Toby Gerhart led Stanford to a 37-0 victory running for 140 yards on only 12 touches. What a start to his year.
Here is a good article about him and their big win.
Stanford's Gerhart enlivens run game
By Darren Sabedra
Mercury News
Article Launched: 09/16/2007 01:50:32 AM PDT
Toby Gerhart was tired of hearing that Stanford had no running game, tired of looking up at the scoreboard and seeing the Cardinal on the losing end. So Saturday night against San Jose State, the sophomore running back did something about it.
Held out of the season opener two weeks earlier against UCLA because of a sore hamstring, Gerhart rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries, leading the Cardinal to a 37-0 rout at Stanford Stadium.
Showing the power and elusiveness that made him California's all-time leading high school rusher, the sophomore broke one tackle and ran over a defender on his way to a 48-yard run in the first half. He also scored Stanford's first touchdown, a 14-yard run on the opening drive of the first quarter.
"I loved it," Coach Jim Harbaugh said. "It really brought a balance to our game and a physical presence. He was dragging people, knocking them off the ball."
- Derek Belch kicked field goals of 52, 50 and 37 yards. The 52-yarder was the longest by a Stanford kicker in eight seasons. He also became just the second Stanford kicker to hit two 50-yarders in a game. Rod Garcia had two against USC in 1973.
"They looked at me and asked me if I could make it," Belch said of the 52-yarder. "I gave them the thumbs up. That's huge, when they have confidence to ask you what you think."
- Few people outside of the Stanford program had confidence in the Cardinal defense after it allowed 624 yards
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in a 45-17 loss to UCLA. But Stanford delivered its first shut out since blanking Michigan State in the 1996 Sun Bowl.
Safety Bo McNally had 11 tackles and an interception, leading a unit that allowed just 163 yards, including 32 on the ground.
"Against UCLA, it was a lot of us killing ourselves with missed tackles and such," McNally said. "The last couple of weeks we really focused on improving in those areas, and I think it showed tonight how much we improved and what kind of defense our defense can be when we play well."
- The offense also played well. The line opened holes for the running backs and gave quarterback T.C. Ostrander time to find his receivers. Stanford finished with 506 yards, its most productive day since it gained 563 against San Jose State in 2002.
Gerhart said after a practice last week that it was time for the Cardinal to make a statement. He had injured his hamstring a few days before the season opener and then had to watch Stanford gain just 52 yards on the ground.
"No one gives credit to our running game," he said. 'Everybody said Stanford had no run game and tonight we wanted to come out and prove that - finish the runs, the offensive linemen and wide receivers finishing blocks and just making a statement. I think we did that tonight."
Gerhart rushed for 9,622 yards during his career at Norco High in Riverside County. Asked if his performance brought back memories from high school, Gerhart smiled and said, "A little bit. It felt good to finally have a good game, and I'm anxious to get back out here and run. The new system, the new everything - it just felt awesome."
Stanford had 276 yards on the ground, which was its best day rushing since it had 291 against Arizona in November 2001.
Anthony Kimble had 80 yards and a touchdown in 19 carries.
"I love the way Toby and A.K. run the ball," Ostrander said. "We made a lot of improvement. Both Toby and A.K. were ready to go, especially Toby since he didn't get to play (in the opener). That showed. He was running over guys."
- The 37-point margin of victory was Stanford's largest since it routed San Jose State in September 2004.
- Linebacker Clinton Snyder left the game after the first play because of a pinched nerve in his neck. He was visibly upset as he left the field.
Snyder, arguably the Cardinal's top defensive player, had two 'stingers' and severe cramping in the opener against UCLA. He had hoped Saturday would be different.
Peter Griffin replaced Snyder and finished with one tackle.
