian Book connected with tight end Tommy Tremble for the score. The Irish now trailed by three 17-14 with 3:01 left to play in the half.
The momentum had shifted to Notre Dame. The Irish forced Stanford to punt again. They got the ball on their own 24-yard line. Notre Dame went 76-yards in just 21 seconds to score their third touchdown of the game and now led the Cardinal 21-17. The key play was a 41-yard throw from Book to Chase Claypool for the score.
In the second half, the Irish dominated. With the ball on the 7-yard line, they went on a 93-yard drive to up the lead to 28-17. The essential play was a 43-yard pass play from Book to Braden Lenzy. The score came on an 8-yard pass from Book to Claypoole for the score. That was the only score in the third quarter. Just before the quarter ended, Stanford forced the Irish to punt from deep in their territory. Michael Wilson fumbled the catch, and Notre Dame recovered. They cashed in to start the fourth quarter with a 42-yard field goal to go ahead 31-17.
The Irish continued to pour it on. The Irish put another 7 points on the board with a 10-play 72-yard drive to lead 38-17. The Cardinal finally scored when Cameron Scarlett scored on a 9-yard run with 1:54 left in the game. The Irish added another touchdown when they stripped Davis Mills of the ball in the end zone and recovered the fumble for the score. The Irish won 45-24.
Game Notes: With the loss, Stanford drops to 4-8 for the year. It was the first losing season for head coach David Shaw. Notre Dame improved to 10-2.
Total yardage for Notre Dame was 455 yards. Ian Book was 17-for-30 good for 255 yards and four touchdowns. They rushed for 190 yards. Stanford produced 394 yards of total offense. Quarterback Davis Mills was 28-for 46 good for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Cardinal rushed for 118 yards.
Attendance at Stanford Stadium was sparse due to the weather. The stadium was about half full with Stanford fans. There was a large contingent of rabid and noisy Notre Dame fans in the north end of the stadium. They went home very happy as their team will be playing in a bowl game again this year.
When Ryan Beecher runs out of the tunnel into Stanford Stadium on Saturday for the last time, he’ll be met by water works.
It’s Senior Day against No. 15 Notre Dame, so Cardinal players will be recognized before the game and greeted by their families on the field. Emotional, but even more so for Jim and Julie Beecher, and their other children, Annabelle (’17) and Holden.
In December 2017, the night before the team was flying to the Alamo Bowl, Ryan was packing at his home in Fresno, Calif. when he received a phone call from Stanford Hospital. A pathology report had come back about a lump under his armpit and a biopsy revealed he had tested positive for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
Scared and uncertain about his future, Ryan stayed home and sought an immediate diagnosis. Steve Schwartz, the father of teammate Harry Schwartz, arranged an appointment with a lymphoma specialist at UCLA. The family was told he had a treatable strain.
“The days before Ryan was officially diagnosed were some of the hardest days of my life,” said Julie. “Suddenly, my young, healthy son had this terrifying word, cancer, hanging over his head and we had no idea what that would mean for him.”
Teammates quickly rallied around Beecher. They signed his No. 43 game jersey and wrote messages, and it arrived at his home the day before the game. On game day against TCU, Beecher wore the jersey and watched the game on television with his family. Many Stanford players wrote his number on their arms and JJ Arcega-Whiteside pointed to it after catching a touchdown pass.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
“From Week 1, it was just an overwhelming amount of love and support,” Beecher said. “I will always be thankful to them.”
The official diagnosis was a rare form of lymphoma called “ALK-positive.” Beecher underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, lost his hair and considerable weight off his 6-1, 230-pound frame.
“The eyebrows took some getting used to,” Beecher said.
Teammate Lewis Burik cooked a big dinner for Beecher and his friends before his first round of chemotherapy. Kaden Smith helped him shave his head.
Beecher was unsure about his football future and missed spring practice and two quarters of school. He never complained and told his mom he wanted to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
“Right before the Spring Game that year, Ryan was at a low point,” said Julie. “It was hard to get him to go because he was completely bald and pretty run down from months of chemotherapy. He decided to go, and as he was walking into the game, Coach (David) Shaw approached him and told him he was being put on scholarship. When Ryan told us after the game, it an was incredible moment. It still makes me cry to think about it.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Beecher was cleared to participate in fall camp in the summer of 2018 and hasn’t missed a beat.
