College Football
Pac-10 preview: No. 9 Stanford Cardinal

PAUL SAKUMA / AP Quarterback Trent Edwards could be in for a big sophomore season.

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2003: 4-7 (2-6 in Pac-10).

Coach: Buddy Teevens (third year, 6-16).

What's to like: QB Trent Edwards should be ready to blossom, WR Mark Bradford caught 37 balls, and defense returns nine starters, including second-team all-league S Oshiomogho Atogwe.

Up in the air: Of 17 OL on roster, only one is a junior or older. Receivers to complement Bradford are unproven. Cardinal recorded league-worst 22 sacks last year.

Impact newcomer: OT Alex Fletcher, freshman from New York, has impressed coaches.

Key performer: TE Alex Smith caught 30 balls as a sophomore, but dropped to 24 and a 7.7-yard average in 2003.

Stud student: CB Leigh Torrence made Pac-10 all-academic team with a 3.03 GPA in political science.

Bottom line: There's significantly less buzz about Stanford than any program in the league, and any sort of repeat performance likely will cost Teevens his job. Defense may carry the team, but a traditionally entertaining team needs to upgrade offense (186 points in '03) drastically.

Offense
Pos.	Player	Yr.	Comment
WR	Mark Bradford	So.	37 receptions, 587 yards as true freshman
LT	Jon Cochran	So.	Biggest Cardinal OL (6-6, 315)
LG	Ismail Simpson	So.	Started every game as freshman in '03
C	Brian Head	Jr.	Started first four games, then injured
RG	Josiah Vinson	So.	Started three games as a freshman
RT	Jeff Edwards	So.	Started eight games as a freshman
TE	Alex Smith	Sr.	55 career receptions, 585 yards
FL	Evan Moore	So.	Big target (6-7) plays hoops, too
QB	Trent Edwards	So.	Started 4 games; just 45 pct. completions
FB	Kris Bonifas	Jr.	Former LB missed last year with injury
RB	J.R. Lemon	Jr.	Will share job with Kenneth Tolan
K	Michael Sgroi	Jr.	Two-year starter; 7 of 13 FGs in '03
Defense
Pos.	Player	Yr.	Comment
DE	Jon Alston	Jr.	Moved from LB to help pass rush
DT	Julian Jenkins	Jr.	Moves inside from DE
NT	B. Oshinowo	Jr.	Honorable mention Pac-10 in '03
DE	Will Svitek	Sr.	Returning starter in on 20 tackles a year ago
OLB	Jared Newberry	Sr.	Former walk-on is a co-captain this year
ILB	David Bergeron	Sr.	Third on team with 66 tackles last year
ILB	K. Schimmelmann	Jr.	Made 49 tackles, including eight for loss
CB	Stanley Wilson	Sr.	Has started 18 games past two seasons
SS	Brandon Harrison	So.	Played as true freshman in '03
FS	O. Atogwe	Sr.	Led team in tackles each of past two years
CB	Leigh Torrence	Sr.	Broke up team-high 11 passes
P	Jay Ottovegio	Fr.	Big-time recruit redshirted last season

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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