2008 Stanford Cardinal Football Preview

2008 Stanford Cardinal season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Stanford Cardinal football preview as well as the 2008 Stanford Cardinal Football Schedule. Haven't had much luck beating your bookie? This season up your chances and order Maddux's winning college football picks.

Coach: Jim Harbaugh (2nd year at Stanford)
Team Name: Cardinal
2007 Overall Record: 4-8
Returning Starters: 16

In 2007, the Stanford Cardinal team (4-8 overall, 3-6 Pac-10) finished tied for seventh in the league. Perhaps the highlight of last season was when they upset USC 24-23. The Cardinal club entered that game as 41-point underdogs. Once again in 2007, the team did not get a bowl berth.

The Cardinal club was rated 105th in scoring (19.6 PPG), 102nd in rushing (111.2 YPG) and 107th in overall yards (322.5 YPG). The highlight of Stanford’s offense was their passing game, which was ranked 70th in the nation, putting up an average of 211.3 yards per game. Junior QB Tavita Pritchard (194 ATT, 94 COMP, 1,114 YDS, 5 TDs, 9 INT) returns as the guy with the most experience. But he has to compete for the starting quarterback spot with sophomore Alex Loukas and Michigan transfer Jason Forcier. The frontline returns three starters and has some good talent. Along with questions concerning quarterbacks, the receiving unit is also suspect. Senior running back Anthony Kimble (115 CAR, 509 YDS, 8 TDs) is the best of a fine group of rushers.

The Stanford defense welcomes back nine of 11 starters. The linebackers look sound and deep. LB Clinton Snyder, now a junior, had eight sacks in 2007. The club was ranked 107th against the air attack. Hopefully the secondary, which welcomes back three starters, will break up more passes. SS Bo McNally is a massive player. Finally, the Stanford defensive line, which sees both ends return, must put more pressure on opponent quarterbacks.

This team opens its season at home against Oregon State on August 28. This game is a tossup. The November 1 contest versus Washington State is also tough to call. Stanford will find it difficult to win more than three games.

Coach Jim Harbaugh (4-8 in one year) had a good first-year as he guided the team to four wins in 2007. That total was three more than they earned in 2006. But is the Stanford team capable of more? Three wins look to be possible, while four will be a major achievement. Harbaugh needs at least two more years to make this program competitive.

Stanford Cardinal Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 28	Oregon State	Home
Sep 6	Arizona State	Away
Sep 13	TCU	Away
Sep 20	San Jose State	Home
Sep 27	Washington	Away
Oct 4	Notre Dame	Away
Oct 11	Arizona	Home
Oct 18	UCLA	Away
Nov 1	Washington State	Home
Nov 8	Oregon	Away
Nov 15	USC	Home
Nov 22	California	Away

 

For more info on the 2008 Stanford Cardinal football program, view the Cardinal football site or you can read about other Pac-10 teams below.