David Bergeron doesn’t mind watching football games from the sidelines. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound middle linebacker started every contest in 2003 and was third on the team with 66 tackles. But any chance to jog back to the bench with his defensive teammates was particularly satisfying.
“We would love to stay off the field as long as possible,” says Bergeron, a fifth-year senior who’s combining a public policy major with a master’s in media studies. “That means our offense is on [the field] and being productive. We’re definitely excited about not playing as many repetitions this year.”
Bergeron won’t get an argument from head coach Buddy Teevens. “A year ago, the defense was basically carrying the football team, and that wore them out over time,” says Teevens, now in his third year at the helm. “We’re looking for a more balanced football team—offense and defense performing at a higher level, which helps both sides play better.”
Balance and consistency are essential if Stanford is to top last season’s 4-7 campaign. Many preseason publications have picked the Cardinal to finish near the bottom of a newly powerful Pac-10 conference, and there is chatter about a coaching change if the team doesn’t improve. Teevens, however, is optimistic.
“People will gauge you based on graduated personnel and returning personnel,” he says. “When you have a number of young players, certainly there are questions. But to see the level of our younger players—their efforts in terms of developing as football players—I’ve been very pleased with the progress that we’ve made. I think you will see a very cohesive group that plays hard, and plays hard for each other.”
Stanford’s defense remains nearly intact, with nine returning starters, including one of the best defensive backs in the conference, fifth-year senior Oshiomogho Atogwe. Bergeron, Jared Newberry and Kevin Schimmelmann anchor a tough and speedy group of linebackers. But the Cardinal must improve against the pass, put more pressure on the opposing quarterback and surrender fewer game-breaking plays. “Eliminating the big play is a critical point for us,” says Teevens.
Offense, on the other hand, is a looming question mark. Only five starters return from a unit that scored a meager 16.9 points per game last year, ninth in the Pac-10. The squad’s 283 yards per game ranked last in the conference and 113th out of 117 Division I teams.
The Cardinal will look to sophomore quarterback Trent Edwards for guidance and leadership. In eight games last season, Edwards threw for 750 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. With a young, inexperienced offensive line (four sophomores and a junior), Teevens says Edwards’s rapid development and productivity are crucial. “He’s healthy and ready to go and we have high expectations of him.”
Tight end Alex Smith and wide receiver Mark Bradford should be regular targets of Edwards’s passes. Smith is a fifth-year senior and one of Stanford’s most experienced offensive players. Bradford, a sophomore, led the team in 2003 with 587 receiving yards and almost 16 yards per catch, the best numbers for a true freshman in Stanford history. Senior Kenneth Tolon and junior J.R. Lemon will again share running back duties, joined by two untested fullbacks, junior Kris Bonifas and freshman Emeka Nnoli.
Teevens cites four incoming freshmen who could make an immediate impact. Alex Fletcher and Allen Smith, two powerful offensive tackles, could add depth and strength to the young offensive line. Anthony Kimble possesses great speed and athleticism and may contribute time at wide receiver. Wopamo Osasai, who also runs track, could make his presence felt in the defensive backfield.
In an odd scheduling twist, Stanford plays its first four games at home this fall and five of its last seven on the road. The Cardinal will try to use the extended homestand to build momentum and confidence; early September games against San Jose State and BYU should be winnable. But the third tussle at Stanford Stadium will be a Pac-10 showdown against defending national co-champion USC.
Teevens says his players are looking forward to lining up against the Trojans, the team most pundits are picking to win another championship. “It gives you an opportunity to gauge yourself—where you are and the development you’ve shown,” he says. “It’s kind of an inspiration. Our players have been very aggressive in the offseason training, the weight training, the cardiovascular conditioning. The attitude is very solid. They will not accept youth as an excuse, nor will we.”
Bergeron, for his part, isn’t thinking past the first Saturday in September. “Our sole focus right now is on San Jose State,” he explains. “We have to take this season one game at a time.”
- JOSHUA FRIED, '01
