Stanford Cardinal soccer coach David Shaw watches a Pac-12 recreation in opposition to Washington within the second quarter in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. Shaw and the Cardinal host BYU late Saturday. Paul Sakuma, Related Press
Having misplaced the “Huge Sport” to rival California final week and with out a bowl recreation to fret about, the Stanford soccer group doesn’t have a lot to play for — other than their outgoing seniors — on Saturday night time when BYU visits Stanford Stadium.
Kickoff is at 9 p.m. MST — 8 p.m. in Palo Alto, California — and the sport might be televised by Fox Sports activities 1. The Cougars (6-5) are a six-point favourite though they're 0-2 all-time in opposition to Stanford.
Cardinal coach David Shaw acknowledged that his program is in “a troublesome spot proper now,” when he spoke to reporters by way of Zoom on Tuesday, however mentioned these elements gained’t take away from his group’s preparation for bowl-bound BYU.
“Battling face to face with BYU, I believe they've an amazing program, have an impressive head coach. I do know a number of individuals of their administration, together with the athletic director. They do issues the proper approach, with the proper individuals, and that's the approach we see ourselves as properly. So naturally we're going to find yourself recruiting among the identical individuals.” — Stanford coach David Shaw
“The one factor we will deal with proper now's making an attempt to ship our seniors out with a victory of their final recreation at Stanford Stadium,” Shaw mentioned. “… The main target that I've proper now, the main focus of our employees and out student-athletes, although this vacation week, is to arrange our group to ship our seniors out with a victory.”
The BYU-Stanford recreation will kick off later than any faculty soccer recreation within the nation Saturday night time, a truth not misplaced on Shaw, who delivered a prolonged reply when requested concerning the late-night kickoff to accommodate tv.
“Effectively, I often discuss our TV companions, and I do it in quotes as a result of companions have discussions. As soon as our TV makes their picks, they slot us the place ever they need. And I believe it has been horrible,” Shaw mentioned. “… I believe it's unhealthy for our student-athletes. I believe it's unhealthy for our convention, simply the truth that Sundays now, guys simply sleep all day, simply to recuperate from both touring late night time or taking part in late night time.”
Shaw mentioned the late kickoff instances is one thing the Pac-12 “wants to take a look at as we enter into conversations with potential different media companions for our subsequent media deal, and altering these begin instances, and taking part in these video games within the daytime, taking part in these video games within the early night and never the late night time.”
Shaw acknowledged he’s not involved with tv rankings just like the people who find themselves within the decision-making seats.
“I'm involved concerning the folks that I coach and what it does to them, what it does to their households for journey,” he mentioned. “Yeah, I believe it's horrible. I do know our commissioner is in talks with entities on how you can transfer going ahead. I believe all the things I mentioned could be seconded by everybody else in our convention.”
Recruiting in opposition to BYU
The Deseret Information requested Shaw about recruiting in opposition to BYU and beating the Cougars a number of instances just lately for some high-profile recruits who're from Utah or are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For instance, Stanford’s beginning quarterback, Tanner McKee, served a church mission to Brazil earlier than enrolling in Palo Alto.
“Effectively for us, it's fairly easy. We're recruiting a sure kind of younger individual. … We're searching for high-caliber particular person. We're searching for nice college students and we're searching for superb soccer gamers,” he mentioned.
“I've mentioned this over time: I believe the state of Utah doesn’t get its respect for the extent of play that occurs. It's not simply in Salt Lake. It's across the state. You could find a whole lot of actually good soccer gamers which have superb grades and are of the caliber of younger folks that we're searching for. That has been a giant factor for us, each in Utah and different states, however in significantly in Utah.”
In July, Stanford beat BYU and others, for 2 of the highest LDS prospects within the nation, California tight finish Walker Lyons and American Fork cross rusher Hunter Clegg.
“Battling face to face with BYU, I believe they've an amazing program, have an impressive head coach. I do know a number of individuals of their administration, together with the athletic director,” Shaw mentioned. “They do issues the proper approach, with the proper individuals, and that's the approach we see ourselves as properly. So naturally we're going to find yourself recruiting among the identical individuals.”
A pair hours later, the Deseret Information requested BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick why recruiting in opposition to Stanford has been troublesome for BYU — and the College of Utah, the place Roderick beforehand labored — the previous 20 or so years.
“They're superb recruiters. They're onerous to beat. A Stanford supply is hard to beat. I imply, who wouldn’t need their child to go to high school there? It's a good place. It's a good college,” Roderick mentioned.
“I imply, they're type of like us. They zero in on a smaller pool of fellows than most faculties do. After which go after them.”
Roderick mentioned BYU will in all probability all the time “overlap slightly bit in recruiting with them, however in all probability not for fairly as many youngsters as individuals would assume. We go face to face with them on a man or two every year.”
Roderick mentioned whether or not that overlap will proceed when BYU is within the Huge 12 “is an attention-grabbing query that is still to be seen.”
Shaw’s ideas on the 2022 BYU Cougars
Shaw mentioned his movie research has proven that the Cougars have advanced all through the season to suit their personnel.
“Yeah, gifted soccer group. They are going to take pictures down the sphere on you now. These guys will throw it down the sphere, play-action pass-wise,” he mentioned. “They've some variance of their offense to attempt to hold you off-balance.
“Defensively, each week they do one thing slightly bit totally different — tweaking their entrance, going from a 4 all the way down to a 3 down (and such),” he continued. “Some video games it's a whole lot of single excessive (security). Some video games it's a whole lot of two excessive (safeties). So there may be a whole lot of variance in what they do defensively. … So good group, well-coached group. Good gamers, good athletes. We have now to be at our greatest to discover a approach to ship our seniors out with a win.”
Will this be McKee’s huge second?
Loads of quarterbacks have had profession days in opposition to BYU the previous few years, which ought to come as excellent news to McKee, who picked the Cardinal over the Cougars after BYU’s woeful 4-9 season in 2017.
What’s on the road for him Saturday?
“, there are a whole lot of crossovers in just about most video games that we play. I do know you will need to him, to construct on (his success),” Shaw mentioned. “He performed properly within the pocket final week. We (have) talked about constructing on that, taking part in even higher this week.
“There are going to be acquainted faces on either side. There are backgrounds and historical past between a number of guys on our group with people, but additionally the realm, members of the family from totally different areas. Backside line for us, backside line for Tanner, is to construct on the work that he has put on this yr and end on a excessive be aware.”
Cougars on the air
BYU (6-5)
at Stanford (3-8)
Saturday, 9 p.m. MST
Stanford Stadium, Stanford, California
TV: Fox Sports activities 1
Radio: KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM