Stanford's starting defense has allowed one touchdown in the season's first four games.
All four were routs against unaccomplished offenses, and the Cardinal have sacked opposing quarterbacks 14 times, sixth in the country. Eight different players have a sack. They've allowed just 13.8 points per game and 256 yards. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, a 26-year veteran of the NFL and USFL, has installed an aggressive, attacking 3-4 defense, transforming a unit that ranked 90th in overall defense last year with largely the same personnel. They only got 21 sacks all of last year playing a 4-3.
#92 Nose Tackle Sione Fua, a 6-2, 306 senior anchors the middle. He's a fierce run stuffer, tying up blockers so the Cardinal's athletic, hard-hitting linebackers can roam free. OLB Chase Thomas, #44, leads the team in sacks and tackles for loss, and inside linebacker Owen Marecic (#48) has made a name for himself playing both ways. He had a fourth quarter interception for a touchdown against Notre Dame last week after scoring on the previous snap as a fullback, diving in from the one and putting a close game out of reach.
The Cardinal's 3-4 features #94 Thomas Keiser, 6-5, 244, in a role similar to Oregon's Kenny Rowe as a "drop end". Depending on formations or situations he puts his hand down give the offense a 4-3 look, or stands up as an outside linebacker. This gives the defense a lot of flexibility and allows them to bring pressure from multiple angles. Duck offensive line standout Mark Asper told reporter Robert Husseman of the Daily Emerald that the Cardinal linebackers like to time the snap count and get disruptive penetration inside, a tactic that gave the Ducks fits last week against Vontaze Burfict and ASU.
Sophomore Shane Skov has emerged as the other inside linebacker, after making 62 tackles as a freshman. Skov wears #11, 6-3, 243. He's not as fast as Burfict but he's in the same class as a hitter, and plays with much more discipline.
The Stanford defense is physical, intelligent, and cohesive. They rarely miss assignments and work very well as a unit. Fangio and Harbaugh have instilled a new toughness, and Oregon's offensive line has to block better than they did in Tempe, get LaMichael James room to run and Darron Thomas time to throw. The Cardinal pass defense has been spectacular so far, chiefly due to the quarterback pressure, but it may take a hit this week as their best defender, free safety Michael Thomas, #3, injured his ankle in the win over the Irish.
If Oregon wants to win another PAC-10 championship, they will have to find a way to outrun and outflank this defense. So far, no one has. But no one on Stanford's schedule has as many weapons as the Ducks.
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