“Getting back out on the field was a goal and dream of mine once it got taken away,” Beecher said. “Football was a huge motivator in the sense that it taught me a lot of mechanisms to respond to that type of adversity. I give a lot of credit to our training staff and coaches for instilling in us the sense of reacting to adversity and staying positive.”
Beecher was initially told to take it easy, especially during wind sprints, but he tuned out the strength and conditioning coach.
“I’m a stubborn guy and didn’t listen as much as I should have,” Beecher said. “I was pretty exhausted after that first workout. But let me tell you, it was so relieving after months and months — the doctors didn’t want me to go into any gym and expose myself to germs — being back. There’s a certain type of energy you get working out, especially with a group of guys you love.”
Cardinal team captain Casey Toohill said Beecher’s attitude and determination inspired everyone.
“The thing that impressed me the most was when he came back for summer runs after just doing the chemo, he made all the times, which is unheard of, because people miss the times anyway,” Toohill said.
Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, wasn’t surprised Beecher sold out.
“Being through something similar with my brother the last couple of years, the appreciation of life is powerful,” said Shaw. “To come back from cancer and say all I have to do is run gassers? That’s it? I’m not going to pull back and I’m going to go as hard as I can and know my body is going to respond.”
Beecher, a former walk-on and now a fifth-year senior, played on special teams in 13 games in 2017 and 2018. This season, he has appeared in every contest and earned his first start against Colorado, collecting a career-high five tackles. Beecher has 16 total stops, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
“To play as well as he’s played, stepping up and contributing at inside linebacker, it’s been amazing to watch,” Toohill said. “I’m just proud to be his friend.”
Shaw said, “He’s a tough guy. And tough guys like being around tough guys. To see a guy fight through what he fought through and be able to get in there and grind with his brothers on the field makes you feel like you’re around someone special.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Beecher isn’t the biggest, strongest or fastest player on the team. If you walked by him on campus, he looks more like a history major — which he is — than a football player.
Looks can be deceiving. Beecher started 32 consecutive varsity games at San Joaquin Memorial High School and made 232 tackles, leading the league in 2013.
“All he thinks about is his job and what he can do,” said Shaw. “His teammates appreciate that. Every time he makes a tackle or a play, the sideline goes crazy. They’re always cheering and rooting for him. To be able to coach a guy like Ryan Beecher makes you feel good about what you do on a daily basis.”
Beecher is cancer-free, but will need follow up scans for the rest of his life.
“Going through something like that, you take things a little more serious now,” Beecher said. “Definitely happier and more thankful for everything … my family, my friends and everyone who was in my corner supporting me. It’s just really easy when you have a bad day to kick yourself out of it because you’ve had worse days for sure.”
INJURY UPDATE
Connor Wedington, K.J. Costello, Paulson Adebo and Malik Antoine will not play against Notre Dame.
PERSEVERANCE LEADS TO PROMINENCE
Donald Stewart caught his first career touchdown pass last week against Cal, and it was a feel-good moment for everyone. He has overcome injuries, dipped on the depth chart and has spent much of the season working with the scout team. He never complained, went full speed, remained positive and stepped up last week when Connor Wedington was injured on the opening kickoff.
“Donald has had the entire college football experience from playing early, playing well, from not playing much, playing more and making big catches,” Shaw said. “He’s probably grown as much as anybody on the football team.”
Shaw continued to remind him that nothing is set in stone. If you put in the work, it’ll pay off.
“I commend Donald for trusting us,” Shaw said. “We put him back in the rotation and for the last month, Donald has been ready. It was great in a big moment in a Big Game for him to be open and that was a tough catch. Great to see that for him and guys celebrating for him.”
MAKING MILLS
Davis Mills will make his sixth career start at quarterback against the Fighting Irish (9-2). Due to injuries, he didn’t play in 2017 and saw brief action in one game last season.
“Technically, in my book, you’re still a freshman until you play 12 games,” said Shaw. “We’re still technically in Davis’ freshman year. He’s capable of extreme highs.
