The Stanford Daily Vol. 260 Big Game Issue (01.20.22)

November 20, 2021

The Stanford Daily

Vol. 260

GREAT AXE-PECTATIONS VS.

PREDICTIONS Stanford (3-7, 2-6 Pac-12) California (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12)

Daily staffers share their score predictions ahead of Big Game

By DAILY STAFF Stanford (3-7, 2-6 Pac-12) will face Cal (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) this Saturday for the 124th Big Game — a series that Stanford historically leads. The last four Big Games have been decided by an average of just 4.5 points. Will this year’s match up be equally close? Our writers share their predictions.

CYBELE ZHANG STANFORD 16, CAL 13: A third ofthe C alteam

has been outforthe lastw eek w ith C O VID -19,w hich m eans the G olden Bears haven’tbeen practicing as usual.W hile this extra tim e m ightm ean m ore restand film review,Ithink the Berkeley players’m inds have been elsew here — C hase G arbers taking

to Tw itter,forexam ple.This w illbe a rough gam e to w atch w ith neitherside playing particularly w ell,butIthink fifth-yearlinebackerG abe R eid and the Stanford defense can top the Bears’ lacklusteroffense and edge outa w in,though it’llprobably com e dow n to the fourth quarter — especially ifthe C ardinal struggle to score early again.D espite the injuries,Stanford’s players need to fightlike theirlives depend on it(a featthey haven’taccom plished since playing O regon)because a few C ardinalcoaches m ightfind ithard to defend theirjobs postseason ifthe losing skid persists.

NOAH MALTZMAN STANFORD 23, CAL 13: Afterhaving a large portion of a team unable to play orpractice,C alw illbe rusty.The lack of training and in-person preparation forthe Big G am e is very detrim entalto theirchances ofw inning.Thatbeing said,Stanford has nothad the m ostim pressive season either.W ith both team s currently atthree w ins,itis hard to say w hich team has had a m ore disappointing season.D espite notplaying forbow l eligibility,both team s are playing forThe Axe and need to play w ith a heightened intensity and vigor.In addition,sophom ore quarterback TannerM cKee m ostlikely being outw ith injury could give freshm an AriPatu a chance to shine athom e.H ow ever,w ith a defense third in the Pac-12 forpoints allow ed and fourth in the Pac-12 foryards given up pergam e,the Stanford offense m ay struggle,leading to a low erscoring gam e.

SOFIA SCEKIC STANFORD 24, CAL 21: Like C ybele and N oah already noted,a substantialportion ofC al’s footballteam has notbeen able to practice due to C O VID -19.W hile som e m ightsay this could be beneficialto allow players an extra w eek to healfrom

Please see PREDICTIONS, page 2

HEALTHIER CARDINAL RETURN TO PALO ALTO

By DANIEL WU SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In the back of Stanford football’s team-auditorium, there’s a picture of the team’s seniors holding The Axe. “That’s something we always talk about,” said fifth-year outside linebacker Gabe Reid on Tuesday.

“At the end of the week, we want to have our seniors up there.”

So ignore any suggestion that the stakes aren’t as high for the 124th Big Game, when Stanford (3-7, 2-6 Pac-12) hosts California (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) in a battle for the bottom of the Pac-12 North. This is the Cardinal’s best remaining chance to put aside a disastrous mid-season collapse and remind themselves what it feels like to win — and to do it against their most important opponent.

“It’s not about any of the previous games,” said head coach David Shaw. “It’s not about next week ... This is Big Game week, and that’s what our guys are focused on: trying to keep The Axe for the seniors on our football team.”

Shaw may not like to look back, but Stanford’s struggles after upsetting No. 3 Oregon over a month ago loom large in the context of this year’s rivalry game. Shaw’s first losing season in 2019 was punctuated by his first loss to Cal. Reclaiming The Axe over the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 helped Stanford recover mo-

Please see PREVIEW, page 5 SYLER PERALTA-RAMOS/ The Stanford Daily

Sophomore tight end Benjamin Yurosek (right) has 502 yards on 32 receptions this season. The 6-foot-5 Bakersfield-native also has two touchdowns.

18 AND 0

Tanner McKee and Isaiah Sanders share an unlikely bond in the quarterback room

BY DANIEL WU SENIOR STAFF WRITER

T

anner McKee has thrown the game-winning pass to topple No. 3 Oregon in overtime. He’s played and won in the roar of the Coliseum.

But if you really want to get him going, ask him who wins when he plays Isaiah Sanders in ping pong.

“See, I could see him saying that he beats me,” McKee said, “but that is definitely a lie.”

“He’s probably told you that he’s better, and he is,” Sanders said. But he’s quick to add that it’s gotten closer and that he’d never give McKee that much credit to his face.

Friendly competition and trash talk is nothing new to the Stanford quarterback room, but McKee and Sanders might be the most unlikely friendship to come out of it. The sophomore and sixth-year came to the Farm from worlds apart — in every sense of the word. McKee came to Stanford after a two-year LDS mission in Brazil, and Sanders from Colorado, where he graduated a second lieutenant from the Air Force Academy.

Because of their varied paths, this season has meant very different things to the two quarterbacks.

For McKee, it’s his first year starting at his dream school. For

Sanders, it’s a last chance to play the sport he loves before embarking on his next chapter. But their differences have made for a tightknit friendship that has helped both quarterbacks grow both on and off the field.

“I could say a lot about Tanner,” Sanders said. “He’s one of my closest friends on the team, for sure — honestly, just closest friend in general.”

That wasn’t always the case.

The two quarterbacks arrived at Stanford in the same year, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupt-

Please see QB, page 7

The Stanford Daily Gameday

2 Saturday, November 20, 2021

PREDICTIONS Continued from page 1 injuries and give theirbody som e extra rest,it’s also likely very disruptive to theirtraining schedule and w illdo m ore harm than good.Stanford,m eanw hile,is riding a five-gam e losing streak and should be extra m otivated to w in this gam e in orderto snap outofthe slum p.Bow leligibility is out ofthe question forboth team s,so they’re playing forpride atthis point.Ithink the factthatStanford has been able to practice consistently the lasttw o w eeks w hile C alhas dealt w ith the added distraction ofC O VID cases should justbarely putStanford on top in this 124th edition ofBig G am e.

SHAN REDDY STANFORD 17, CAL 13: W hile the Bears have been battered by injury,they have been able to putup points w hen helm ed by quarterback C hase G arbers.H ow ever,it w illbe the finalBig G am e form ostofthe players on Stanford’s experienced defense.M eanw hile,the C aldefense has largely shutdow n opposing rushing attacks;expectm any three-and-outdrives forthe C ardinaloffense.This w illbe a low -scoring affairfortw o struggling team s loaded w ith starters playing fora good m em ory to end theircollege footballcareers.

JOHN P. LOZANO/isiphotos.com

One of the numerous Big Game traditions is the “stare down” in which members of both schools’ respective axe committees gather on the field. The winner of each year’s game takes the trophy back to their campus.

AXE COMMITTEE

Setting the Scene Spirit groups prepare traditional campus events

By STANFORD STICKNEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Big Game Week, now in its 124th year, heralds the ageold rivalry that unifies institutions in fervent opposition against the other. The culmination of a season is answered with, “Who won the Big Game?”

A disappointing stretch in football can be redeemed and a near perfect season ruined by the singular loss or a play that determines the game. Cal devotees cite the 1982 game, namely “The Play,” with pride. In response, Stanford fans point out that the Cal running back for “The Play” is serving a life sentence.

But the history and culture of the Big Game extends beyond the football stadiums themselves and into the student body at large. Folklore is born from this competition. History builds upon itself, and new generations carry the mantle — a weight borne especially by the schools’ respective student-run spirit committees.

Since the early 1900s, the Stanford Rally Committee has been a key student-run organization that fosters school spirit and tradition. Subsequently renamed the “Stanford Axe Commission” and then in 1984 renamed again as the

“Stanford Axe Committee,” the group organizes various events leading up to the Big Game.

Across the Bay, the UC Rally Committee has kept its original name and signature logo of yellow and blue rugby stripes since its inception in 1901.

Both organizations wave Scan the QR code above to their respective colors, blow a watch a video of Axe Comm whistle or cannon in victory performing their Big Game traand are in charge of cultivating ditions this year. school spirit.

As the clock winds down in the last five minutes of the Big Game, look for the bearers of the Stanford Axe on the sideline at the Stanford Stadium and the opposing school that hopes to take possession. This event is known as “The Stare Down,” and it happens a few minutes prior to the potential transfer of the coveted and rarely seen Axe.

I

JIBRIEL TAHA STANFORD 24, CAL 20: Stanford is in free fall,but the fanfare ofrivalry w eek and getting to hostthe gam e this yearshould help getthem on theirfeet.Tw o ofthe m ostim portantplayers to the Stanford squad,Tanner M cKee and juniorC B Kyu Blu Kelly,are both listed as probable.Juniorsafety Jonathan M cG illis expected to m ake his firstappearance ofthe season.The key nam es thatStanford gets back,com bined w ith facing a team fresh offofa C O VID -19 debacle,gives the C ardinalthe edge.

DANIEL WU STANFORD 27, CAL 24: TannerM cKee is back, and that’s allthatm atters.H is arm talentw illbe justenough to getStanford across the line againsta C alteam thatlosta w eek ofpractice to C O VID -19 protocols.D on’tcountout C alquarterback C hase G arbers and a Bears offense that played O regon close.Butoverlooked in Stanford’s loss to O regon State w as a C ardinaldefensive perform ance that show ed atleasta pulse againstthe top rushing team in the conference,holding running back BJ Baylorto under100 yards and stopping the Beavers on a key fourth dow n.If Stanford can step itup athom e w ith The Axe on the line, they’llhold offa m uch w eakerC alattack.

ZACH ZAFRAN STANFORD 20, CAL 13: IfTannerM cKee returns

Bay bands battle n anticipation of “Big Game,” the annual battle-of-the-Bay football match between Stanford and University of California at Berkeley, the two schools’ marching bands are working overtime for their most important event of the year.

Like the schools they represent, the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (LSJUMB) and the University of California Marching Band (Cal Band) are similar in more ways than they like to acknowledge. To be sure, Cal Band

a w eird gam e in a w eird season forStanford,w ho knocked offthen-N o.3 O regon and then prom ptly dropped five straightgam es.I’m notquite sure how each ofthe team s w illgetthese scores (six C ardinalfield goals and a touchdow n? H ave a day Joshua Karty),butIam quite sure that this is w hatthe finalscore w illlook like.Stanford shuts dow n the G olden Bears w ith one ofits bestdefensive perform ances ofthe season,C alreturns from C O VID -19 rusty and The Axe stays on The Farm .

Please see SPIRIT, page 5

Arts & Life

By PEYTON LEE Desk Editor

JEREMY RUBIN STANFORD 25, CAL 18: Scoragam itim e!Iexpect

is a 200-plus-member “military” ensemble while the LSJUMB “scatter band” boasts only a few dozen musicians. Still, as students from both organizations attest, the two are heartfelt, student-run groups with a surprising camaraderie on and off the field.

Both LSJUMB and Cal Band have packed schedules of rallies and pre-BigGame traditions. On Monday, LSJUMB gathered in White Plaza to host their annual “Bearial,” a solemn mock funeral for Cal’s mascot Oski. On Wednesday morning up in Berkeley, Cal Band accompanied a chemistry professor as they ceremonially turned a red chemical blue for “Big

Titration.”

On top of an increasingly intense rehearsal schedule, both bands play at events and rallies around the Bay the week before Big Game, including “Big Sail” and “Big Freeze.” Though in past years the bands have played together at a Big Game rally on Pier 39, this event has been canceled this year due to COVID-19.

Still, despite virus restrictions, dozens of performances are occurring; the hectic week has inspired a common motto between the musicians: “no sleep until Big Game.” Clearly, the bands share common

Please see BAND, page 8

to the gridiron,the Stanford footballteam w e’llsee on Saturday is going to be a w hole lotdifferentthan the one that has show n up in the pastfew w eeks.N ow,that’s notsaying m uch,considering the C ardinalhave dropped five straightand looked farfrom im pressive on both sides of the ball.Butthe return ofthe gunslingeratleastputs som eone atthe helm w ho has proven they can com m and the offense and take overthe gam e.Plus,C alhas not seen the field in w eeks due to theirC O VID situation.Even w hen they w ere able to com pete,theirlastouting saw them drop a gam e to Arizona,w ho held a nation-high losing streak of20 gam es.The expectations are low forthe G olden Bears.

GAVIN MCDONELL STANFORD 17, CAL 20: This one hurts to w rite, butIthink The Axe is returning to Berkeley this year.After Stanford’s 52-7 loss to U tah and 35-14 loss to O regon State,I’m notfeeling particularly optim istic aboutthe C ardinal’s chances.As Zach noted,the potentialreturn of M cKee could turn the tides,butthis is a big “if”.In any event,Isee the gam e com ing dow n to the w ire,perhaps decided by a last-m inute field goalby the Bears.

JORDAN JOHN LEE STANFORD 10, CAL 7: W ith three w ins foreach program ,Ithink this 124th m atchup w illbe a toss-up.Both team s have struggled to find consistency since the beginning ofthe season.AfterStanford’s unlikely upsetover O regon,the C ardinalcould notsustain theirm om entum due to unfortunate injuries am ong starplayers Tanner M cKee and Brycen Trem ayne.C al’s C O VID situation has lim ited theirexperience on the field.The uncertainty each team has surrounding it’s opponent’s strategy leads m e predicta low -scoring gam e w ith the C ardinaltaking the advantage purely because ofplaying tim e and the hom e-field advantage.

