Love aims to fill large shoes at Stanford
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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – There is not going to be another Christian McCaffrey. Let’s all accept that.
“If there was another Christian McCaffrey, I’ll take him,” Stanford coach David Shaw said Thursday at Pac-12 Football Media Days.
The Cardinal might have the next best thing.
With McCaffrey off as a first-round pick to the Carolina Panthers, Bryce Love takes over in the backfield. He’s not just another option now, he’s THE option, and he can be a dynamic weapon behind another massive offensive line.
“There’s no question, every time Bryce has touched the ball for the last two years there is a collective pause that happens on our side or the other sideline,” Shaw said. “There is a gasp that actually happens, you can hear it, with anticipation.
“He averages seven yards a carry for his career, so many long touchdowns, so many explosive plays, he’ll have an opportunity in the return game as well. Catching the ball, running the ball, outside, running the ball between the tackles because he’s not just a scat back, he’s a running back.”
That sounds like Love is going to be utilized a lot, in a variety of ways, and that he could be the next breakout all-purpose back in Stanford’s offense.
He’s excited for it. Not only running between the tackles but getting to the edge, running the ball, catching the ball and being that Mr. Everything that made McCaffrey so special in Stanford’s offense.
“We have a lot of good receivers coming back, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Trent (Irwin), but the big thing about it is Christian kind of opened the door for all-purpose backs at Stanford,” Love said. “We can come in and split out as well and run routes.”
The former four-star speedy all-purpose back who came to Stanford from Wake Forest, N.C., broke down what he learned from McCaffrey by being behind him last season. A lot of it was off-the-field recuperation things that could get overlooked.
Because of his speed, and because he’s not the biggest player in the world, Love will take a lot of painful hits. Recovery is what Love learned most from McCaffrey, and he’s going to take it into this season with gusto.
“It’s not even the stuff he did on the field,” Love said. “The impressive stuff for me was just him waking up really early, coming in, he’s getting recovery, how he approached practice and meetings with that same attitude.
“That was really the character and person he was. He had that same attitude and that same drive with everything he’s doing.
“You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t take the time to prepare, take the time to recover or work smarter in certain situations, it won’t pay off.”
Replacing McCaffrey will be impossible. But Love is ready for his role – coming to an end zone near you.