SHAW ON HIS DEFENSE
“We’ve had outstanding effort and consistent play from a handful of guys, led by Casey Toohill,” Shaw said about the unit’s showing against Cal. “The guy just pours his heart out every single play. Everybody that stepped out on the field played well.”
Shaw also praised the efforts of Andrew Pryts, Curtis Robinson, Thomas Booker and Jovan Swann.
“As injured as we are, we have the guys on the field that can make the plays,” said Shaw. “And now it’s when we make those plays. If it’s late fourth quarter, we make to make those plays. The same thing about us offensively.”
TIGHTEN UP
Containing mobile quarterbacks remains a challenge. Stanford will encounter another quick, athletic and explosive player in Ian Book on Saturday.
“That’s been a difficult thing the entire year, understanding the integrity of where you need to be,” Shaw said. “The rush lanes containing the quarterback are vital. We’ve struggled with that and must improve.”
SENIOR RECOGNITION
Shaw commended the leadership of his seniors for never letting down this season.
“Even after a couple tough losses, the guys come out and are flying around, practicing hard and pushing each other in a positive way,” said Shaw. “That credit doesn’t go to our coaches; that credit goes to our seniors and our leaders.
“These guys have been outstanding in a year when most people are understandably talking about the record and it’s not what we want it to be. But there have been some moments this year at any point in time where these guys could have packed it in, and their teammates wouldn’t allow them to.”
MUTUAL ADMIRATION
Lynn Swann grew up in Michigan and is not a Notre Dame fan. That being said, he respects what the program has accomplished and knows they are benchmark for success.
“It means a lot to strap up and go against a team like that,” Swann said. “People have dislike for them because they are such a great program. I just happened to be born in Michigan.
“I think they’re a great team and we have a great challenge ahead of us and I’m excited to play against them because when you make plays against teams like that it shows you are a real team and can compete against some of the best in the nation. And I think that’s our mentality this week to play to the best of our ability.”
QUOTE
“Growing pains are called growing pains because they hurt.” — David Shaw on using 20 freshmen this season.
On the Stanford Cardinal podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:
#1 Jerry, talk about the Big Game last Saturday against Cal at Stanford Stadium. For Cardinal quarterback David Mills, he gave it his best, but Stanford fell in a very narrow game.
#2 Cal was able to play successfully on both sides of the football and come up with two touchdowns in the four quarter to get by Stanford by four points in one for the ages as Cal has not won in Stanford since 2009.
#3 In Stanford men’s basketball: A tough loss for Stanford men’s (7-1) fall in their first loss of the season after winning seven straight games to the Butler Bulldogs (7-0) 68-67, a one-point loss.
#4 It seems like Butler can beat up on the big schools with a perfect record so far. Is it fair to say look for them in March?
#5 UNC Wilmington (5-3) is next to face the Cardinal on Sunday at Maples Pavilion. Jerry talks about how he sees this game.
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Butler’s Kamar Baldwin didn’t just take over in the final minutes of the Hall of Fame Classic championship, his 18-foot jumper in the closing seconds gave the Bulldogs a 68-67 win over Stanford Tuesday in Kansas City.
It was the Cardinal’s first loss of the season after seven consecutive victories, and their first game this season against a Power Five school.
Baldwin scored six of his 22 points in the final 1 ½ minutes. Bryce Nze scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Bryce Golden added 12 points for the undefeated Bulldogs (7-0).
Stanford (7-1) was led by Tyrell Tyler’s 21 points, followed by Oscar da Silva with 19, Bryce Willis with 12 and Spencer Jones 11.
The Cardinal led 51-48 with six minutes remaining before Butler used a 10-0 run to go up by six. After a Baldwin trey put the Bulldogs up by eight, Stanford used a 9-1 run to tie the game at 62-all at the two-minute mark.
With 41 seconds to play, Baldwin connected on a layup and a jumper, giving the Bulldogs a four-point lead. Stanford responded with a Jones 3-pointer and a dunk by Willis to take a 67-66 lead with 21 seconds to play.
Baldwin hit his game-winner on the next possession.
Stanford made nine 3-pointers, including one by Terry at the first half buzzer that tied the game at 29-all. Butler made six 3’s and converted 12 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points. The Cardinal shot 53 percent from the field, but the Bulldogs outrebounded them 31-21.