ARMAN KASSAM STANFORD 24, CAL 18: Stanford’s recentsetof gam es hasn’tgiven m e m uch optim ism aboutthe course of Big G am e,butoutofthe sheernaivete ofboundless, youthfuloptim ism Iw illstand by m y alm a m aterand predict victory.Ialso foresee incredible hotdog sales,and,yes, the return ofvaporw ave as a legitim ate aesthetic.H uzzah.

ELLS BOONE STANFORD 31, CAL 17: This is really allthe C ardi-

Graphic: CAITLIN KUNCHUR/The Stanford Daily

LSJUMB and Cal Band are more alike than they want to admit, with both groups emphasizing heartfelt performances and school spirit. Both bands worked overtime in preperation for Big Game, leading to the musician motto, “no sleep until Big Game.”

nalhave leftto play forthis season,so you know they w ill com e outam ped up on Saturday.This is w here itis great having a head coach w ho played atStanford and know s justhow m uch the rivalry m eans.TannerM cKee is probable to play,so the offense has the chance to getback to producing points.W ith C alcom ing offa big C O VID -19 pause,theirplayers w illnotbe in the sam e levelofshape as the C ardinal,so D avid Shaw needs to use thatto his advantage.IfStanford’s offense can getback to par,Idon’t think C alcan keep the pace.

Gameday The Stanford Daily

Saturday, November 20, 2021 3

Highlights from the last 100

By ZACH ZAFRAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This year, Stanford Stadium celebrates its centennial. Throughout the 100-year history of the venue, a number of events in the stadium have made their mark on the history books.

As the long-standing home of Stanford football, football has obviously been integral to the identity of the stadium. But its significance to the sport does not stop with the Cardinal. Stanford Stadium hosted Super Bowl XIX in 1985 when the hometown San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins, 3816. In addition to football, it’s held many important soccer matches, ranging from the 1984 Summer Olympics events to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Beyond athletics, the stadium has served as the home for various high-profile events.

In 1928, Herbert Hoover gave his acceptance speech for the Republican Presidential nomination on the same soil where the U.S. and TUAN ANH NGUYEN/The Stanford Daily Soviet national teams held a track meet, 34 Stanford Stadium was first constructed in 1921 and, despite remodeling, has since seen years later in 1962. numerous monumetal moments in Big Game and Cardinal football history.

However, of the numerous things that have occurred at the site, none have been more important than the inaugural event: Big the Bears up, ending Stanford’s bid at a his- tion. Anchored by a dominant defense that Game. toric upset. only gave up 33 points the entire year, BerkeHere’s a look back at some of the best ley shut out Stanford on their own turf, securgames between the cross-bay rivals that have The Top-10 ing a victory before winning the Rose Bowl taken place in Stanford Stadium. and ultimately capping off their undefeated 10. 1953: STANFORD 21, CALIFORNIA 21 In front of a complete sellout crowd of over victory with a national championship, which is Honorable Mentions 90,000 spectators, Stanford entered the day their most recent to date.

1933: STANFORD 7, CALIFORNIA 3 with a lot on the line. A win would not only seThis low-scoring bout was the first game in cure The Axe for the first time since 1946 but 7. 2013: STANFORD 63, CALIFORNIA 13 No. 10 Stanford put on a performance for which The Axe was introduced. Both sides de- would also grant Stanford a berth to the Rose cided that The Axe was the perfect trophy for Bowl. However, a five-interception perform- the ages, setting the record for the largest such an event, and it certainly has held true. ance from Stanford quarterback Bob Garrett margin of victory in a Big Game. This victory, Since its conception, The Axe has had a rich ’54 coupled with a pair of late scores from the coupled with an upset loss for the Oregon history of its own. Following this 1933 Bears resulted in a tie. The tie and a UCLA Ducks, enabled Stanford to clinch the Pac-12 matchup, the winner of each Big Game would win over USC gave UCLA a spot in the Rose North for the third straight year and placed the Cardinal in the Pac-12 Championship, be awarded the trophy for the year and have Bowl over Stanford. where they ultimately defeated the Arizona the score of the game engraved on the trophy’s State Sun Devils 38-14. plaque, with Stanford coming out on top first.

9. 1975: CALIFORNIA 48, STANFORD 15 One year removed from the 1974 Big 1989: STANFORD 24, CALIFORNIA 14 Game, where Stanford won at Memorial Sta- 6. 1971: STANFORD 14, CALIFORNIA 0 A dominant defensive performance from Another game that marks a milestone, this dium with a field goal as time expired, No. 13 matchup was the first time The Big Game Cal came to Stanford Stadium with a No. 18 Stanford enabled them to avenge their would be played under the lights. Traditional- vengeance. This game set a new record for loss against the Bears from the previous year ly, the Stanford-Cal matchup took place with a points scored by a single team in the Big and gave them their ninth Big Game victory in 1 p.m. kickoff. However, the 92nd Big Game Game, as the Bears reached 48 points. It’s no 11 years. This Big Game gave Stanford the had a scheduled start at 3:30 p.m., which was surprise it was done in a year in which Cal Pac-8 title and sent them on their way to the the latest in the history of the event at that had the country’s top-ranked offense, Rose Bowl for the second year in a row, where point. With portable lights set up around the backed by five All-Americans. Both teams they upset No. 4 Michigan, 13-12. stadium and a sellout crowd, the Cardinal entered the game on hot streaks, as Stanford walked away with a victory. was riding a five-game win streak and the 5. 2015: STANFORD 35, CALIFORNIA 22 It was the Christian McCaffery ’18 show at Bears had won seven of their previous eight, 1947: CALIFORNIA 21, STANFORD 18 but Cal prevailed largely due to running Stanford Stadium this night, as the running The 50th Big Game was not supposed to be back Chuck Muncie’s five touchdown per- back led the No. 11 Cardinal to a victory thanks to a school-record 389 all-purpose a very exciting game. No. 9 Cal entered the formance. yards performance. Stanford clinched a spot game with an impressive 8-1 record, and Stanin the Pac-12 championship game with the win. ford was winless. Surprisingly, the Cardinal 8. 1937: CALIFORNIA 13, STANFORD 0 held a lead with under three minutes to go in This was the year No. 2 Cal dominated all This Big Game set the stage for a memorable the game, but an 8-yard touchdown pass put of college football, and Stanford was no excep- rest of the season where the Cardinal went on

to upset No. 4 Notre Dame, 38-36, win the Pac12 Championship against No. 24 USC, 41-22, and earn a Rose Bowl victory against No. 5 Iowa, 45-16.

4. 1999: STANFORD 31, CALIFORNIA 13

Coming off of a season in which they finished 3-8, Stanford entered the game with lots to prove. Their 18-point victory, highlighted by the longest run in Big Game history, a 94yard touchdown run from fullback Casey Moore ’02, gave them their first undisputed Pac-10 title and sent them to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1972.

3. 1951: CALIFORNIA 20, STANFORD 7

This top-20 matchup between No. 3 Stanford and No. 19 Cal did not disappoint. In front of a crowd of 90,000 fans, undefeated Stanford was looking to help their case for a national championship berth. However, the 13-point favorites failed to secure a victory, and the Bears took home The Axe, ruining Stanford’s season along the way.

2. 2019: CALIFORNIA 24, STANFORD 20

In the most recent Big Game to take place in Stanford Stadium, the meeting went down to the wire. 2019’s matchup was about flipping the script, as the Bears earned their first Big Game victory since 2009. With only a little over two minutes left in the game, punter Ryan Sanborn ’23, who was forced into kicking duties mid-season, knocked down a 44-yard field goal to give Stanford a three-point lead. However, with only 1:04, Cal stormed right down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 16-yard run from quarterback Chase Garbers. On the ensuing drive, a stop by the Bears on fourth-and-1 sealed the victory and gave Berkeley students all the reason to rush the field. Beyond the game itself, Cal became bowl eligible following the win while Stanford’s loss would ultimately keep them from postseason contention, ending a 10-year streak of bowl appearances.

1. 2009: CALIFORNIA 34, STANFORD 28

In another top-25 matchup, the No. 25 Bears clawed back early from a 14-0 deficit to take this one, handing No. 17 Stanford their only home loss that season. Despite including one of college football’s top players in quarterback Andrew Luck ’12, this game was a battle of the trenches. Cal’s Shane Vereen had 42 (yes, 42!) carries for 193 yards and three touchdowns, while Stanford’s Toby Gerhart ’11 took his 20 carries for 136 yards and four touchdowns. After taking the Cardinal all the way to the Bears’ 13-yard line with just under two minutes to spare, Luck was intercepted, and Cal would go on to take The Axe away from Stanford — as well as the Cardinal’s hope for a Rose Bowl appearance. To top it all off, Cal students rushed the field, making Stanford Stadium their own for the night.

The Stanford Daily Gameday

4 Saturday, November 20, 2021

ULA LUCAS/The Stanford Daily

A member of The Band climbs atop The Claw and skewers a teddy bear representing Oski, Cal’s mascot, at its apex.

BIG GAME TRADITIONS Impaled bears and cardinal red fountains herald the arrival of Big Game week

BY ALEX TSAI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

W

hen Stanford’s fountains run cardinal red, Hoover Tower is bathed in crimson light and a teddy bear is brutally impaled at the tip of The Claw, it can only mean one thing: Big Game is near.

Big Game is not merely an annual meeting of two of college football’s longest-standing rivals, Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley — it’s cause for a week-long campus celebration imbued with Stanford spirit, camaraderie and ritual. Big Game week is steeped in tradition, with yearly commemorations of a rivalry that dates back to 1892. As the 124th Big Game approaches, the festivities will soon begin, campus abuzz with fervent energy and school spirit. And after a year of virtual gatherings, students are more excited than ever for the return of in-person celebrations.

Bearial The Stanford Band is an important steward of Big Game week tradition. Every year, members of The Band lead the annual “Bearial of the Cal Bear,” or Bearial for short — a procession of band members carrying a wooden casket across campus. The casket contains a teddy bear representing Oski, Cal’s mascot. The journey across campus ends at White Memorial Fountain, better known as “The Claw,” where students gather to listen to a brief eulogy for Oski, followed by the public execution. A member of The Band climbs atop The Claw and skewers the teddy bear at its apex in effigy.

Bearial took place on Monday.

Axe Comm The Stanford Axe Committee (Axe Comm) is also a keeper of Big Game week tradition and guardian of the Stanford Axe, the trophy of the annual Big Game. In the week before the contest, Axe Comm enhances campus with Big Game decorations, such as hanging giant

“WHEN STANFORD CALLS AND ASKS YOU TO BE PART OF IT IN ANY CAPACITY, I DON’T THINK YOU SAY NO.” “Beat Cal” banners on Green Library, dyeing the fountains a grisly crimson to symbolize Oski’s blood and lighting up Hoover Tower with ominous red light. Axe Comm also leads a campout in White Plaza prior to the game for the same number of hours as the number of Big Games held thus far, blowing a train whistle every hour in countdown — this year, they’ll be camping out for 124 hours. Axe Comm also hosts an annual Big Game Rally in Memorial Auditorium featuring a retelling of the history of the Axe, a freshman dorm banner contest and recognition of senior football players before their final Big Game.

Gaieties Every year during Big Game week, Ram’s Head Theatrical Society puts on Gaieties, a student-

composed musical performed in Memorial Auditorium. The first iteration of the show in 1911 was known as “Football Follies,” a performance to rally students for the Stanford vs. Cal rugby game, and by the 1970s, it had evolved to revolve around the theme of Beating Cal. Gaieties is Stanford’s longest standing theatrical tradition, and while different every year, every production of Gaities exalts Stanford and derides Cal. No Gaities is complete without cameos by university administrators (even President Marc Tessier-Lavigne has made a surprise appearance).

Every year, Gaieties galvanizes the student body with energy and school spirit. This year, Gaieties will be performed on Nov. 17, 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium, and tickets can be pur-

chased here.

Other Athletic Events Stanford and Cal compete throughout the fall in various other sports both at the varsity and club level, where each matchup is named in honor of Big Game: “Big Splash” (water polo), “Big Spike” (volleyball), “Big Sweep” (quidditch), “Big Freeze” (ice hockey), “Big Sail” (sailing) and Ink Bowl (a flag football game between members of Stanford and Cal’s student newspapers).

Scan the QR code above to watch a video of the 2021 Bearial.

FOOTBALL ROUNDTABLE

Charting the course against Cal

By CYBELE ZHANG DESK EDITOR

By SOFIA SCEKIC DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

By ELLS BOONE DESK EDITOR

By DREW SILVA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The 124th Big Game is upon us. Despite the fact that the Cardinal (3-7, 2-6 Pac-12) have lost their last five, there’s still a sense that a win versus UC Berkeley (3-6, 2-4 Pac-12) can somewhat mellow the sour note on which the season has descended.

For better or worse, the Golden Bears will enter the game on a bye-week of sorts after being forced to postpone last week’s game due to 44 positive COVID-19 cases within the California program. On the other side, Stanford too seems surprisingly refreshed, with key players like sophomore quarterback Tanner McKee listed as probable and junior safety Jonathan McGill expected to play for the first time this season.

Stanford has won 10 of the last 11 Big Games, but there are no guarantees — as this season has already shown. Sofia Scekic, Ells Boone and Drew Silva discuss turnovers, the offensive line, managing the fourth quarter and special teams heading into Saturday’s showdown.

