Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for Stanford Cardinal On SI's Dylan Grausz

Ahead of Louisville's matchup with Stanford, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Dylan Grausz of Stanford Cardinal On SI to find out more about the Cardinal.

Oct 26, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) drops back to throw against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium. / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is heading out west on the other side of their bye week, taking on ACC newcomer Stanford at The Farm.

Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Dylan Grausz of Stanford Cardinal On SI to find out more about the Cardinal.

1. Troy Taylor undoubtedly inherited a tough rebuild, especially in the current climate of college football, but was Stanford expected to struggle this much in year two under Taylor?

While year two under Taylor has certainly seen a lot of struggle, it was definitely to be expected. When you combine the fact that Stanford is in a new conference, especially one like the ACC being as loaded as it is, with how young this year’s Stanford team is, it is not completely surprising to see the Cardinal be 2-7 right now.

2. When operating at his peak efficiency, how much of an impact playmaker can dual-threat quarterback Ashton Daniels be?

Ashton has all the talent in the world when he is on. Not only is he very good with his legs and at being athletic, he has solid arm strength that allows him to make tough throws and place the ball in tight spaces. A veteran in Taylor’s system, he has been relied on heavily this year to lead the offense but his struggles with ball protection have led to him sharing reps with guys like Elijah Brown and Justin Lamson.

3. While Stanford doesn’t appear to have a ton of impact playmakers outside of Elic Ayomanor, how much of Stanford’s offensive woes can be attributed to poor play by the offensive line?

It all starts up front. Regardless if a team has one playmaker or five playmakers, offensive line play is crucial if the offense wants to move the ball. And while Stanford’s line does have guys on it who have shown a lot of promise, inconsistency has been the biggest issue for the offensive line. For much of the early part of the season, the Cardinal were changing up the depth chart, with the most shuffling happening on the line. Sacks have been an issue too as the Cardinal are in the upper tier in college football for sacks allowed to opponents. The offense has seen some issues, yes, but when the offensive line is inconsistent, it’s hard to expect the playmakers to be able to do much.

4. While the Cardinals defense has been giving up a lot of points, there have been a handful of players on that side of the ball having good individual seasons. Who are some defensive X-Factors to watch for?

Stanford’s defense has actually been the backbone of the team this season. They have had some issues in some areas, primarily in pass coverage, but there have been a lot of players who have cemented themselves as big-time players on that side of the ball. The biggest names to watch for on the defense are defensive back Collin Wright, edge rushers David Bailey and Tevarua Tafiti and linebackers Gaethan Bernadel and Tristan Sinclair. Wright, who has evolved into a possible NFL draft pick, is the leader and arguably most impactful player in the defensive back room. Bailey and Tafiti form a dominant pass rush duo, with Tafiti having been especially impactful these last couple of games. Bailey, the team’s sack leader, continues to create chaos for offenses. Bernadel and Sinclair form a strong linebacker duo, with both of them finishing the 2023 season as the Cardinal’s top two leaders in tackles.

5. What is the one thing that Stanford has to do in order to pull off the upset?

A game against a ranked team is never easy, especially a red-hot team like Louisville. But, nothing is impossible. The way that I see Stanford winning this game is by completely controlling the game on the defensive side of the ball. Louisville is known for its athleticism, speed and playmaking ability which will mean that the Cardinal will have to fly around, but for a large portion of the season, the run defense was one of the best in the NCAA. By doing things such as taking away the run, it will force a strong offensive team like Louisville to be one dimensional and while Stanford’s offense will need to be able to put points on the board, a strong defensive day could give the offense more breathing room. So while I do not necessarily see an upset happening, Stanford’s defense will be very important for this game if they want a shot.

(Photo of Elijah Brown: Neville E. Guard - Imagn Images)

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