Butler won despite being without Sean McDermott for much of the game,
McDermott, one of the Bulldogs’ leading scorers, suffered an ankle injury in the first half, but returned in the final minutes.
The Cardinal return home on Sunday, Dec. 1, to host UNC-Wilmington at Maples Pavilion.
The Stanford Cardinal football team will host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a battle for the Legends Trophy. The Legends Trophy is awarded to the winner. It is named in honor of the 1925 Rose Bowl meeting, which was said by sportswriters to contain more legends on one field than had ever played the game. The trophy was created by the Notre Dame Club of San Francisco Bay Area, appropriately from Northern California redwood with an Irish crystal bowl.
Stanford will take the field for the final time this decade, a decade which saw them post 98 wins (to date), tied for the eighth-most in college football. The Cardinal’s 98 wins are tied for the most in the Pac-12 Conference this decade. After winning just 47 games and making two bowl appearances in the previous 10 years (2000-09), Stanford went to three Rose Bowls, an Orange Bowl and a Fiesta Bowl, in addition to the Sun Bowl (2), Foster Farms Bowl (1) and Alamo Bowl (1) this decade.
Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, David Shaw, is in his ninth season as the Stanford head coach. His 86 wins make him the winningest coach in program history. In the 15 seasons prior to Shaw taking over as head coach, Stanford won just 82 games.
Stanford is 17-0 at home under Shaw in nonconference games. The Cardinal has won its past 22 home nonconference games, with the last loss in 2007 against Notre Dame.
Twenty true freshmen have made their first career appearances so far this season: Bradley Archer, Branson Bragg, Aeneas DiCosmo, Stephen Herron, Elijah Higgins, Jake Hornibrook, Austin Jones, Brock Jones, Spencer Jorgensen, Kyu Blu Kelly, Zahran Manley, Jonathan McGill, Barrett Miller, Drake Nugent, Joshua Pakola, Nathaniel Peat, Walter Rouse, Ryan Sanborn, Tristan Sinclair and Nicolas Toomer. While 20 total true freshmen have played in 132 combined games, a staggering 12 have played in more than four games.
A total of 18 Cardinal have made their first career starts so far: Ryan Beecher, Branson Bragg, Henry Hattis, Stuart Head, Houston Heimuli, Elijah Higgins, Jake Hornibrook, Kyu Blu Kelly, Jonathan McGill, Barrett Miller, Davis Mills, J.J. Parson, Andrew Pryts, Curtis Robinson, Walter Rouse, Foster Sarell, Osiris St. Brown and Jack West. 38 different Cardinal have started at least one game for Stanford this season.
By the way, Stanford ranks fourth nationally and first in the Pac-12 with four blocked kicks this season.
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Monday, November 25, 2019
Stanford extended its men’s basketball season-opening winning streak to seven games on Monday, as the Cardinal defeated Oklahoma 73-54 in the first day of the Hall of Fame Classic at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Freshman Tyrell Terry led Stanford (7-0) with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Spencer Davis was next with 13 points and Bryce Willis finished with 10. Oscar da Silva added nine points while pulling down 11 boards.
Austin Reaves was the Sooners’ top scorer with 17 points, followed by Alondes Williams with 12 points and Brady Manek with 10. Kristian Doolittle led Oklahoma (5-1) with eight rebounds.
The Cardinal opened the game with a 17-0 run and led 37-24 at halftime and never trailed throughout the second half in their first game of the season against a Power Five school. Oklahoma didn’t score until the 14:00 mark of the first half.
A brief 10-0 run pulled the Sooners to within seven midway through the first half, but never got any closer, as Terry had 16 points and nine rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Although both teams shot 38 percent from the field, Stanford made 10 3-pointers and hit 13 of 19 free throws. The Sooners, meanwhile made four 3’s and struggled at the foul line, making 4 of 13 free throws.
Another factor in the Cardinal’s decisive win was outscoring Oklahoma 15-0 on second-chance points while holding a 51-32 rebounding edge.
On Tuesday, Stanford meets Butler for the Hall of Fame Classic championship.
According to Stanford assistant director of communications Mark Soltau, you could’ve heard a mouth guard hit the floor in the Cardinal locker room following Saturday’s 24-20 loss to the Cal Golden Bears in the 122nd Big Game.