Cybele Zhang [CZ]: Stanford had three turnovers last week versus Oregon State. Will having McKee back at the Cardinal’s helm correct these possession issues or are there larger problems at play?

Sofia Scekic [SS]: Having McKee back leading the Cardinal’s offense

should correct some of these possession issues. McKee has been good at taking care of the football thus far, though he has thrown five interceptions this season. All five were across just two games, however, so he also has six interceptionfree games and has yet to lose a fumble this season. Junior running back Austin Jones’ fumble last week was inexcusable, but the other two turnovers came on interceptions thrown by quarterbacks Ari Patu, a freshman, and Dylan Plautz, a senior walk-on. Getting McKee back under center should greatly limit turnovers from interceptions.

Ells Boone [EB]: I think McKee’s return will definitely help the Cardinal correct their possession issues.

McKee brings a calming presence to the offense. To add on to Sofia’s point, his five interceptions came against two pretty good defenses, Arizona State and Washington.

Cal’s defense is not at the same level as those two. So as long as McKee does not have too much rust to shake off, look for Stanford’s offense to (hopefully) be turnover free in Big Game.

Drew Silva [DS]: As Sofia and Ells mentioned, all five of McKee’s interceptions came against Arizona State or Washington — two of the three best passing defenses in the Pac-12. While the absence of McKee certainly cannot be blamed for running backs’ ball security, his return should eliminate some of the turnovers made by the inexperienced Patu and Plautz.

CZ: In Tuesday’s press conference, head coach David Shaw announced that junior offensive guard Branson Bragg will miss the remainder of the season. The Stanford offensive line has already struggled arguably more than any other position group this season; what does his loss mean for the offense? Will the

their coffin (see Washington).

How should the Cardinal ensure that they finish strong this week?

Do you predict the game coming down to the fourth quarter, or will one team run away with it earlier?

SS: I think this week we’ll see the opposite trend; I predict that Stanford will start out slowly as McKee gets back into the swing of the game and will ultimately finish strong with a victory. On offense, the Cardinal will need to put together longer drives and protect the ball late in the game to help keep their defense off the field. While the defense is on the field near the end of the game, it will need to play against Cal’s twominute offense well enough to prevent big plays that gain a lot of yardage and prevent another lastSYLER PERALTA-RAMOS/The Stanford Daily minute score, like we saw in the Junior running backs Nathaniel Peat (above) and Austin Jones will likely 122nd Big Game. I do see this year’s be relied upon to make progress on the ground against a Cal defense that game coming down to the fourth quarter, but if Stanford can protect may be rusty after a week off. the ball and keep the Bears’ offense Cardinal ever truly establish a Even before the loss of Bragg, I off the field, the Cardinal should think it was too late in the season for come out with the win. run game?

SS: It’s a little too late in the season Stanford to (finally) establish its run EB: I agree with Sofia. I think for the Cardinal to establish a run game, but now it seems like an even Stanford will get off to a slow start, game, particularly now that they’ve slimmer possibility. At this point, but build some momentum and start lost one of their better linemen. the offensive line needs to be able to to take over the game as it goes Turning the offense back over to give McKee enough time to get the along. In order to ensure they do so, the Cardinal defense will have to get McKee — if he’s able to return this ball out of the pocket. week — combined with the recent DS: At this point in the season, like some stops. I am confident that return of players like senior wide Sofia and Ells have said, Stanford’s McKee can lead Stanford to a victoreceiver Michael Wilson, should hopes of establishing the run game ry, but the defense will need to step help with a lot of the Cardinal’s of- are slim to none. Even before up, especially in the fourth quarter. fensive struggles. The rest of the of- Bragg’s injury, the Cardinal were DS: I agree that the offense will fensive line and running backs the only team in the conference to take some time to find its groove as Jones and fellow junior Nathaniel average less than 100 rushing yards McKee takes the field for the first Peat, are going to have to do what per game. However, Stanford has time since the loss against Washingthey can to take some of the pres- won games this season with a strug- ton. I would not be surprised if the sure off of McKee in the last two gling offensive line and could cer- Cardinal fall behind early, but if the defense can contain the Golden weeks. But I can’t see Jones, Peat tainly win another. and the O-line turning it around to CZ: In last year’s Big Game, the Bears’ offense and keep it close in the point we can say they’ll have Cardinal scored zero points in the the first half, I think Stanford will be fourth quarter. Stanford this year in a great position to secure the win. truly established a run game.

EB: This loss of course is big for has seen fourth quarters go in I expect the Cardinal to win the secStanford as Bragg is arguably the their favor (see Oregon) and have Please see BEARS, page 7 best linemen the Cardinal have. seen fourth quarters put a nail in

Gameday The Stanford Daily

Saturday, November 20, 2021 5

ONLINE SIMULATION

Simulating all-time best Big Game

By NOAH MALTZMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It is the most important week in Bay Area collegiate sports — Big Game Week. Fans have witnessed many impressive performances from Stanford and Berkeley players alike in college and in the NFL. So, in anticipation of the Cardinal facing the Golden Bears, I thought to myself: “Who were some of the best players to ever play in Big Game, and how would they fare against each other?”

To answer that question, I used WhatIfSports — an online sportssimulation website — to simulate an all-time Big Game between the best of the best of both schools.

One key thing to note about WhatIfSports is that they cannot do all-time rosters, as the players and statistics they provide only go back to 1997. As such, all-time greats like Stanford quarterback John Elway ’83 will not be included in my simulation. In addition, there is no way to make all-time defenses for either team, so defenses will be from a specific year’s starting line-up, not made up of all-time players.

I chose the players for each team

PREVIEW Continued from page 1 mentum following the lackluster 2019 season, but the team’s freefall this season threatens to revive doubts about a program that once had Pac-12 Championship standards.

Shaw has never entered Big Game week on a five-game losing streak. His team, sitting at only three wins with two games to play, teeters on the brink of an even worse record than the 4-8 nadir of 2019.

This year, losing The Axe again might be one blow too many.

“It’s been a tough season,” said senior wide receiver Michael Wilson. “So to put a cherry on top and win The Axe in front of our fans is going to be really special.”

Thankfully, Stanford should make its stand with starting quarterback Tanner McKee back under center. Shaw said on Tuesday that the sophomore is probable for Saturday’s game, and the last two weeks have shown how indispensable McKee’s arm talent is for the team. Without QB1, the Cardinal put up just 21 points in two games, while playing four quarterbacks who combined for two touchdowns, three interceptions and a meager 179 passing yards.

McKee has been sidelined for two weeks with a knee injury but was off crutches and throwing in practice before the Oregon State game. Shaw stated he won’t dial things back for his starter if McKee is good to return.

“That might be the one dirty look he’d ever give me,” Shaw said when asked if he would reduce McKee’s playbook. “If he’s back and ready to go, he understands this offense extremely well, so we want to make sure he’s got the full complement.”

McKee’s arm talent should allow Stanford’s pass catchers to finally shine after being limited by the carousel of backup quarterbacks. Junior wide receiver Elijah Higgins is questionable for Saturday and sophomore wide receiver John Humphreys has been quiet since returning from injury, but in their absence sophomore tight end Benjamin Yurosek has quickly emerged as the Cardinal’s next dominant pass-catcher at the position. Senior wide receiver Michael Wilson is also due for a comeback in his first game with McKee after returning from an injury of his own — the Simi Valley-native led the Cardinal in receiving yards and caught a key touchdown in Stanford’s last Big Game win.

Stanford also gets several important players back on defense.

Junior cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, senior inside linebacker Ricky Miezan and junior safety Jonathan McGill are all probable to play on Saturday, according to Shaw.

McGill, originally Stanford’s starter at free safety, will make his season debut after missing all ten games this year due to injury.

The Cardinal will face off against a confusing Cal team that hardly owns an imposing resume but has played better than its record. The Golden Bears have a win against Oregon State and were a few yards away from taking conference leader Oregon to overtime. California, however, is also a team that lost to Nevada and Arizona.

Which version of Cal shows up on Saturday will likely depend on how the program recovers from an outbreak of 44 COVID-19 cases that forced them to postpone last week’s matchup against USC. Shaw said on Tuesday that the two programs have been in contact and

based on single-year performance statistics at their respective schools.

When looking for quarterbacks, I evaluated their passing yards, touchdowns, yards per game and overall efficiency at game management. For running backs and receivers I focused on total yards gained and number of touches. For defenses, I looked at overall defensive efficiency and how they ranked when defending the run and pass in comparison to other teams from their respective university. For special teams, kickers and punters, I mainly focused on efficiency, distance (for punters) and field goal percentage (for kickers).

Given this methodology, who are the players on each team? Well, let me start off by introducing the Berkeley starters: Players to note: The dynamic offense centering around quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Marshawn Lynch and tight end Tony Gonzalez is lethal — all three should be in both the College Football and NFL’s Hall of Fame (if they are not already in it).

On defense, the 2004 Cal Golden that Cal has reported they’ll be able to field a team.

If Berkeley can shake off the rust from not practicing while in isolation, the Bears could pose a challenge for Stanford. The Cardinal need no reminding that veteran quarterback Chase Garbers ran in the game-winning touchdown in Palo Alto two years ago.

McKee will be tested by veteran safety Elijah Hicks, who has three interceptions and three forced fumbles on the season. And perhaps most worryingly for the worst rushing defense in the Pac12, Cal’s attack has been defined by a bruising running game.

“A tough, tough team running the ball,” Reid said. “Gritty ... it’s your typical Cal offense. So we’re excited to be able to set the tone and try and stop the run first.”

But Stanford hasn’t done that in a long time. That being said, in a season where no Pac-12 team has been immune to an upset and in a rivalry game that was last decided on a blocked extra point attempt, all the bets are off.

“The last few years ... these have been tight games, have been hard fought games,” Shaw said of the Big Game. “This rivalry is as big as ever.”

No matter what, Stanford’s record will pose Shaw and his program serious questions after this season.

When the young core of this Stanford team returns to the team’s auditorium next year, it’ll make all the difference if a photo of the Cardinal holding The Axe is waiting for them.

SPIRIT Continued from page 2 During the majority of the year, the Axe, when won by the Cardinal, is stored securely in the Home of Champions.

This year, the Stanford Axe Committee is chaired by Jared Diaz ’23, a mechanical engineering major. On the sideline at Big

Bears forced 11 turnovers and limited their opponents to just 320.9 yards total offense per game.

This is a tough team to beat, but if any team can, it is the all-time Cardinal team: Players to note: The hardest thing with Stanford’s lineup is that when the Cardinal have a great player at a position, they also have two to three others who could easily be considered just as good. For example, choosing who should start at tight end between Zach Ertz ’13, Colby Fleener ’11 and Austin Hooper ’16 was a toss up.

Besides that, Stanford’s lineup is loaded with talent all over the board. The offense has a star quarterback in Andrew Luck ’12, along with running back Christian McCaffery ’17 and Ertz, capable of making massive plays. In choosing the defense, the 2012 Cardinal allowed only 4.7 yards per play and forced 16 turnovers.

The teams are set, and the game is on!

The Game: Stanford starts the game hot with consistent play from Luck. In

the middle of the first quarter, Rodgers overthrows his receiver and is intercepted by Stanford, eventually setting up a touchdown by running back Toby Gerhart ’09.

Cal comes back late in the quarter with a 62-yard run by running back Jahvid Best, but the Cardinal end the first quarter ahead 10-7.

After trading three-and-outs to start the second quarter, Luck passes the ball to WR Troy Walters ’99 for a 14-yard touchdown. Later in the quarter, the Cardinal defense intercepts Rodgers at the Cal 20-yard line, which leads to an easy Fleener score. Stanford dominated the second quarter, going into the half up 24-7.

The Golden Bears start with the ball in the second half. However, after a three-and-out caused by a Stanford sack, the Cardinal get their offense back on the field and running back Bryce Love ’18 rushes in for a touchdown. The Stanford defense stays stingy, putting the pressure on Rodgers and the Cal offense. When Stanford gets the ball back after a defensive stop, they drive down the field, ending on a McCaffrey seven-yard rushing touchdown. The quarter ends with

Stanford up 38-7.

The Cal offense finally gets a break to start the fourth quarter with Gonzalez scoring a touchdown.

And then, after forcing Stanford to turn the ball over on downs, Cal scores again with 3:23 left in the game after Rodgers passes to wide receiver Dameane Douglass for a seven-yard score. However, Cal misses their two-point-conversion attempt. After defensive stops by both teams, Stanford ultimately comes out victorious, 38-20.

The key theme of the game was Stanford’s dominant defense. The 2012 Cardinal squad intercepted two passes and sacked Rodgers seven times, causing Cal to lose 53 yards.

The player of the game was Luck, who completed 24-of-34 passes for 354 yards and two touchdown passes. Stanford dominated the game offensively and defensively.

While we will never know for sure who would win an all-time match-up in real life, this rivalry game is unlike any other in football or in all of college sports. While the Big Game lineups change each year, maybe a few currently on the field will soon join the all-time ranks.

OPINION

A history of Big Game shenanigans

By JULIA DONLON ctober has come to a close, and Stanford students have survived the spooky season scares. Rapidly approaching is the one day a year when Stanford may be called a “football school” with any level of confidence. Gather round the fire, for Big Game season is here, and you’re due for your annual dose of Axe lore.

