Grading Stanford's Offense By Position Groups Following the 2023 Season

Stanford's offense was full of young and inexperienced players in 2023

The 2023 season for first-year head coach Troy Taylor and Stanford was one of getting experience for young players and determining which players can be a key contributors moving forward.

The Cardinal were decimated by the transfer portal losing their entire starting line, and they also lost their starting quarterback and three best receivers to the NFL. This meant that Taylor, who is renowned for his offensive prowess, was starting from scratch which was made pretty clear early on in the season. 

With their season ending with them mustering three wins to nine losses, it's safe to say we learned a lot about what was left over and what the team will need to address moving forward. Here are the grades for every position group based on their performance and development throughout the year.

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Offensive Line, D-

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As I previously mentioned, this was a brand-new group all around and it was evident right away. Stanford ranked t-No. 118 in the country in sacks allowed with 41, and also ranked No. 106 in the country in rushing offense, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. It's tough to replace a lineman or two, but to trot out a new starting five was a huge ask. They did show signs of improvement in pass protection, but Taylor made it clear that their inability to block severely limited the run game. It is a positive that they all got experience, but now they need to take that next step from year one to year two. 

Running Backs, D+

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The running back group is tough to grade due to the fact that they weren't used, which falls back on the offensive line. With a better unit up front, this group of backs likely flourishes but they were more so used to help block rather than make plays out of the backfield. For reference, E.J. Smith, Casey Filkins, Sedrick Irvin, and Ryan Butler combined for 135 carries between the four of them. Last season, Filkins was the team's leading rusher with 122 carries alone. As the line gets better, the running backs will too as Taylor's offenses always run the ball, but in 2023 they were a non-factor. 

Tight Ends, C-

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When Troy Taylor was first hired, the position group that was expected to benefit the most was the tight ends. His offenses often feature them heavily and Stanford has two really good ones in Benjamin Yurosek and Sam Roush. Unfortunately, due to the issues the offensive line had all year, they went from the centerpiece to helping block a majority of the time. Yurosek went down with an injury midway through the season and never returned, and Roush stepped up. If both return next year or just Roush, this offense will certainly have some weapons to utilize in a major way.

Wide Receivers, A-

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The wide receivers were a pleasant surprise for Stanford fans as while many expected for senior John Humphreys and sophomore Mudia Reuben to carry the mantle, it was a pair of freshmen who dominated. Redshirt freshman Elic Ayomanor racked up over 1,000 yards receiving and proved to be a huge threat, while true freshman Tiger Bachmeier also established himself as a very reliable target. Outside of those two, the rest of the group was average to below average, but this certainly is the most promising group on offense right now. 

Quarterbacks, C

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To start the season, the quarterback situation was a mess which is to be expected when your most experienced signal caller had about 30 career attempts. Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson were the 1-2 punch for the first portion of the year and neither showcased the ability to consistently make the right plays. It wasn't until the Colorado game that Daniels really started clicking and went on a terror the next few weeks throwing for an average of 343 yards in the next three games with six touchdowns to one pick. However, he went ice cold to end the year throwing for just two scores to five picks down the stretch. He will be first in line come spring ball, but did not do nearly enough to make it where there won't be a quarterback battle of some sort. As for Lamson, he had a few chances to overtake Daniels as the starter, but he wasn't as consistent through the air. He did lead the team in rushing and could have an interesting case to play running back or receiver next year if he chooses.