Players sat in silence in front of their lockers with heads bowed or stared into space. Most showered quickly and left. That was how painful it was.
“We let down nine senior classes that have won this before and 10 including this one,” said senior inside linebacker Curtis Robinson. “It’s definitely not a good feeling.”
Another near-miss snapped a streak of nine consecutive victories against the Bears–the longest in series history–ending Stanford’s school record of 10 straight trips to the postseason.
“To lose the axe is a tough pill to swallow,” junior tight end Colby Parkinson said. “This one is going to hurt for a while.”
Stanford has battled through injuries all season and took another hit Saturday on the opening kickoff. Junior wide receiver Connor Wedington–one of the top playmakers in the Pac-12–returned it 37 yards, but was hurt on the play and didn’t return.
It has been that kind of season for Stanford, who has been short-handed most of the way due to a number of players getting hurt. The Cardinal has started 38 different players, with 18 seeing their first action, including eight true freshmen.
“I don’t want to blame the injuries,” said Robinson. “Football happens. You hope it doesn’t happen in the massive amount that we’ve had and it’s very unfortunate. But we have never at any point in the season made an excuse and we won’t for the rest of the season.”
LAST SHOT
Stanford (4-7, 3-6 Pac-12) concludes the 2019 campaign on Saturday at home against No. 15 Notre Dame (9-2), who beat Boston College on Saturday, 40-7. The Fighting Irish lead the overall series, 20-13, but the Cardinal has won three of the last four meetings and seven of the last 10, including five straight at home. The winner earns the Legends Trophy.
“It’s going to be a test of our character,” Robinson said. “It would be easy for anyone off the street to just quit because we don’t have a bowl game and we’re not having a great season. Anybody can do that.
“If we come out and we show that we prepared like we would for any other game, with the motivations of any other game, I think that will be a good sign for the program. And I don’t expect anything less from our team.”
Added Parkinson, “We have a group of guys that are strong and willing to fight. And that’s what we’re going to do next week.”
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Senior defensive end Jovan Swann played an inspired game. He finished with five tackles, had a career-high three tackles for loss and a sack. Swann also blocked a field goal late in the second quarter, the first of his career, and the fourth blocked kick by the Cardinal this season.
Senior inside linebacker Andrew Pryts led the unit with a career-high 10 tackles, and the Cardinal produced nine tackles for loss.
BIG GAME DEBUTS
Fourteen true freshmen played against Cal: Wide receiver Elijah Higgins (first start); offensive tackle Walter Rouse; offensive guards Barrett Miller and Jake Hornibrook; cornerbacks Kyu Blu Kelly and Zahran Manley; inside linebacker Aeneas DiCosmo; safeties Brock Jones, Spencer Jorgensen and Jonathan McGill; running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat; tight end Bradley Archer; punter/kicker Ryan Sanborn.
“This game had all the emotion–much more than all the other games,” said Rouse, who made his 10th consecutive start at left tackle. “I really felt like the seniors and the coaches emphasized that and the importance of this game. I just can’t describe the feeling.”
Sanborn was a questionable participant until late in the week. He rallied to convert a career-long 48-yard field goal in the second quarter and calmly gave Stanford a 20-17 lead with 2:33 remaining in the game on a 44-yarder. Sanborn also punted three times, made both extra point attempts, and two of his four kickoffs went for touchbacks.
“That’s just what we’re here to do,” Sanborn said. “You have to be able to put it through the pipes whenever you’re out there.”
Sanborn said the loss stung.
“Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted,” Sanborn said. “I would have loved to have been able to send our seniors out on the right note. We just have to use it for fuel for the next 364 days.”
SCOUTING THE IRISH
Stanford and Notre Dame have faced one common opponent: USC. The Fighting Irish edged the Trojans, 30-27 in South Bend, Ind., while the Cardinal fell in Los Angeles, 45-20. The latter came in the second game of the season for Stanford and marked junior quarterback Davis Mills’ first collegiate start.
Last year’s game at Notre Dame was the first time in series history that both teams entered with a top-10 AP ranking. The eighth-ranked Fighting Irish defeated the No. 7 Cardinal, 38-17, its first loss to Notre Dame since 2014.