The Stanford Axe was forged in 1899 and promptly stolen by some Berkeley hooligans looking for a fight. Under “right by conquest”, and definitely not a property rights violation, they managed to hold onto it for the next 31 years (but who’s counting?), until some Stanford students executed the strategy of a lifetime and took it back. In a heist that rivals the plots of all four Ocean’s movies, the students used a combination of Cal disguises, camera flashes, fake search parties and three different getaway cars to safely return the Axe to Palo Alto. Pause for a collective sigh of relief, for the Axe was finally home.

Three years down the line, someone decided it was too easy to let the Axe live out a long, peaceful life on sunny Stanford campus, and it became the trophy we know today: awarded annually to the winner of November’s Big Game. A healthy compromise, right? Wrong. Stanford and Cal students are not ones

to play fair when it comes to the Axe. Chaos, of course, ensues.

Now, it might just be me, but it seems like college students in the 20th century were on something else when it came to school spirit.

Big Game history boasts a long list of antics, including and definitely not limited to: the Stanford insignia painted on the hills of Berkeley, leaflets demanding surrender dropped from planes, an unleashing of mice upon an unfortunate dorm hall and one guy managing to steal the Axe for a couple of days and carve his name into the handle. The “Beat Cal” banner on Green Library sends the message, but it’s nowhere near as funny as impersonating Cal fans and telling their Rally Committee you “want to take a picture” with the Axe before running off with it. These guys practically invented devious licks.

Unfortunately, no Stanford trickster is perfect. The Big Game blunder of the century is infamously dubbed “The Play”, in which the Stanford band prematurely rushed the field as the Cal team completed five (questionably legal) lateral passes for a touchdown and secured the Axe. Maybe stick to “All Right Now” so we avoid another crushing ending (literally crushing if you ask that trombone player in the endzone). Stanford fans would rather tell you about the Revenge of The Play, in which both teams rushed

the field: the Cal fans thinking they’d won after an interception in the endzone (ha! Only a bunch of fools would rush the field with precious seconds left on the clock), and the Stanford fans when they really did win the game on a last second, into-the-wind, 39-yard field goal.

This year’s student section certainly hasn’t been slacking either.

The UCLA game in September broke records with more than 7,500 students in attendance, and I’ll remind any Berkeley spies who might be reading, Stanford is currently dominating Wikipedia’s Big Game scorecard, with victories in each of four fields: all time series, largest victory, longest win streak and current win streak. It’s looking good for the Card, as long as we maintain our composure until the clock runs out.

On the 39th anniversary of The Play, the Bears and the Cardinal will meet again. Perhaps the presentation of the Axe and the classic Stare Down between the Axe and Rally committees will go off without a hitch. But if this year’s student section is anything like its predecessors, who’s to say we won’t see a little nefarious activity? I’m not endorsing any Axe-related shenanigans, just saying Stanford students should continue to do what they do best on Big Game weekend: put on the rally gear, rush the field, and hold onto the Axe for dear life.

Game, he will be surrounded by his brave and most trusted members, who accompany the sacred relic.

“There is a very happy time to hate a horrible, horrible university on the other side,” Diaz said, regarding what Big Game Week means to him.

And on the opposite sideline, guiding the UC Rally Committee, among others, is chairwoman Kristina Hernandez ’22, an industrial engineering and operations

research major. She, too, will have her loyal squad ready to receive the Axe if fortune smiles upon the Bears.

“This is the one time of the year everyone bleeds blue and gold,” Hernadez said, “Stanfurd has no, ‘Go Bears’ equivalent.

Their life revolves around us: ‘Beat Cal.’” The amount of time and effort the committee members on both sides contribute for love of school and sake of university cama-

raderie is undeniable. Festive lights shine on towers at both schools: Hoover Tower at 285 feet and the Campanile at 307 feet.

With 70 members strong on the Stanford front matched and exceeded by 150 members deep from Cal, both committees have excelled in recruiting, preserving school tradition through tumultuous times of World Wars and pandemics. The Big Game unifies these great schools in perpetual spirited competition.

O

BOB DREBIN/isiphotos.com

Players from the 2020 Stanford team celebrate after defeating Cal in Berkeley last season to reclaim The Axe. In that game, quarterback Davis Mills ‘21 (15, above) threw for 209 yards and one touchdown. The Cardinal won 24-23 after a blocked PAT attempted by then-junior Thomas Booker.

The Stanford Daily Gameday

6 Saturday, November 20, 2021

BATTLE OF THE BAY before coming to Cal. He appeared in one game this season on Nov. 6 against Arizona but did not record any statistics.

JH Tevis (Piedmont): Redshirt junior defensive end The Tevis family’s football roots lie with the Cardinal; JH’s father and uncle both played college ball at Stanford.

JH chose Berkeley coming out of the Menlo School, where he was a three-star recruit. As a freshman in 2018, he redshirted but saw playing time in four games the following season, including in the Big Game at Stanford. As a redshirt sophomore during the shortened 2020 season, he started three of the team’s four games. In the 2020 Big Game, he recorded four tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. As a redshirt junior, he has recorded playing time and at least one tackle in all nine of the team’s games thus far for a total of 33 tackes and one sack on the season.

Daniel Etter (Berkeley): Redshirt senior long snapper By virtue of playing prep football in Berkeley at Riordan High School, Etter has been loosely connected to the Golden Bears for most of his football career. As a long snapper, he has not seen significant action in five years at Cal, coming off the bench in one game as a redshirt freshman in 2018 but recording no statistics.

Darius Long (Alameda): Redshirt junior defensive lineman Long began his college career at the College of San Mateo, a public community college in San Mateo. He has played in five games thus far this season off the bench, only recording one tackle.

Kyle Smith (Los Gatos): Redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Smith was a three-star recruit coming out of Los Gatos High School. He redshirted at Berkeley in 2019 and in 2020, came off the bench in three games but did not record any statistics. This season, he has primarily seen playing time on special teams and has appeared in eight games.

BY SOFIA SCEKIC DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

Kaleb Elarms-Orr (Hayward): Freshman outside linebacker

T

he rosters of both Stanford and Cal contain several players who spent their prep football careers — or even most of their lives — in the Bay Area, witnessing the Big Game rivalry for longer than just their time at their respective universities. Here is a snapshot of each player who hails from a Bay Area school, with highlights from their high school and college football careers thus far.

The Moreau Catholic High School graduate has not yet seen the field with Cal this season. ESPN also had him rated as the 32nd-best outside linebacker nationally, even after his senior season in high school was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colin Moroney (Danville): Sophomore offensive lineman Moroney, a San Ramon Valley High School graduate, redshirted his first year at Cal and has not yet seen the field.

Sami Nazzal (San Francisco): Senior offensive lineman

Graphic: CHLOE YU-NING CHENG/The Stanford Daily

Athletes raised in the Stanford-Cal rivalry STANFORD Tristan Sinclair (Alamo): Junior inside linebacker Sinclair comes from a truly divided household: while his father Andrew played football for Stanford and Tristan grew up going to Stanford football games, his mother, sister and both aunts all attended Cal. He played his prep career at San Ramon Valley High School. On the Farm, he played in four games as a freshman and finished the season with seven tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup. After not playing his sophomore year due to injury, he has recorded 27 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss thus far this season.

Austin Jones (Antioch): Junior running back Although Jones has lived in five different states throughout his life, he was exposed to the Stanford-Cal rivalry all throughout high school when he played for Bishop O’Dowd High School. After an exceedingly successful prep career in which he cemented himself as the No. 2 all-time rusher in Bay Area history and was ranked among the top-10 running backs in the nation by all four major recruiting outlets, he immediately made his mark at Stanford. Jones played behind Cameron Scarlett ’20 as a freshman in 2019 but still saw action in all 12 games and finished the season second on the team with 227 rushing yards on 45 carries. In a shortened 2020 season, he started all six games and rushed for 550 yards and nine touchdowns, the latter being the secondmost nationally for teams that played six or fewer games that season. In the 2020 Big Game, he rushed 21 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns for his second career multitouchdown game. He was also named to the All-Pac-12 third team. Jones began this season on the watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award, which are awarded to the best overall player and best running back in college football, respectively. He has rushed for 315 yards this season in a Stanford offense that has consistently struggled to establish the run game.

Duke Reeder (San Francisco): Freshman outside linebacker A St. Ignatius Prep graduate, Reeder has not been around football for long — he started the sport in 2019. He has yet to record any statistics for the Cardinal this year.

Bradley Archer (Livermore): Junior tight end

that season’s Big Game. He has appeared in all nine games this season and has notched five catches thus far.

Dejuan Butler (Antioch): Sophomore safety Butler has not seen extensive playing time with the Golden Bears over the last two seasons, as he didn’t appear in any games as a freshman in 2020 and has played in only one game this season. He did turn in a very successful prep career at Antioch High School, however, as a varsity defensive back and running back all four years.

Marcel Dancy (Oakland): Redshirt senior running back After graduating from West High School in 2016, Dancy started his post-prep career at Laney College in Oakland and played 22 games over two seasons for the Eagles. He totaled over 1300 all-purpose yards in his sophomore season before transferring to Berkeley before the 2018 season. In his first year at Cal, he redshirted and only played in four games to retain an additional season of eligibility. As a redshirt junior in 2019, he saw playing time in 12 of 13 games and started one game against Ole Miss. He played in the 2019 Big Game but did not record a rushing attempt. At the end of the season, he was also recognized for his volunteer work with one of Oakland’s youth football programs. Of the four games Cal played in 2020, he appeared in all of them and started two. Against Stanford, he rushed seven times for 42 yards and notched three receptions for 24 yards for 66 allpurpose yards. He was Cal’s nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best FBS player who started his college career as a walk-on. This season, he has played in all nine of the team’s games and has carried the ball 14 times.

Grant Daley (Martinez): Sophomore wide receiver De La Salle High School graduate Daley has not appeared on the field for Cal yet, redshirting his freshman season and not playing so far this season either.

Ronan Donnelly (Hillsborough): Sophomore placekicker The sophomore out of Sacred Heart Prep has not seen action for the Golden Bears yet but had a successful high school career as a placekicker, punter and defensive back.

Archer was a four-star recruit out of high school and consensus top-25 tight end at Livermore High School. As a freshman on the Farm, he only appeared in two games and caught one pass. As a sophomore, he doubled the number of games in which he saw action to four and caught three passes on the season. This year, he has appeared in six games and has two receptions so far. He has dealt with injuries this season as well, but he returned against Utah on Nov. 5 and played on Nov. 13 against Oregon State.

Nate Rutchena (Danville): Freshman inside linebacker

CAL

Abbes graduated from De La Salle High School and played one season at Diablo Valley College in Contra Costa County before joining the Golden Bears. He has not yet seen any action at Cal after redshirting his sophomore season in 2020.

Collin Moore (Novato): Redshirt senior tight end A member of Cal’s football team since 2016, Moore has played 20 career games with five starts at tight end after walking onto the team as a quarterback. He switched to tight end full-time as a redshirt freshman in 2018. The bulk of his playing time came in his sophomore year in 2019, when he appeared in all 13 games and caught the only touchdown pass of his career. During the shortened 2020 season, he only played two games, and he did not appear in

Rutchena has appeared in five games off the bench for Cal this season in his first year on the team. He has recorded 15 total tackles and half a tackle for loss. At Monte Vista High School, the bulk of his playing time came at wide receiver but shifted to playing linebacker at Cal.

Christopher Abbes III (Danville): Junior punter

Beaux Tagaloa (San Francisco): Redshirt sophomore fullback A third-year in terms of experience but redshirt sophomore in terms of eligibility, Tagaloa graduated from De La Salle High School and attended San Jose State University

Nazzal began his post-prep football career at the City College of San Francisco, playing one game as a freshman and two as a sophomore for a team that won the Golden State Bowl. He and eight others were mid-year enrollees in 2020 and were only able to participate in a few spring practices before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season. He has not appeared in any games this season.

Jaedon Roberts (Marin City): Sophomore defensive lineman As a second-year player out of Avon Old Farms High School, Roberts has appeared in eight games off the bench this season, recording three total tackles and one sack. He also played in one game in last year’s shortened season but did not record any statistics other than participation.

Chris Rogers (Lafayette): Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Rogers graduated from Acalanes High School in 2019 and has not seen playing time with the Golden Bears thus far. He redshirted his freshman campaign in 2019.

Jake Tonges (Los Gatos): Redshirt senior tight end The fifth-year from Los Gatos High School has had a long and successful career as a member of Cal’s football team. As a freshman in 2017, he redshirted and did not see playing time but in his second year in 2018, he came off the bench in the team’s final 12 games and played primarily on special teams. As a redshirt sophomore in 2019, he started nine games and played in all 13, recorded 13 catches for 262 yards and caught one touchdown on the season. He averaged 20.2 yards per reception, good for first on the team in that category. In 2020, he appeared in all four of Cal’s games with three starts, and nine of his 13 season catches came in one game against Oregon State. This season, he has played in all nine games and caught 16 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Jermaine Terry II (Richmond): Freshman tight end A four-star recruit out of Kennedy High School, ESPN had Terry as the No. 1-ranked tight end in the nation. After enrolling early at Cal last January, he has played in four games this season off the bench and has recorded one catch.

Nick Alftin (Woodside): Redshirt junior tight end Alftin has seen most of his playing time on special teams and defense but is listed as a tight end on the roster. As a college freshman in 2018, he played in three games off the bench on defense and was able to redshirt the season. As a sophomore he played in 10 games, seeing most of his playing time on special teams. He started the season during training camp at outside linebacker but moved to tight end midway through camp, and then moved back to outside linebacker at the beginning of the season before switching again to tight end midway through the season. He did not record any statistics in 2020 and this year has seen action in nine games, primarily on special teams and defense.

