[Quack Attack]

Stanford ends camp with enthusiasm

By Darren Sabedra Mercury News
Article Launched: 08/23/2008 10:03:56 PM PDT



Stanford opened fall camp with Coach Jim Harbaugh talking about building a proverbial wall of strength.
"That wall has got to be high; that wall has got to be strong,'' he said. "When people come to attack you, they're looking for weakness.'' The Cardinal ended camp last week with similar enthusiasm, even as the team's health became a bit of an issue.

"We've come a long way,'' quarterback Tavita Pritchard said. "One of our coaches came up before camp started and said, 'All the work we've done in the summer, you've just prepared yourself to do well this season.' We had to come out and have a good camp to be able to do well this season.''

The Cardinal can start reaping the rewards of its off-season preparation when the season opens Thursday against Oregon State at Stanford Stadium.

If excitement were all it took to win, the Cardinal just might reach a bowl game for the first time since 2001.
"We really want to show people what we're all about this year,'' junior defensive end Erik Lorig said. "I think everyone's thinking about that. This is definitely one of those top feelings I must say, above all else, that I've had here in terms of our team. I think it's the first time a lot of people are able to admit that everyone has the same bond coming out of camp.''

Maybe it will turn out to be nothing — simply a precaution, as the players said — but it wasn't a good sign last week that running back Toby Gerhart (hamstring), receiver Richard Sherman (knee) and safety Bo McNally (hamstring) watched practice in shorts and T-shirts. Gerhart missed last season's opener against UCLA because of a hamstring problem, then suffered a season-ending knee injury in the next game against San Jose State.

Harbaugh expects all three to play against Oregon State.The news isn't so encouraging for Austin Yancy — the team's other starting safety — and freshman receiver Chris Owusu. Yancy's hamstring injury is so bad that he might not be back until October. Owusu tore the medial collateral ligament in his knee during a scrimmage Tuesday and also isn't expected back until October."He was doing a marvelous job,'' Harbaugh said of Owusu.

Sophomore Taylor Skaufel, who was competing with Yancy, is expected to move into a starting role. Owusu was projected to be in a receiver rotation that includes Sherman, Doug Baldwin and Ryan Whalen.

It's being touted as Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh on Oregon State's Web site. Jay Harbaugh — Jim's son — is a freshman student assistant coach on Mike Riley's staff. Jim Harbaugh played quarterback under Riley with the San Diego Chargers and considers his former coach a good friend. As for his chats these days with Jay, Jim said, "He doesn't say anything about his team; I don't see anything about our team."

Offensive coordinator David Shaw liked what he saw during camp. "There has been a lot (of surprises), from the young guys stepping up and learning the system a little quicker than we thought to having all three quarterbacks play at a high level,'' he said.Pritchard has been atop the depth chart since Aug. 12, followed by Alex Loukas and Michigan transfer Jason Forcier.