THEME GAME
Saturday is Fan Appreciation and Senior Day for Stanford. Seniors will be recognized on the field prior to the game.
NOTES
Senior wide receiver Donald Stewart grabbed his first career scoring pass from Mills on a 40-yard reception … Sophomore wide receiver Michael Wilson matched his career-high with six catches for 43 yards … Sophomore wide receiver Simi Fehoko made three catches for 55 yards, including a 43-yarder. He has five receptions of 40 or more yards this season … Junior wide receiver Osiris St. Brown had a career-best five catches … Fifth-year senior running back Cameron Scarlett rushed for his 23rd career touchdown, one shy of No. 8 on the career list at Stanford … Ex-Cardinal standout John Lynch, general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, was honored prior to the game as part of the program’s 125-year celebration of Stanford football … Shayne Skov, served as Stanford’s honorary captain. A fearless competitor at inside linebacker and an inspirational leader, Skov was named Associated Press All-America third team and All-Pac-12 first team in 2013. Skov ranks No. 6 on the school’s all-time list for career tackles with 353 and played with four NFL teams, including the 49ers.
QUOTE
“To me, it’s Rivalry Game 2. It’s a way for us to end the season strong.” — Curtis Robinson on playing Notre Dame.
from sfgate.com; California running back Christopher Brown Jr. (34) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Stanford during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 in Stanford, Calif.
By Jeremy Harness
STANFORD – Shortly after 4pm PST, Stanford Stadium became a sea of navy blue and yellow, a sight that had not been seen in a very long time.
Considering the fact that Cal has not won the Big Game since 2009, it’s easy to understand the excitement of the Golden Bear students, fans and alumni after a dramatic 24-20 win over Stanford in the 122nd playing of this rivalry game.
After Stanford took a 20-17 lead on Ryan Sanborn’s 44-yard field goal with 2:23 remaining, sophomore quarterback Chase Garbers led the Cal offense down the field and capped the 75-yard drive when he escaped the pocket and beat the Stanford defense to the corner of the end zone.
Cal’s defense then stopped Stanford cold on fourth-and-one on the ensuing possession to secure a monumental win for the Cal football program, which had not have much to cheer about for the past decade until this season.
“To get a win, to get the Axe back and what that means for the players and our institution, it’s a big deal,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “It’s huge for our program, for the development of our program.”
Garbers, who has suffered assorted injuries this year – including a separated shoulder that sidelined him for much of this season – and was just cleared to return to the field a few days ago – completed 20 of his 30 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown.
He did more damage with his feet, as he also led the Golden Bears with 72 rushing yards, including the game-winning scamper.
“This was Chase Garbers’ game,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “We couldn’t stop him. He makes a difference in the games he plays in, with his legs.
“We missed about three sacks today,” he continued. “You can’t win games if you let the quarterback out like that.”
The play of Nikko Remigio, Cal’s leading receiver, also proved to be crucial down the stretch. He caught nine passes for 157 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Saturday was a fatal blow to Stanford, not only in losing the Stanford Axe but also to their chances of getting into a postseason bowl game for the 11th straight year. The Cardinal (4-7, 3-6 Pac-12) needed to win Saturday’s game, as well as its final game is against none other than No. 16 Notre Dame next Saturday.
“There should be some pain involved,” Shaw said. “I feel bad for our seniors. I feel like we let our seniors down. It’s something that we’re going to have to live with for 364 days.”
Cal (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12), on the other hand, became bowl eligible with Saturday’s win, and have done so in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2008-09.
In the first two minutes of the game, it appeared that Stanford would not have much of an issue, particularly after the Cal secondary blew its zone coverage on the left side of the field and allowed junior quarterback Davis Mills to find an uncovered Donald Stewart to catch a 40-yard touchdown to give Stanford an early 7-0 lead.
Mills started out sharp, as he completed 16 of his 19 throws for 183 yards and that early touchdown. He finished with 283 yards on 26-of-35 passing, but he was intercepted twice early in the second half, and that seemed to slow down the Cardinal attack significantly.