Gunnar Rask (Concord): Redshirt sophomore nose guard In 2019, Rask redshirted and did not see game action but was named Cal’s Scout Team Co-Defensive Player of the Week for standout performances at practice that helped the team prepare for upcoming games. He played one game in 2020 and played his first game this season on Nov. 6 against Arizona, recording three total tackles.

Akili Calhoun (Brentwood): Freshman defensive end At Liberty High School, Calhoun only played 15 games over two seasons of varsity football, as his senior season was cancelled due to the pandemic. He has not recorded any statistics with the Bears yet.

The Stanford Daily Gameday

8 Saturday, November 20, 2021

BAND Continued from page 2

Graphic: MICHELLE FU/The Stanford Daily

HUMOR

BUCK FERKLEE

By MICHELLE FU STAFF WRITER

Editor’s Note: This article is purely satirical and fictitious.

All attributions in this article are not genuine, and this story should be read in the context of pure entertainment only.

Big Game approaches, and that means that there’s only one thing on the mind: BUCK. FERKLEE. Look at these losers, coming from their shitty-ass campus all the way in Boston (seriously, it’s like three ugly buildings held together by a methhead-frequented Dunkin’ Donuts). Who do they think they are? What makes them think that they’re even worthy of taking on Stanford? I don’t care about them in

the slightest, so I looked them up in order to write this article. Um ... are we sure that these guys even HAVE a football team?

And if they do have a football team, it would be made up almost entirely of music majors. MUSIC MAJORS. These bitches are gonna be on the field saying shit like “oh no, I can’t catch the ball because I need my fingers to play Rach 3!” or “wait, I need to take a timeout for my daily hour of Dorian, Aeolian and Mixolydian scales!”

I will admit that their band is ... actually very good, but that’s beside the point. Did you know that their mascot is *gag* “Mingus the Jazz Cat?!” Eugch. What’s with their obsession with jazz? “Improvisation” my ass. Couldn’t you just, like, play the right notes?

Here’s a few other miscellaneous ways in which we’re superior:

1. There’s an entire Wikipedia page for our notable alumni. They have who? Charlie Puth and John Mayer? Lame.

2. Their school colors are red and gray, in an obvious attempt to rip off cardinal and white. They didn’t even choose a shade of red!

3. Our seal and motto? Infinitely better. What the hell does “to be, rather than to seem” even mean?

Anyway, all of this is just to say: BERKLEE SUCKS. GO STANFORD!!!!!

values and experiences beyond their ostensible differences.

“Despite the very unique styles, we really love each other’s company,” Cal trumpet player Irene Yoon ’22 said. “We both have the same goal in mind: we’re here to have fun, and we’re here to play music. It doesn’t matter which team wins, as long as we just get to do what we came here to do.”

Stanford trombone player Abby Taylor ’22 agreed with Yoon’s assessment of the rival bands’ surprisingly pleasant relationship: “I would say there’s not really any bad blood. I think it’s mostly just band nerds bonding with band nerds, honestly. We have a joking rivalry, of course, but ultimately, whenever we ‘battle them’ it’s really fun.”

The bands and their members pride themselves on each group’s unique ethos. Cal trumpet player Raj Dasani ’22 said that Cal Band’s military marching routines and uniforms make for a more traditional band experience. On top of that, Yoon described a robust student leadership team that facilitates empathy and efficiency simultaneously.

LSJUMB, on the other hand, enjoys a freer attitude toward tradition, instead preaching fun and accessibility as central tenets of the band experience. Saxophone player Stephanie Gady ’22 said new members don’t need experience at all.

“We accept all ability levels. A lot of people who joined my freshman year had never played saxophone before, or any instrument before,” Gady said. “I think [LSJUMB] is also designed to be a more fun experience and less intense, less of a sport.”

On the day of Big Game, expect both bands to bring their A-game.

Dasani assures that Cal Band

“saved the best [show] for last,” with their “Hopeless Romantic” Big Game set featuring a so-called “simpy ” playlist of songs.

LSJUMB has hits from Lil Nas X and Olivia Rodrigo ready for their performance, in addition to an “ambitious” field show that “will be really funny if we pull it off,” Taylor said.

Though Stanford won back the Axe in 2020, the last in-person Big Game saw Berkeley defeat Stanford at Stanford Stadium. Band members from both sides of the Bay are excited to return to the field where it all went down two years ago.

“Seeing fans from four years old to 104 and their reactions to winning that game, especially after nine, ten years ... It was definitely something to see,” Dasani said, summing up the “out of body experience” of watching Cal’s 2019 victory as a Berkeley student. It is clear that the annual match has become culturally significant outside of mere game play.

“People really take pride in not only this game, but the school itself, being a part of this shared history that is Cal,” Dasani said. “So we’re going back there again; no matter what, there’s gonna be emotions flying high throughout the game.”

Big game FundRaiser

Graphic: MEGAN KING/ The Stanford Daily

SPLIT LOYALTIES STANFORD PROFESSORS WHO ATTENDED CAL DIVIDED BY RIVALRY

By ANNE LI

By SARAYU PAI Tensions between Stanford and a certain university across the Bay are heightened every November, with some people completely indifferent and others diehard rivals. Even the most indifferent tend to don Cardinal Red as the Big Game approaches, but for some University faculty, it is much harder to choose a side.

The Daily interviewed professors that are Berkeley alumni to establish where exactly their loyalties lie ahead of this year’s Big Game.

Numerous engineering professors have studied at Berkeley, including Allison Okamura M.S. ’96 Ph.D. ’00 and Debbie Senesky.

After receiving an undergraduate degree at Berkeley, Okamura pursued a masters and Ph.D. in Stanford’s Mechanical Engineering department. Now, she serves as the director of Stanford’s CHARM Lab and a professor of Mechanical Engineering. While Okamura refrained from picking a side, she expressed her excitement about the academic opportunities at both universities.

“No matter who I root for, I am excited that I will get to go on the field at the Big Game when they announce this year ’s Bass University Fellows in Undergraduate Education,” she said.

Although Senesky chose Berkeley over Stanford for her graduate studies, she wrote that she pursued a career at Stanford because she “really loved meeting the faculty and students in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department.” She added that Stanford “felt like home” during her interview — despite the Stanford student that gave her a lab tour “wearing a ‘Beat Cal’ t-shirt.”

Like Okamura, Senesky declined to choose a side, writing that her “colleagues and students might become upset!” We will give her the benefit of the doubt that she is not referring to current students,

as she taught students at Berkeley as well while receiving a masters and Ph.D. degree before joining Stanford’s Aeronautics and Astronautics Department.

When asked to compare the two schools’ respective cultures, Senesky contended that both universities may have more in common than students are willing to admit during Big Game week — “Both campuses are filled with very talented and creative people that want to change the world,” she wrote.

Reflecting on physical mementos from the two universities, Senesky expressed particular fondness for both her “very worn out” Cal sweatshirt and a 3D-printed Stanford logo that a student gave her at the end of her freshman seminar on 3D-printed Aerospace Structures, which she wrote is currently hanging in her car.

Cal grad says Stanford “felt like home” at job interview

Robert I. Sutton, a professor of Management Science and Engineering and a professor of Organizational Behavior by courtesy, also received an undergraduate degree from Berkeley.

While Okamura and Senesky refrained from picking a side, Sutton wrote that he “tepidly” roots for Cal in the Big Game. He recalled one year during which he ran into John Hennessy, then-President of Stanford University, in a parking lot at Big Game. Sutton joked that it was “kind of fun” to be “insulted by him” for wearing a Cal hat and bringing his daughters dressed in Cal gear.

Sutton, who has taught at both Stanford and Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, wrote that between the two universities, he would rather work at Stanford, where “it is easier to get things done.” Regardless, Sutton also toed the line between both universities, calling himself a loyal Berkeley alum.

Although Sutton admitted that he does not feel strongly about football, he wrote that admires his students — both current and former — on the football team, referring to them as great students and people.

CAL VS. STANFORD • 124TH BIG GAME • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2021 • 4 P.M.

BATTLE FOR THE AXE

STAFF SPORTS EDITORS MIA HORNE RYAN CHIEN SARAH SIEGEL ILLUSTRATOR KELSEY CHOE

KELSEY CHOE | STAF F

DESIGNERS CONNOR LIN SIMMONE STEARN JOSEPH CASEY AURORA ZENG JOCELYN HUANG LISI LUDWIG

COPY EDITORS ANNIE LIN JOCELYN HUANG STELLA KOTIK BRYAN M.H. BENITEZ JASPER KENZO SUNDEEN KARISSA LIN

PHOTO EDITORS VANESSA LIM THEO WYSS-FLAMM ELIANA MARCU GRAPHIC ARTIST CONNOR LIN

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GAMEDAY T H E D A I LY C A L I F O R N I A N

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 1

CAL SET ON WINNING BACK AXE IN 124TH BIG GAME AGAINST STANFORD

BY J E S S E ST E WA RT | STA F F | J ST E WA RT@ DA I LYCA L .O R G

On Saturday at 4 p.m., the 124th Big Game will kick off at the Farm as the Bears attempt to recover from what can best be described as a disastrous couple of weeks for the program.

In case you managed to avoid the news cycle, Cal was forced to reschedule last week’s game against USC and lost to a lackluster Arizona team after a significant number of student-athletes within the Bears’ program tested positive for COVID-19.

However, the blue and gold look to be mostly back in action this week, as the depth chart released by the program Tuesday morning shows most of its previous starters returning.

“There are still a few people out,” said head coach Justin Wilcox, “but we feel good about this group.”

The position that appears to be the most affected is Cal’s offensive line, one of the places that’s vital to see consistency week in and week out. Cal fans will get to take a look at some of the younger talent emerging from that group, including sophomore guard Everett Johnson, who stands at 6’7” and 310 pounds.

The good news? The Bears have a more “traditional” week of preparation for Stanford, according to Wilcox. Cal will need all the normalcy it can muster to beat its rivals away from home.

As such, a win at the Farm is certainly not out of the question.

TH EO W YSS- FL AMM | SE NI O R STAFF

Cal lost the Axe to Stanford in last year’s matchup but is determined to win it back at the 124th edition of the Big Game. Claiming victory against their Bay Area rivals on the Cardinal’s turf will sweeten the Bears’ return to the field after a COVID-19 hiatus and bring them one step closer to bowl eligibility.

Currently, ESPN has the Bears at a 50.8% chance of winning this year’s Big Game. The betting line suggests a similar outcome, settling at -1.5 in favor of Cal. Essentially, this is Vegas’ way of saying, “We don’t exactly

know what’s going to happen.”

But hey, who does at this point?

A toss-up on paper, this war will be won by someone somehow. And who knows what cursed reason might determine the outcome?

Right now, the two teams’ passing attacks look eerily similar. Both sit at about 60% completion and hover around or below 2,100 total yards coming into the Big Game. However, Cal has the upper hand in the

rushing department, sitting at 1,445 yards this year, compared to Stanford’s 949.

Cal fans might not be overly optimistic about these numbers,

P R E V I E W PAG E 6

Q&A WITH STANFORD DAILY FOOTBALL BEAT REPORTER JIBRIEL TAHA

BY M A R I A K H A N | STA F F | M A R I A K H A N @ DA I LYCA L .O R G

Editor’s note: The following is a Q&A between Maria Kahn, football beat reporter for The Daily Californian, and Jibriel Taha, football beat reporter for The Stanford Daily. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

MARIA KHAN Stanford and Cal have both had a trying season so far, for different reasons, yet losses have been common. If you could attribute the Cardinal’s five-game losing streak to a singular fault, what would it be?

JIBRIEL TAHA Lack of player development.

Injuries have been a major issue for the Cardinal, and they have been beat up on pretty much every phase of the ball except for the offensive line and defensive line. But the drop-offs between the starters and backups have been gigantic, which speaks to the deficiencies in player development and the great irony of this season. Really, for the Cardinal, it comes down to the fact that the two weakest units on the team, the offensive and defensive lines, are the ones that have stayed healthy, so the healthy units aren’t performing well, and the other ones are beat up. The depth just isn’t there for the Cardinal.

MARIA KHAN Stanford lost quarterback Davis Mills to the NFL draft in May, and Tanner McKee has been out due to injury.

Freshman Ari Patu got hurt.

Talk about the uncertainty surrounding the Cardinal’s quarterback position.

JIBRIEL TAHA The position got a little more certain Tuesday morning at head coach David Shaw’s press conference to announce that McKee is probable, so he is going to be the guy they’re likely starting on Saturday. If he’s not good to go, which is quite unlikely, it seems it’d be

Isaiah Sanders, a transfer from the Air Force Academy. It looks like McKee is going to start this game, which is a huge boost to the Cardinal offense.

MARIA KHAN If there is something that could put the Cardinal on top of Cal, what would it be?

JIBRIEL TAHA It’d be getting McKee back, frankly. We’re also getting some wide receivers back who are finally starting to get healthy. Michael Wilson and John Humphreys are back, and Kyu Blu Kelly, their star cornerback who missed last week, is also coming back. Their starting safety, Jonathan McGill, that I haven’t seen all year play for the Cardinal, is coming back this week.

So Stanford is getting a lot of key players back this week, and that should put them over the top, as well as the fact that Cal is coming off of a COVID-19 battle, so that’ll hopefully give the advantage at home.

SY LE R P E R A LTA- R A M OS | COU RT ESY

Coming off of a five-game losing streak, Stanford is seeking redemption. Cal is also hoping to make a comeback following a COVID-19 outbreak that kept its starters off the field against Arizona and postponed the USC game.

