Stanford football coach David Shaw revealed that quarterback Kevin Hogan played most of Saturday’s game against Notre Dame with an injured leg.
“He played through it,” Shaw said at his regular Tuesday press conference. “We were aware of it and knew he could not injury it further by playing. He had a full range of motion and he was at full strength. After the game it got really sore.”
Hogan missed Monday’s practice and was limited on Tuesday. Shaw said he hopes the senior will be ready for full participation by Wednesday.
Stanford does not have the luxury of a full week of practice because the game, against visiting Washington State, is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN.
Cardinal center Graham Schuler said he thought Hogan got “dinged up early, but he’s such a competitor. I don’t think he was slowed down by it at all.”
Shaw said if it came down to it he would have confidence in starting back-up Evan Crower, who has been in the system four years.
“He’s ready to play,” Shaw said. “He could be starting for a lot of teams. He knows what to do.”
Hogan was 18 of 36 for 158 yards against the Irish. He threw a pair of interceptions.
“All things point toward him playing,” Shaw said.
Cardinal recruit transfers
Freshman offensive lineman Reilly Gibbons (6-6, 302) announced he was transferring to the University of South Florida. Gibbons, a 4-star recruit who received 36 verbal offers according to his recruiting website, attended St. Petersburg Catholic in Florida.
“He has a chance to be a good football player,” Shaw said. “We support his decision. He did not do anything wrong and there is no malice on either side. It was a family decision and he can be closer to home.”
Gibbons originally committed to Miami before changing his mind just before the national signing day. Former Stanford assistant Willie Taggart coaches South Florida.
Paly grad gets high marks
Shaw praised Stanford outside linebacker Kevin Anderson for having his best game as a Cardinal.
“Kevin Anderson was everywhere in the game,” Shaw said. “It was awesome to watch. There are positives we need to accentuate.”
Shaw said it was the third straight game in which an outside linebacker played his best game, pointing to James Vaughters’ performance against Army and Peter Kalambayi’s performance against Washington, which earned him Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.
School is in session
Friday night’s game against the Cougars is the first at home since the semester began and players are looking forward to seeing the stands populated with their classmates.
“I want as many students to come to the game as possible,” Stanford running back Remound Wright said. “I want to fill up the ‘Red Zone.'”
“I’m fired up,” Schuler said. “It’s so exciting to have everybody on campus and have a home game.”
Washington State should be favored in this game. Coach Shaw seems unwilling or unable to perceive the fact that the Stanford offensive scheme is failing. Washington State is going to score at least 21, (because they will have so many possessions) and Stanford has no hope of matching that. It has nothing to do with whether the Cardinal running backs weigh 200 or 220. It is the scheme that is failing. There are no holes for the backs. Hogan stares down his receiver like a pitcher taking a sign from a catcher, then winds up and throws it like a pitcher, (and it’s often high and outside.) He’s nice kid, but he hasn’t gotten better (why?) and that isn’t going to work in the Pac 12. Nobody will kick to Montgomery. FG’s are pretty much coin flips, if that.
bottom line: no run, no pass, no kick returns, no FG. Three and outs. Exhausted defense. WSU QB Halliday is really really good. WSU by more than 7.