Cal had an answer late in the first quarter, as the Golden Bears drove 90 yards. Christopher Brown, Jr. punctuated things with a 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
After the two teams traded field goals, the Golden Bears got the ball late in the second quarter and proceeded to convert a pair of long third downs. The drive came to a screeching halt when a pass from Garbers to receiver Jordan Duncan, which would have put the ball at Stanford’s 2-yard line, was called back by a holding penalty.
Stanford’s defense eventually held, and when Jovan Swann blocked the ensuing field-goal attempt, the two teams went into their respective locker rooms at halftime tied at 10-10.
The Cardinal defense tightened up again to start the second half and gave the offense a short field late in the third quarter. The Cardinal marched down the field and took a 17-10 lead when Cameron Scarlett went horizontal for a 1-yard touchdown plunge and stayed that way for a moment, as one of his offensive linemen ended up holding him like a groom holding a bride.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Cal got its offense back on track, with receiver Nikko Remigio being the key. Remigio got behind the Cardinal defense for a 40-yard hookup, and three plays later, Garbers found him in the back of the end zone to even the score.
The Cardinal then took the ball and came within inches of a touchdown when Mills’ pass was a bit too high for tight end Colby Parkinson in the back of the end zone. The Cardinal settled for Sanborn’s field goal before Garbers’ heroics on the ensuing drive.
“It’s awesome,” senior linebacker Evan Weaver said. “It would have been (nice) to do it in Berkeley, but to do it here, it’s even better. Just to take it away from them on their field, and to see all those sad fans, it’s perfect.”
Stanford freshman running back Austin Jones attended Bishop O’Dowd High in Oakland and most of his friends are Cal fans. On Saturday, he will play in his first Big Game and try to help Stanford break their hearts.
“I moved here in seventh grade, so I got to go to a couple games,” said Jones, who moved around a lot growing up. “I didn’t really pull for anybody, but I know it’s a heated, long-term rivalry. I just picked up on the emotion that comes with the game.”
Jones’ phone has been blowing up all week.
“I have a lot of good friends on their team,” Jones said. “We’ve been jabbing at each other a little bit and chopping it up. We’re going to get after each other.”
Neither school has produced the season it envisioned. Both have been racked by injuries as Stanford enters with a 4-6, 3-5 Pac-12 record and Cal enters with a 5-5, 2-5 Pac-12 record. The Cardinal boasts a series-high nine-game winning streak, but season records in the 121-year rivalry, often prove meaningless.
“The records don’t matter,” said senior inside linebacker Curtis Robinson, who will play for the Axe for the fourth time. “We know that we’re going to get their best shot because it’s Big Game week. It’s always that way.”
Stanford junior quarterback Davis Mills grew up in Duluth, Ga. and will experience his first start in the rivalry. He quickly discovered the significance of the contest.
“I kind of felt it right when I stepped on campus,” Mills said. “The Big Game is always circled. It should be fun to finally play in the game and I know there is a bunch of tradition behind it and all the ceremonies.”
For the last nine years, no Cardinal senior has tasted defeat.
“It’s kind of crazy to hear our coaches talking about it’s for the seniors and sitting back thinking, ‘Oh, that’s me,”’ said Robinson. “It’s been crazy to win those games with the senior classes and I’m starting to feel the importance of what this game means.”
Robinson knows he’s playing for more than his teammates.
“It means more to us to win the Axe for the Stanford community as a whole,” Robinson said. “Obviously, it’s very important to our pride as a team. But we understand we’re playing for something bigger.”
In the Stanford football office, the Andrew Luck Auditorium includes a wall of photos of seniors who have won the Big Game.
“We talk about the streak,” said Jones. “We always talk about how we don’t want to let our seniors down and want them to put their pictures on the wall.”
David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, starts off every Big Game week by reminding his team to keep emotions in check, especially the young players.
“This is a different game,” Shaw said. “We have to prepare as well as we can on the X’s and O’s side, but at the same time play with emotion and not let the emotion rule us. It will be a very hotly contested.”
Former Stanford standout Richard Sherman, now playing for the San Francisco 49ers, is pulling for his alma mater.
“The Axe belongs at Stanford,” Sherman said. “There is so much history and it’s such a great rivalry. I feel good about our chances to win it again.”