52-7 loss to Utah. Was that due to a lackluster defense?

MARIA KHAN Seeing Cal’s record, what is an aspect that has the potential to give Stanford a run for its money, or the Axe, in this case?

JIBRIEL TAHA The nature of it being a rivalry game and also the fact that Stanford has struggled with run defense all year long — that’s sort of been a big bummer for the Cardinal. They haven’t been able to stop. The run gave up more than 500 yards to Utah. They did a better job last weekend, so hopefully they can see some positive momentum. But a rivalry game sort of changes everything, as we all know that the energy, the fanfare surrounding it definitely is in this game, and as we’ve seen in the last two years, they’ve all been really tight.

Talk

MARIA KHAN about Stanford’s

(STANFORD’S) MISSED OUT ON BOWL ELIGIBILITY, BUT THERE’S STILL A TROPHY ON THE LINE.”

keep winning.” But it didn’t pan out whatsoever. The loss against Utah was just a culmination of everything, from injuries to the lack of depth on the roster. The run defense has been a battle. McKee wasn’t in that game, so when you can’t establish a running game, you don’t have much else to rely on. It’s all these issues compounded that led to that blowout loss.

JIBRIEL TAHA

MARIA KHAN In stark contrast, the Cardinal defeated No. 3 Oregon and then went on to lose five straight games. What changed?

JIBRIEL TAHA The season really took a downturn for the Cardinal after their win over Oregon.

Many Cardinal fans were thinking, “Hey, maybe we have a shot at taking on the Pac-12 North this year they

JIBRIEL TAHA A lot of it is injuries and McKee going down — these last two games have really had the offense sputtering.

The wide receiver corps got hit pretty bad when Brycen Tremayne, one of the wide receivers, got out for the year. Wilson, their No. 1 wide

receiver, just got back one or two weeks ago. Elijah Higgins has been hurt up and down.

Humphreys got hurt, so the wide receiver corps and quarterbacks have been hurt, and the offensive line hasn’t been able to establish the run all year. The defensive line has also not been good all year.

The struggle to defend the run and then the secondary got beat up too, with their star quarterback getting injured last week. So lots of injuries and a lack of depth is exposing itself.

MARIA KHAN How are the losses affecting team morale?

JIBRIEL TAHA It certainly hurts. But coming into the Big Game, we have an extra motivating factor. We have to acknowledge that yes, we’ve missed out on bowl eligibility, but there’s

Q & A PAG E 6

T H E D A I LY C A L I F O R N I A N GAMEDAY

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KAI MILLNER

IS WAITING IN THE WINGS

W R I T T E N BY K A B I R R AO | P H OTO BY VA N E S S A L I M

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he quarterback position is arguably the most important role in all of sports. Anyone can play Monday morning quarterback, but until you are in the huddle and responsible for handling the ball on every snap, you’ll never quite understand the pressure that comes with being the face of a football team.

But what about the backup quarterback?

He certainly isn’t the one collecting all of the praise after a game-winning drive, nor is he the one bearing the backlash from an entire school after a costly interception. It’s a different type of pressure. The backup quarterback must always be waiting in the wings, prepared to embrace the moment whenever the football gods look down upon him.

For Cal football’s Kai Millner, his moment is coming. Should redshirt senior Chase Garbers depart after this season, Millner will presumably be one of two scholarship quarterbacks competing for the starting position next fall.

“Continuing to learn is the biggest thing, and I’m just staying ready at all times,” Millner said. “My goal is not to be the face of Cal. My goal is to be a good quarterback for the team and a good leader to my teammates.”

As a freshman, Millner is already well on track to achieve his goal of becoming a Division I starter in a Power Five conference. But when an 8-year-old Millner knew he wanted to be

a quarterback someday, his father, Dwayne, was not so sure that was the best path for his son.

It wasn’t necessarily the pressure that comes with playing the quarterback position that gave Millner’s father hesitation, but simply an understanding of how the football business works.

A former athlete and NFL scout, he knew the level of dedication needed to successfully compete — and win — at the position. After all, every kid wants to be a quarterback growing up.

“There’s only one quarterback, right? There’s only one position on the field,” the elder Millner said. “I wanted to make sure that Kai understood what it was going to take to really play that position.”

Millner’s determination to play quarterback started at a young age. From the moment he was able, Millner began picking up and tossing around whatever ball he could find. That love for the game was forged at the Pop Warner level and ironed out on car trips back from tournaments when Millner and his father would analyze what the former did well and, more importantly, what he could do better.

As he became more serious about athletics, Millner began trying his hand at basketball, baseball and lacrosse.

Even in football, he played all over the field, succeeding in nearly every position at which he was placed. But by the time Millner reached high school, it was clear where he was meant to be.

“Every year, they kept putting him at quarterback, even on teams that I was helping coach,” his father said. “At some point, my friend Kelvin Fisher said, ‘Hey dude, just let it be. Let it happen. He’s a quarterback.’ ” With his father now firmly behind his dreams, Millner went to work. uring one Thursday night under the lights, his love for the game was matched by the biggest crowd he’d

D

MY GOAL IS TO BE A GOOD QUARTERBACK FOR THE TEAM AND A GOOD LEADER TO MY TEAMMATES.”

KAI MILLNER

ever played for.

He just didn’t know it yet.

Brandon Large, Millner’s offensive coordinator at Higley, approached his quarterback at the Monday practice before that week’s game with a plan. On Thursday, Higley was going to deploy a trick play that Large had run in a college scrimmage. The play involved Millner faking two handoffs and throwing a

no-look backward pass over his shoulder into the end zone. As if he had eyes on the back of his head, Millner executed the play to perfection for a touchdown.

But more exciting than the play was what followed.

Millner’s blind dime went viral online, blowing up on social media and even making an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”

“I get out of the game, and everybody is texting me, and people have seen the video,” Millner said. “I had a bunch of people reaching out and just saying how crazy it was. It was definitely super fun.” itting as the No. 7 player in the state of Arizona by the time his senior season rolled around, Millner had to start thinking about where to continue his football journey. A visit to UC Berkeley right before quarantine began in the Bay Area sealed Millner’s desire to leave the Grand Canyon State. Millner is credited as the first student-athlete to be recruited by Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, and Musgrave’s experience in the NFL was ultimately a major factor in Millner’s decision to commit.

“It was the best overall fit, and it was a great opportunity to come play for Musgrave. With all of his experience and him playing the position, he has a lot of knowledge,” Millner said. “I knew that I would have access to that knowledge, and I’m definitely loving it.”

The transition to Berkeley has brought a lot of changes

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for Millner. On the football side, Musgrave’s offense is completely different from the one Millner learned at Higley.

Yet beyond football, Millner is encountering the changes experienced by so many other college students.

He has had to get used to living in a city. He’s also had to learn how to live with a roommate. But Millner has found ways to relieve the pressure that comes with confronting both adulthood and the possibility that he could be the next face of Cal football.

“You need something outside of football and school,” Millner said. “You put a lot of time and space and energy into those parts of your life, and everyone needs something to just relax.”

For Millner, de-stressing comes in a few forms: bingeing HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” solving any and every iteration of a Rubik’s Cube and completing puzzles with his mom and younger brother. And whether or not Millner ends up being the missing puzzle piece for Cal’s football program he’ll continue to bet on himself.

“He’s so confident in his ability to change the world, in his ability to change the path of a football team,” his father said. “He’s very confident that he can make a difference, you know?”

He still has a long climb ahead before being crowned “King of the Pac-12 North,” but one thing is certain: Kai Millner is well on his way.

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EXCELLENCE AND MA

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 1 GAMEDAY

D DETERMINATION ARQEZ BIMAGE’S TRIUMPH W R I T T E N BY J E S S E ST E WA RT P H OTO BY VA N E S S A L I M

M

s. Lauryn Hill once sang that “deep in my heart, the answer, it was in me/ And I made up my mind to define my own destiny” in her hit album and song, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Perhaps it was only right that 23 years after its release, and almost 23 years after Marqez Bimage was born, these words came to life again as Bimage and his girlfriend, Erin, drove from Austin, Texas, to Berkeley, California. After all, Hill is their favorite artist.

Bimage’s journey from Texas to the Bay was of course not motivated by her words, although they couldn’t have hurt. After four years on a football scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin, Bimage was traveling to do something he’d never done before: He was going to just be a student.

That was the plan, at least.

Bimage, currently a master’s student in the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education, only applied to one program after graduating from Texas.

“I’m not sure what I would have done if I didn’t get accepted,” a sheepish but confident Bimage said.

To many people (and especially to any seniors in the grad school application process), applying to one school is madness and sure to spawn unparalleled anxiety.

But to Bimage’s brother, Darian, this decision was just the same old Marqez he’d

always known.

“It was a summer’s worth of decisions,” the elder Bimage said. “I didn’t even think about it. I told him, ‘Hey, go put all your energy there and just go do it.’ ” But there was one caveat: Bimage would just be a student when he arrived at UC Berkeley. He was okay with that for a while.

For the most part, he was OK with this change of pace and found his peace with it.

But sometimes plans change.

Bimage reached out to the team, officially entering the transfer portal in his search for an opportunity to play for Cal. With 34 career games under his belt at one of the premier programs in the nation, Bimage was excited to get his start in a new environment.

“All the stars had to align just for me to be on the team,” Bimage said, noting that Cal has seven super seniors in their sixth or seventh year of eligibility. Roster spots were few and far between, making it no walk in the park for even the most appealing grad transfers.

Bimage was allowed to join the team and begin preparing for the 2021 season with the Bears, but there was just one reality that he needed to face: He was not going to be offered a scholarship.

“I came from the University of Texas, where I was a four-year scholarship student-athlete,” Bimage said.

“And then coming here, and they told me I couldn’t have a scholarship, it was a hard pill to swallow.”

Bimage was going to have to walk on. alking on anywhere, let alone a Power Five school, can be an endless nightmare — scout teams,

W

early morning weights and earning every single snap you take in practice can be almost too much to handle.

And, at the end of the day, you still have to pay tuition as well. Bimage never thought he’d find himself in that position.

But he was not about to let that stop him.

“I had guys that were confused,” Bimage said.

“They thought I was on scholarship.”

It makes sense why they may have thought that.

IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE ... CLOSE AND YOU KNOW THEIR POTENTIAL, THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TREAT THEM LIKE A CAR: JUST FILL THEM UP. ”

DARIAN BIMAGE

Bimage had a whole heap of scholarship offers coming out of high school (and, funnily enough, one of them was from Cal). Bimage also took care to note that after he had gotten into Cal as a student, he got one more phone call with an offer: This time, it was USC. “I said no — I didn’t want to do it,” he said with a smile. “I’d rather walk on at UC Berkeley.”

It’s that can-do attitude that translates so well to the field and to his connections at Cal both inside and outside the locker room.

That attitude also helped propel him through a walkon process that is seldom ideal. But for Bimage, it was just the first step in the

right direction.

“I don’t know if there’s necessarily a chip on my shoulder,” he said, “but I definitely felt like I had something to prove to myself as a person, and to the coaches to earn that scholarship.”

To his brother, Bimage’s attitude was hardly a surprise.

“He’s always had that drive, that passion for whatever it was he put his mind to. What you see now, he’s always been like that since a young age,” his brother said. “We talk about it all the time: excellence with determination. You can’t have excellence without determination.” here is a level of consistency from Bimage that is rarely found and even more rarely matched, but that is what makes special people, well, special. For him, however, it’s about more than “just” football.

Growing up in Texas, about 45 minutes away from Texas A&M, Bimage was well aware of the kind of pressure that was placed on his shoulders. Bimage started playing football at age 5, and almost immediately after he started, his father started putting him in the age group above his own, sensing that he had sized out of playing football with kids his own age.

“I remember when we were younger — I’m 26, and he’s what, barely 23, and he’s always been bigger than me,” his brother laughed. “I just remember over the years he just accelerated, and he was always bigger.”

Bigger and stronger, for sure, but Bimage’s brother might have some issues with “faster” — he himself was a talented football player for a while too.

“Growing up and playing football in Texas, it was a big deal,” Bimage said.

“I’ve definitely seen it be the main focus.”

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But to Bimage, it doesn’t have to be this way.

“You don’t have to play this sport to be successful in your life,” he said. “I feel like that’s a driven destiny by the adults in those kids’ lives, to put all your eggs into this sport, but that’s just not the case.”

Bimage has witnessed firsthand how the sportscentric worldview can rob people of their self-worth and direction.

“Seeing it in high school, seeing it in college, there are guys who do not live up to their ‘potential’ in college, and then they’re like, ‘Oh no, what do I do?’ ” he said. “Their eggs are all in that basket, and it’s OK, but no one’s telling them that they don’t have to do this, and you can do other things in life,and it’s going to be OK.” Bimage knows exactly what he’d be doing if he wasn’t playing football.

“If I wasn’t playing football, I would definitely be a graduate student here at UC Berkeley,” he said.

Seeing as how he got to Cal without football, there’s no reason to believe otherwise. Now, Bimage is on his way to his future, studying the intersection of sports and education at the No. 1 school in the nation.

“If you have someone that’s close and you know their potential, then all you have to do is treat them like a car: just fill them up,” Bimage’s brother said. “Just to be able to try to keep that person above empty — you can get close to the empty, but as long as you can get them to the next station to make it home, then you’re good.”

And so, when Bimage drove his way to Berkeley, he had a few people buoying him up. His brother, his girlfriend and Ms. Lauryn Hill kept him going.

