Four takeaways from Troy Taylor's debut win against Hawai'i

The new era of Stanford football got off to a strong start

Author:
Kevin Borba
Updated:
Sep 2, 2023 1:53 PM EDT
Original:
Sep 2, 2023

In this story:

On Thursday evening, Stanford fans were formally introduced to new head coach Troy Taylor.

The former Sacramento State head coach was making his debut as Stanford's head coach against a frisky Hawai'i team that nearly beat Vanderbilt in Week 0 despite being 17.5 point underdogs. The Cardinal went into the game as three point favorites, but walked away with a 37-24 victory in a game where they seemed to have control from start to finish.

I walked away from the game with four major takeaways, so let's dive into what I think are the biggest takeaways from Taylor's debut as the Stanford head coach.

Troy Taylor's offense is electric

The one thing we knew about this team heading in was that the offense would be much more modern and exciting than it was in previous years. Taylor's play calling and offense was as advertised. The offense worked at a great tempo, got the ball into the playmaker's hands, and was creative. The Rainbow Warrior defense never seemed to even have a clue as to what was coming next. It also put an inexperienced quarterback in Ashton Daniels in a great position and allowed him to shine. The Cardinal finished 406 yards of total offense with tight end Benjamin Yurosek leading the way with nine catches for 138-yards and a touchdown.

Ashton Daniels shined in his debut

Nov 5, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ashton Daniels (14) rushes for a touchdown against the Washington State Cougars during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports — Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

This past season we saw Ashton Daniels used only as a wildcat quarterback and emergency running back and it was a complete misuse of his skillset. He was poised in the pocket, showed off great understanding of the offense, and was as accurate as they came. He completed 25-of-36 passes (69%) for 249 yards and two touchdowns, and silenced any talk of the quarterback battle needing to continue.

Bobby April III has unlocked David Bailey

Oct 1, 2022; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass during the first half against Stanford Cardinal defensive end David Bailey (23) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports — Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into last season there was tons of excitement around David Bailey, and while he had a decent showing as a freshman it is clear that Bobby April III has found the perfect way to showcase him. He recorded a team-high three sacks, surpassing his 2.5 sacks from last season and was constantly destroying the pocket and making life hard for the Hawai'i offense. If he can continue to get to and bring down the quarterback, this Stanford defense will be better than most expected.

Benjamin Yurosek is poised for his best year yet

Nov 19, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Benjamin Yurosek (84) celebrates after a touchdown by Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Elijah Higgins (not shown) during the third quarter against the California Golden Bears at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports — Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Benjamin Yurosek is already one of the best tight ends in the country, and it is evident in Taylor's offense that he will get infinite chances to showcase his skillset. Daniels targeted him early and often, and it seemed like he was always open. He is a matchup nightmare that wasn't used enough in past years, but that won't be a problem anymore.