INJURY UPDATE
Senior quarterback K.J. Costello, senior free safety Malik Antoine, junior cornerback Paulson Adebo and junior tight end Tucker Fisk will not play Saturday. Senior cornerbacks Obi Eboh and Treyjohn Butler are questionable.
Freshman Ryan Sanborn handled kickoffs and field goal/extra points against Washington State but did not punt. He might be available to punt, but Shaw praised the efforts of sophomore Alex Gracey, who downed two of his three kicks inside the 5-yard line last week and could punt again.
“He did a great job,” Shaw said.
Stanford could start three true freshmen in its secondary.
MIGHTY MILLS
Mills broke a 21-year-old Stanford single-game passing record at Washington State by throwing for 504 yards.
“Davis had an exceptional game,” said Shaw. “He caught fire, got the protection and a bunch of guys made plays. He broke a record that has been around for a long time. That was a positive for the football team, but we have to do things like that and win.”
Mills made his college debut earlier this year at USC and missed some throws. Shaw said his coming out party was against Oregon State.
“He played a complete game and made some of those throws he missed against USC,” Shaw said. “He almost played better against Washington than he did this past weekend.”
The even-keeled Mills seldom shows much emotion on or off the field. Asked to assess last week’s performance, he said: “I thought overall, I played well. In the end, it would have been nice to get a win.”
Mills credited his line and receivers, and said their hard work was rewarded.
“It really showed what everybody can do,” Mills said. “We’re still chasing perfection.”
Despite all that, Shaw continues to remind himself that Mills only has four college starts.
“He’s still a growing, inexperienced quarterback with a lot of talent,” said Shaw. “He’s much, much closer to his potential, but there’s a lot more up there.”
FRIENDS FOREVER
Last week, Shaw received a text from Sherman with a photo of the two at a recent game between the 49ers and Carolina Panthers. Sherman reminded Shaw that football is only a game and Shaw shared the well-received message with his players after practice.
“It’s the truth,” said Sherman. “At the end of the day, you win some, you lose some and you fight as hard as you can. But once this game is done and the lights are off and the fans are gone, the people that are left are your friends. What’s left are the relationships that you have with the people that you went through the struggles with. Those memories and people are real, and they’ll last you a lifetime.
“At the end of the day, if you win a million championships or lose a million championships, it doesn’t change the relationships and friendship that you have. Those are special, regardless of the outcome of the games or the season.”
WONDERFUL WEAVER
Cal senior inside linebacker Evan Weaver leads the FBS with 151 tackles and averages 15.1 per game. He collected 22 stops against Utah.
Last year, Weaver made 159 tackles, second-most in school history.
“Somehow, Weaver has gotten bigger and faster,” Shaw said. “He’s the best linebacker we’ve seen all year. He just has to be accounted for and he’s hard to block.”
Asked how that can best be accomplished, Shaw said, “First of all, we hope Weaver misses the bus.”
THEME GAME
Every fan who enters Saturday’s game with a paid ticket will receive a long sleeve T-shirt courtesy of Stanford Medicine. Additionally, Stanford will honor local veterans, military, fire and police officers in conjunction with Veterans Day.
The annual Big Game Rally will be held Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium and is open to the public. The Gaieties, dating back to 1911, will be staged Wednesday through Friday at 8 pm.
Terrific celebration of life for legendary coach John Ralston. He led @StanfordFball to back to back trips to the @rosebowlgame and was inducted into 6 HOFs including the @cfbhall. Most importantly, he had a tremendous impact on all he encountered…on and off the field. pic.twitter.com/QBLBUq4lKW
NOTES
Shaw praised his team Wednesday night after a spirited practice. “I like where we are between the ears,” Shaw said … Stanford leads the overall series, 64-46-11 … Shaw is 8-0 against Cal … Former Cardinal standout safety John Lynch ’92 will be recognized as part of the 125-year celebration of Stanford football. He’s now general manager of the 49ers … Sophomore wide receiver Simi Fehoko has six touchdown catches in his last five games … The Cardinal has played 20 freshmen this season and 18 saw action last week … Saturday’s game will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
QUOTE
“You have to amp up your energy and your execution to play at your absolute best, but you also have to know where that line is. This is a respectful rivalry.” — David Shaw on playing Cal.
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