He’s determined to finish that drive and determined to be excellent.

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BIG GAME SHOOTAROUND: WHO WILL TAKE HOME THE AXE?

BY DA I LY CA L S P O RTS STA F F | S P O RTS @ DA I LYCA L .O R G

How do you think the recent COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent setbacks Cal has faced will affect the outcome of the game?

KABIR RAO The obvious answer here is that the Bears will likely be missing players, but who is out remains unknown. As of now, Cal allegedly has 47 positive cases, 31 of which are symptomatic. However, quarterback Chase Garbers and other starters who initially tested positive should be on track to suit up in the Big Game given that they clear all necessary protocols. Adversity can either bring people together or tear them apart, and time and time again this season, we’ve seen the Bears respond to it rather than roll over. This situation should be no different. Cal never needs extra motivation before playing Stanford, but a return to the field and the realization that this could be several starters’ final Big Game will likely have the Bears more amped up than usual. Expect the blue and gold to come out swinging and to stay that way until the final whistle blows.

WILLIAM COOKE The outbreak shouldn’t affect Cal all that much given the fact that it is reportedly under control now. Based on how poorly the Bears played two Saturdays ago in their 10-3 loss to Arizona with at least 24 players missing, mass ineligibility would be catastrophic against Stanford. Cal’s second- and third-string players were woefully unprepared to play in Tucson. Luckily for Cal fans, in an interview between Garbers’ parents and Mercury News correspondent Jeff Faraudo, his parents revealed that he has been cleared to play in Palo Alto and that they expect every starter that missed the Arizona game to be cleared to play as well. As long as the Bears’ starters are eligible, I do not expect the recent outbreak to affect the game substantially.

MARIA KHAN At this point, it is difficult to say. Although the game against the Cardinal is still on, the postponement of the USC matchup

GARBERS’ VIRAL TWEET

BY M I A H O R N E | S E N I O R STA F F M H O R N E @ DA I LYCA L .O R G

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t’s been more than 19 months since this pandemic first started. Between March 2020 and today, the world has had to completely readjust to a new way of living under COVID-19.

If you took a walk through Cal’s campus at any point during the 2020-21 calendar school year, you’d see practically empty buildings with hardly anyone in sight.

Campus was a ghost town and students completed their classes completely from home. In contrast, Memorial Stadium has had their lights on all throughout the 19 months, with a temporary hiatus from practice for a few weeks in 2020 until the football team could make a “safe” return.

For starting quarterback

TH EO W YSS- FL AMM | SE NI O R STAFF

Stanford and Cal are almost evenly matched heading into the 124th Big Game. Despite defeating No. 3 Oregon, the Cardinal have managed to lose their last five games and their shot at a bowl game, while the Bears must win all their remaining games to qualify for the postseason.

occurred just a week prior.

Even if all players, in particular big names such as Garbers, are cleared to play, the fact that they have not had consistent practice for about two weeks now is something worth thinking about. Are they out of the midseason “win by any means necessary” mindset? Is the pause between Oregon and Stanford so big that all traces of their game faces have been wiped away? Unfortunately, only time will tell. Perhaps the divet in the season will prove to be a positive rather than a negative and the starters will come back stronger than ever, proving all naysayers wrong — or perhaps not.

What will be some key differences between last year’s defeat to Stanford and this year’s game?

KABIR RAO Last season was the first

Chase Garbers, the Bears’ ability to keep playing despite the pandemic has been hampered by what he views as unfair COVID-19 guidelines implemented

by University Health Services and the city of Berkeley. Garbers took to Twitter on Nov. 8 to express his frustration with the city of Berkeley and University Health Services in the way they’ve handled the outbreak on the team.

But what’s missing from Garbers’ tweet are the stats: Cal football has 44 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and those numbers have the potential to grow. 99% of the team is vaccinated, so most of those cases are represented by breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals.

Many of Garbers’ teammates have shown their support for his fight against strict protocol, including starting lineman Luc Bequette, who mentioned that UHS had allegedly threatened arrest for those on the team who didn’t agree to be tested.

According to Garbers, city officials went back and forth between whether testing was “highly recommended” or “mandatory” and ultimately settled on mandatory. According to city officials, the team did not follow the guidelines of wearing masks indoors, getting tested when sick and staying home when sick.

Prior to the outbreak, vaccinated football players were

H O R N E PAG E 7

one for Cal’s offense under offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. The Bears had to learn and try to master an NFL-style offense during an abbreviated offseason and then implement it in a fanless Memorial Stadium. Now, the blue and gold’s offense has had time to gel, and the unit has flashed the ability to successfully deploy a balanced attack, which, in turn, allows it to push the ball downfield. And where Cal’s offense has found new life, Stanford’s has sputtered. The Cardinal lost quarterback Davis Mills to the NFL draft in May and have seen this year’s starter Tanner McKee go down with an undisclosed injury. That left freshman Ari Patu, who threw for 51 yards in his first career start this past weekend as Stanford’s leading man — that is, until he got hurt. Question marks and possibly inexperience at the quarterback position for the Cardinal could be

Q&A F R O M PAG E 2 still a trophy on the line this weekend. So I don’t think any of the past losses will sort of deter the Cardinal from being able to be sufficiently motivated for a rivalry game.

the difference in this one.

WILLIAM COOKE Both programs were on losing streaks heading into last year’s Big Game. Stanford lost its first two games of the 2020 season before enjoying a bye week due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Washington State. The very next week, it beat Cal, a team that had lost to UCLA and Oregon State in the two weeks prior. This year looks eerily similar to last, but with one major difference — Stanford is currently on a horrific five-game losing streak, including losses to a pitiful Washington team in Palo Alto and a 52-7 drubbing at the hands of Utah. Cal lost its most recent game to Arizona, but before that was on a two-game winning streak and looked much more at ease on both sides of the ball. Patterns were not evident last year because of the unusually short season.

game, the second game of the year, against USC’s Drake London, he was going toe-totoe with London. It was a really impressive performance.

He’s probably the Cardinal’s best player, but in terms of winning the game, it’s undoubtedly the quarterback position.

MARIA KHAN MARIA KHAN What similarities do Whom would you call the you see between Cal and Cardinal’s best player? Or Stanford? the one who can give Cal the most trouble?

JIBRIEL TAHA Both of these teams are JIBRIEL TAHA sputtering right now and I think their best player is trying to find a way to pick Kelly, cornerback. He’s been themselves back up, get back excellent all this year. If you on their feet and try to move go back and watch the USC around. So both teams need

PREVIEW F R O M PAG E 2 given that Stanford is pitiful on offense (and defense) this year.

But here’s another way of looking at it: The Cardinal have played, essentially, two more games than the Bears have this season given the USC rescheduling and the fiasco down in Tucson. In other words, it’s another reason for optimism.

Cal is just about breaking even at 22.9 points per game and

22.2 points allowed per game, while Stanford is getting 22 and giving up 30. But as everyone knows, the games are played for a reason, and nothing is certain until it’s all zeros on the clock.

Well, except for that one time with the marching band.

The history and fanfare surrounding the Big Game are not lost on Wilcox.

“I want the players to understand the history of the Big Game,” Wilcox said. “It’s one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football, and we’re playing the 124th edition. Half

Now, with more data points to consider, it’s safe to say that, unlike last year, the Cardinal will enter Stanford Stadium feeling like they are on the ropes, while the Bears will feel a bit shell-shocked but on their feet.

MARIA KHAN The fact that Cal and Stanford have not been doing so well this season notwithstanding, both teams did enter the last Big Game as bad as they look this year. The records on both sides have not been pretty. Aside from the two breakout wins Cal has had against Oregon and Colorado (disregarding its tragic allowance of 30 points to a Football Championship Subdivision team, Sacramento State), as well as Stanford’s victories against USC, Vanderbilt and Oregon, both teams are on a

S H O OTA R O U N D PAG E 7

to find their footing, and this is a good way to do so and try to get some momentum heading into next season.

MARIA KHAN The Axe has with Stanford for a Do you think it’ll it? What is your prediction?

been year. keep score

JIBRIEL TAHA Stanford is in free fall right now. But, getting all those guys back — McKee, Kelly, McGill — those are big-time, important players to this Cardinal team. With Cal being fresh off a COVID-19 mess, that does give the Cardinal a slight edge. 24-20, Stanford.

the games are decided by a touchdown or less; it means a lot to a number of people.”

This game, to many fans, defines if the Bears had a “good” or “bad” season, regardless of what the rest of the year looked like.

Wilcox mentioned that he and the rest of the program certainly don’t buy into that level of hype, but everyone knows that this is a must-win game. A win against Stanford, UCLA and USC would grant Cal bowl game eligibility — something that seemed all but improbable just a few weeks ago.

T H E D A I LY C A L I F O R N I A N GAMEDAY

S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 1

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OF THE

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BY K A B I R R AO | S E N I O R STA F F | K R AO @ DA I LYCA L .O R G

The Bears entered Tucson short-handed and left holding nothing but a loss.

It has been dominating the news cycle over the past two weeks, so you might have already heard, but Cal football has an ongoing COVID-19 problem. That problem ultimately led to the blue and gold missing 24 players and five staff members against Arizona on Nov. 6. Despite the loss of key talents such as fourth-year starter Chase Garbers, who entered last weekend as the Pac-12’s leader in total offense, many pundits expected the Bears to top the Wildcats for no reason other than the fact Arizona was struggling — to put it lightly.

Under head coach Jedd Fisch, the Wildcats were riding a 20-game losing streak heading into their clash with Cal. It was the longest such streak in the nation, and before Arizona’s unprecedented 10-3 win over the blue and gold, the Wildcats had not won a game since Oct. 5, 2019. So, where did it all go wrong for Cal? Well, the lack of points scored can mostly be attributed to the Bears’ depleted roster. But Cal’s lack of preparedness brings up

a bigger question: How are the Bears going to fill the void left behind when Garbers decides to move on from college football? Granted an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Garbers can either return for another season in Berkeley or try his luck in the NFL draft at season’s end. Whether or not he returns, Cal needs to have a plan of action moving forward.

Graduate transfer Ryan Glover got the starting nod for the Bears in Tucson, making his first career start at Cal since joining the team this past summer. Glover struggled, completing 11 of 29 passing attempts for just 94 yards and rushing for -12 yards. To be clear, Glover was put into an extremely difficult situation: On short notice, he was asked to find receivers with whom he hadn’t gotten a chance to practice or build a rapport. But one play in particular highlighted Cal’s lack of immediate quarterback depth.

Standing 12 yards away from the end zone on third-and-10, the Bears took a shot. Cal had just converted its first third down of the afternoon a few plays earlier on a short run from sophomore Damien Moore,

and down 3-0, the team had a chance to seize control of what was shaping up to be a defensive battle. The blue and gold’s offense had been stagnant all day, so it was hard to expect the unit to string together another drive.

S H O OTA R O U N D F R O M PAG E 6

the college football world over the past two weeks but for all of the wrong reasons. However, if the blue and gold can grind out a win, they’ll stay on track to be bowl eligible, they’ll earn good faith with future recruits and they might even help keep head coach Justin Wilcox, who has been rumored to be on the short list for the newly opened gig at Washington. But whether the Axe returns to Berkeley could have more to do with

how Stanford is performing right now. After upsetting No. 3 Oregon, the Cardinal have dropped five straight games. A healthy Cal squad has enough talent to get the job done — at least against this year’s Stanford team.

cause for frustration among team members who felt like they were being treated differently than their peers.

The second component of this debate is the emotions behind it. A team on the come-up after a decisive 39-25 victory against Oregon State was forced to play a game without many of their key starters and then postpone another highly anticipated match against rival USC. The Bears had

major losing streak.

Does Cal have what it takes to win back the Axe?

KABIR RAO Yes, Cal definitely does. The Bears have a lot to fight for Saturday. Cal has been the story of

HORNE F R O M PAG E 6 required to follow the testing regime enforced by the school of submitting to be tested once every 180 days. Following the outbreak, athletes were placed on a new testing schedule separate from that of regular UC Berkeley students.

This irregularity was a major

cover, so play-callers such as Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave must get creative.

But when you’re without your usual starters and younger players such as receiver Justin Richard Baker are inserted into the starting lineup, you can only be so creative.

The third-and-10 play began with Glover starting from the shotgun formation and Moore set to his left. It was a three-receiver set, with tight end Jake Tonges lined up just underneath the right tackle, an indication that he’d probably be providing extra blocking. With the lone receiver on the left side running a streak to the end zone but facing strong press coverage from the Wildcats, Glover immediately turned to his right side upon taking the snap.

Glover had three potential targets to his right, but with the outside receiver and Moore both running short out routes, it quickly became clear that this play was designed for Baker to get open. Moore’s out route into the flat created a moment of hesitation for Arizona cornerback Isaiah Mays, which meant that Baker — who was running a deep post route to the

right corner of the end zone — only had to get by safety Jaxen Turner. Baker’s swift stutter step bought him some space from Turner, allowing for Glover to loft an over-the-shoulder dime into Baker’s outstretched arms.

Or at least that was what was supposed to happen.

Unfortunately for Cal, Glover put too much weight into the throw, and it sailed a few feet beyond Baker’s reach.

So close. It’s a play that should have resulted in a touchdown, and more importantly, a throw that Garbers likely would have made. Certainly it was just one misfire, but it was one that could not afford to happen, especially given how much Cal’s offense was struggling against Arizona.

Turned to fourth down, the blue and gold were forced to kick a field goal and tie the game — not an ideal situation when they could have put the pressure on a Wildcats’ offense that itself faced problems with pushing the ball downfield.

