Army comes calling on No. 15 Stanford

Sep 10, 2014 - 3:14 PM Stanford, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Following a difficult loss in their conference opener, the 15th-ranked Stanford Cardinal will try to bounce back when they welcome the Army Black Knights to town on Saturday.

In an early Pac-12 showdown, the Cardinal battled USC last weekend. The game was a grueling defensive struggle, just like Stanford likes it. However, this time it was the Trojans that came out on top as they claimed a 13-10 victory. The loss was the first for Stanford in the first two weeks of the season since 2009.

Army has only played one game this season, but won that test in a 47-39 decision versus Buffalo last Saturday. The Black Knights are beginning a stretch of three road games in three weeks, with the next contest coming against Wake Forest.

When these teams met last fall, Stanford went into West Point and came away with a 34-20 victory. The win broke a tie in the all-time series, which Stanford now leads 6-5.

Like fellow service academy Navy, Army is one of the few programs left in the country that still employs a triple-option offensive scheme. The strategy certainly worked against Buffalo to the tune of 466 yards of total offense, 341 of which came on the ground.

Larry Dixon was the most productive rusher in the win over Buffalo. He totaled 174 yards and two of the team's seven rushing touchdowns on 20 carries. His 8.7 yards per carry average may not be sustainable all year, but it definitely showed how explosive he can be in open space with the ball in his hands.

The offense begins with quarterback Angel Santiago, although he only managed to squeeze out 29 yards and a score on the ground against UB, but he completed all six of his pass attempts for 96 yards as well. Stanford has to be ready to stop him from escaping for big runs.

The stable of backs behind Dixon and Santiago is expansive with Terry Baggett (74 yards, TD), Tony Giovannelli (30 yards, TD), Raymond Maples (19 yards, TD) and Matt Giachinta (15 yards, TD) all capable options who will get looks. However, Dixon was the only player that really seemed to get separation against Buffalo.

"I thought at times we moved the ball really well. I thought our offensive line did a great job, but there were times when we were stuffed," Army head coach Jeff Monken said. "We can't be a one hit wonder and have one good play and be knocked back the next play. We have to be more consistent when we run the ball."

Army could use a lot more work on defense. The Black Knights were shredded for 554 yards and 33 first downs by Buffalo. Fortunately, they were opportunistic and forced three turnovers. They also played well on third down, allowing only three conversions in nine tries.

Jeremy Timpf led the team with 10 tackles, including one for loss, but Josh Jenkins' play (seven tackles, two INTs) was even more critical in the victory.

Stanford doesn't fit the mold of the prototypical Pac-12 squad as it puts more into defense than offense. Running a pro-style attack, the Cardinal are often a solid offensive team, but nothing like the types that reside in Eugene, Oregon, Tucson, Arizona or Pullman, Washington. That trend has remained true this season with Stanford averaging 437 yards per contest.

It seems as if one change is being made, however, with quarterback Kevin Hogan and the passing attack taking on a bigger role in the offense. Hogan threw for 285 yards and did not get picked off in the loss to USC, but he also failed to throw a touchdown pass. He has completed 73.9 percent of his pass attempts this season and is nearing 500 passing yards.

It is easy to see why head coach David Shaw might be trying to utilize the passing game. Ty Montgomery is one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12 and is always a threat to break one off for a touchdown. He leads the Cardinal in receptions (14) and receiving yards (160). Austin Hooper (eight receptions, 124 yards, TD) and Michael Rector (six receptions, 101 yards, TD) have eclipsed the century mark as well.

The increased focus on the passing game has also been necessitated by the lack of a true No. 1 running back. Stepfan Taylor and Tyler Gaffney gave the Cardinal a workhorse in the backfield the last two seasons, but Remound Wright (88 yards), Kelsey Young (76 yards) and Barry J. Sanders (50 yards) have worked as a committee, with none of the three really separating themselves from the others.

Regardless of how the first two weeks have gone, Shaw still wants his team to be able to run the football.

"Gaffney is not here but we did it before Gaffney, we did it with a bunch of different guys," Shaw said. "We need to continue to get on the offensive line. We need to continue to use our runners to do what we do well. Our runners need to be efficient."

Stanford's reputation as a defense-first program is widely known and not understated. The Cardinal is off to another strong start with a combined 406 total yards allowed in the first two weeks. They have been especially strong against the pass, with only 189 of those yards coming through the air.

A.J. Tarpley (14 tackles) and Blake Martinez (14 tackles) are tied for the team lead in tackles. The duo has helped Stanford continue its aggressive style, which has led to six sacks and 13 tackles for loss.