What might have been a gamechanging play ended in a murmur, and Cal never saw another opportunity to reach the end zone.

are playing. Assuming that Cal is not missing too many players due to COVID-19, it has a decent chance of winning against this unimpressive Stanford team.

WILLIAM COOKE Yes, but only because of how poorly the Cardinal have played this year. When head coach David Shaw’s team is playing good

football, Cal’s chances are slim to none (see 2010-2018). When his team is struggling to secure bowl eligibility, the Bears fare much better (see 2019). Stanford is currently 3-7, ineligible for a bowl game and on its longest losing streak under Shaw’s 11-year tenure. Cal fans might be ashamed to admit it, but their team’s chances in the Big Game consistently hinge upon how well the Cardinal are playing, not on how well the Bears

real potential to beat USC and improve their 3-6 record, but now the future of the season remains uncertain.

Amid all the pushback from football players and family members aghast at how the city of Berkeley has handled this crisis lies the truth that playing football during a pandemic is a privilege afforded to us that’s not worth risking the health and safety of others.

The outrage from athletes and supporters who agree that the city of Berkeley is being too strict with their testing regimen reaches a moot point when faced with the very real fact that there is a large outbreak of COVID-19 on the football team and measures should be taken to prevent the spread.

Cal played football through the pandemic and will continue to do so. This outbreak is a

temporary road bump on a path that has been otherwise highly accommodating for Cal football.

Garbers’ frustration with the city of Berkeley pales in comparison to the bigger picture — that we’re all just trying to stay healthy.

Whether the city imposes a fiveday, seven-day or even 10-day quarantine doesn’t matter when a global epidemic rages on and puts everyone at risk.

Mia Horne is the sports editor.

TO BE CLEAR, GLOVER WAS PUT INTO AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT SITUATION.”

KABIR RAO

Arizona’s defense knew that this, coupled with the distance, meant the Bears would probably be passing on what would end up being their last trip to the red zone. In the red zone, everything gets tighter, and the defense has less ground to

MARIA KHAN Yes, not because Cal is just so fantastic at football, but rather because Stanford is in the thick of a five-game losing streak with no nearby hope of climbing out of it.

Gameday The Stanford Daily

Saturday, November 20, 2021 7

BEARS Continued from page 4 ond half, and one or two big fourthquarter plays could likely end up deciding this game.

CZ: The 123rd Big Game ended with a blocked PAT by now-senior defensive end and co-captain Thomas Booker — dubbed by some as “The Block.” The Bears’ extra point would have tied the game, but instead the Cardinal celebrated and reclaimed The Axe. What role might special teams play this week?

SS: While the special teams heroics of last year’s big game made for one of the more exciting Big Games in recent memory, I don’t think we’re going to see another game that comes down to the special teams unit making the bigger plays. McKee has been able to finish drives this season, accounting for 18 touchdowns across eight games, and the presence of reliable receivers like Wilson who can stretch the field should call for more touchdowns and less time on the field for the special teams unit.

Stanford’s sophomore kicker Joshua Karty has had a solid season, however, and has shown he has kicking range — his seasonlong is 51 yards and has also hit multiple times from 45+ yards.

Cal kicker Dario Longhetto has also hit nearly 75% of his field goals this season with a long of 51 yards and has yet to miss an extra point. If this game does come down to the special teams unit, both teams have reliable kickers, and it’s a toss-up who’d come away with The Axe. EB: Special teams always play a big role. It will be important to win the field position battle on punts, something the Cardinal have struggled with of late. Also, with both teams having reliable kickers and struggling offenses, it could come down to a kicking contest.

Any advantage Stanford can gain from its special teams unit, it needs to take advantage of.

DS: If the Cardinal offense struggles in the first half, junior punter Ryan Sanborn will have to ensure that California’s offense is not given good field position. Both teams should be confident in their kickers with the seasons they have had so far, and I expect at least one of Karty and Longhetto to make a pivotal, potentially gamewinning field goal towards the end of this game.

QB Continued from page 1 ed the team’s usual onboarding at fall camp. McKee was a freshman with his whole college career ahead of him. Sanders was a wildcard — a quarterback from the Air Force Academy and only the second graduate transfer Stanford had ever taken into the football program.

Sanders remembers not being sure how much they’d have in common.

“I was like, ‘Oh, he’s an incoming freshman. I’m kind of on my fifth or sixth year,’” Sanders said. “There was just a bigger age gap, so I wasn’t sure if we would relate on that much.”

McKee grew up in Corona, Calif. in a family of athletes. His dad Jeremie played quarterback in high school and Tanner, tall and lanky as a kid, had the build to take up the mantle. In the offseason, he put that height to use elsewhere, lettering in basketball and volleyball.

Sanders found his way to football too, but his life was ultimately shaped by the military. He was born on base at the Air Force Academy hospital in Colorado Springs — the academy is on his birth certificate and his diploma, he jokes — and both his father and grandfather were in the military.

At first, Sanders didn’t think he’d join them. He wanted to play football.

“Honestly I wasn’t super high on the idea of going to the Academy — even up until my senior year,” Sanders said. “But I wasn’t super highly recruited out of high school.”

One of the schools that did offer Sanders a spot at quarterback was the Air Force Academy. He accepted and enrolled in 2016, knowing that he was signing up for a very different football career than the one he’d imagined as a kid.

McKee’s football career, meanwhile, took a detour of a different kind. By high school he was the No. 4 quarterback in his class.

When McKee committed to Stanford and graduated from high school in 2018, he looked set to continue on the path to stardom.

Then he dropped football entirely and got on a flight to Brazil to serve as a missionary.

For the next two years, McKee traded his helmet and pads for the suit and tie of the Church of LatterDay Saints. He lived away from his parents for the first time, and instead of the structured life of a high school athlete, he spent hectic after-

Graphic: AMY LO/The Stanford Daily

WEEK 10

BY DREW SILVA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

F

rom hauling in a toetap touchdown to gaining over 150 yards from scrimmage, Stanford football alumni made contributions to several different offenses throughout the NFL. Even in a blowout loss for the Cleveland Browns, Austin Hooper ’16 was able to produce. Hooper caught this two yard touchdown in the first quarter to give the Browns an early lead over the Patriots. However, the Browns fell 45-7.

While Christian McCaffrey ’17 was not able to find the end zone like Hooper, he was able to lead the Panthers to an upset victory over the NFC-leading Arizona Cardinals. McCaffrey led the Panthers in both rushing and receiving yards. He gained 95 yards on the

noons rushing from street to street, helping anyone he met.

That came at the cost of football.

McKee only had half an hour to work out in the mornings and inevitably lost muscle. But he didn’t have any qualms.

McKee’s faith had gotten him through high school, when doctors had to operate on a cancerous mole on his forehead that threatened to end his football career. If he could come back from that, he could come back from anything.

“I always grew up believing that if I put God’s priorities first, that He would help me in every other aspect of life,” he said.

Maybe it was divine intervention at work a few years later, when McKee came back into the game after getting the wind knocked out of him by Kayvon Thibodeaux in the final minutes of a showdown against No. 3 Oregon. With just over a minute left in the game, he led Stanford on an unbelievable 86-yard drive and tied the game on an untimed down, before winning it in overtime. Cheering on the sideline was Sanders, who had punched in a rushing touchdown against the Ducks earlier in the second quarter.

Despite their differences in getting to the Farm, both quarterbacks have made their mark on the team. McKee’s arm talent has been

Football alumni continue athletic dominance at the next level

ground on 13 carries and brought in all 10 of his targets for 66 yards.

His 161 yards were just eight less than the total yardage of the entire Cardinals offense.

A good portion of the Cardinals’ yards were produced by Zach Ertz ’13, who had four catches for 46 yards. Ertz has been able to make his presence as a receiver known the past two weeks, even with star quarterback Kyler Murray on the sideline with an ankle injury.

Another Cardinal tight end on the stats sheet this weekend was Dalton Schultz ’18. Schultz had a catch for 14 yards for the Cowboys en route to a 43-3 victory over the Falcons. After the Cowboys took an early lead, the game script favored the run, so Schultz was used more as a blocker than a pass catcher.

Another Stanford running back featured in Week 10 was Ty Montgomery ’15, who had a twoyard carry in the first quarter of

the bright spot in a rocky season for Stanford. Sanders, meanwhile, has brought a unique wrinkle to the Stanford offense in an option package taken straight from the Air Force playbook that’s been deadly on the goal line.

Off the field, McKee and Sanders quickly found they had a lot to bond over. They’ve spent evenings before games doing Bible study together. They’re keeping score in just about every sport and game they can keep track of — McKee says he has the edge in volleyball and ping pong, and they’re about even in spikeball, though Sanders might disagree.

Even in their wildly different paths to Stanford, they’ve found something in common to talk about.

“He compares Stanford to the Academy, I compare Stanford or the U.S. to Brazil, and we talk about different people that we’ve met,” McKee said.

the Saints’ 23-21 loss to the Titans.

Former Cardinal offensive linemen made their presence known when the Philadelphia Eagles traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos. After Eagles’ captain Jason Kelce went down with an injury, Nate Herbig ’19 stepped in and played the center position for a handful of snaps.

Herbig’s brief protection of quarterback Jalen Hurts helped the Eagles defeat the Broncos 30-13.

On the opposing offensive line, Cameron Fleming ’14 started and played every snap for Denver in the loss.

Bobby Okereke ’19 once again led the former Stanford defensive players. The linebacker had a team-leading eight total tackles, five of which were solo, as the Colts took down the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-17. Other Stanford linebacker contributions included James Vaughters ’15 and rookie Curtis Robinson ’21, who each recorded a quarterback hit for the

Falcons and Broncos in their respective games. Robinson also had two tackles, while Vaughters had one.

On the defensive line, both Harrison Philipps ’18 and Solomon Thomas ’17 recorded three tackles for the Bills and Raiders, respectively. Casey Toohill ’20 had four tackles for the Washington Football Team in their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Toohill could see an increased role for the remainder of the year, as Washington’s star defensive end Chase Young suffered a torn ACL that will end his season. Toohill’s presence on the line will be pivotal to Washington’s defense, as the team fights for a spot in the playoffs.

Rookie Paulson Adebo ’21 highlighted the secondary for Stanford alumni, with three tackles — one of which was for a loss as the Saints lost to the Titans 23-21.

Jake Bailey ’19 only punted once, but it was for 66 yards.

“I feel like Isaiah just pushes me to be my best self” — TANNER MCKEE A love of people and community might be the common factor between McKee and Sanders. Ask their coaches and teammates about the duo, and that’s what they’ll tell you.

“He’s uplifting,” said offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard of McKee. “Guys love being around him. He loves his teammates.”

“The more I play with him, I’m like, ‘Man, I want this dude to succeed,’ “ said fifth-year fullback Houston Heimuli of Sanders.

McKee will continue to grow as a quarterback, but after this year, success will mean something other than football for Sanders. After he completes his masters’ degree in Management Science

and Engineering, he’ll move to another Air Force base to work as an engineer and eventually teach at the Air Force Academy. But beyond that, he wants to return to a business school and work in social enterprise.

“There’s a current narrative that Black and brown boys and girls, we can only make it out of our situations by playing sports or rapping and stuff like that,” Sanders said. “I just want to be able to show people that we can be leaders, we can be business CEOs, we can be Air Force officers ... we can do anything that we want to be.”

McKee’s seen Sanders’ passion for service firsthand on trips with his teammate to read at a local elementary school. Sanders, meanwhile, said he’s watched McKee grow as a quarterback and a leader in his first year as a starter — rallying his teammates, leading meetings and keeping the team’s effort up over a long and grueling season.

Ping pong rivalries and backgrounds aside, their greatest similarity might be their deep respect for one another.

“I feel like Isaiah just pushes me to be my best self,” McKee said.

“I’m proud of him, as a friend,” Sanders said. “Just excited to watch where he goes from here.”

BOB DREBIN/isiphotos.com

Quarterbacks sophomore Tanner McKee (left) and graduate student Isaiah Sanders (right) have formed a unique bond and friendship despite their varied paths to Stanford.

McKee spent two years in Brazil while Sanders is an Air Force Academy graudate.

SCOUTING REPORT S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 1 • C A L V S . S TA N F O R D

STANFORD 0 OLB 0 QB 2 RB 2 S 3 ILB 3 WR 4 DE 4 WR 5 WR 5 CB 6 OLB 6 WR 8 RB 8 ILB 9 WR 9 S 10 OLB 10 QB 11 OLB 11 QB 13 CB 13 K 14 ILB 15 OLB 15 P 17 CB 17 QB 18 QB 18 CB 19 S 19 WR 20 RB 20 CB 21 S 22 ILB 22 RB 23 DE 23 P 24 FB 24 CB 25 WR 25 CB 26 RB 26 ILB 27 QB 27 S 28 RB 28 CB 29 ILB 29 RB 30 ILB 30 RB 31 CB 32 S 33 S 34 FB 34 CB 39 P/K 40 DL 41 K 42 LS 43 K 44 ILB 45 ILB 47 OLB 48 FB 49 LS 50 DL 52 OLB 54 OLB 55 DE 55 C 56 ILB 57 OG 58 OLB 60 C 63 OL 66 OL 68 OL 70 OL 71 OL 72 OL 73 OL 74 OL 75 OL 76 OL 77 OL 78 OL 79 OL 80 WR 81 WR 82 WR 83 WR 84 TE 85 FB 87 TE 88 TE 89 TE 90 OLB 92 OLB 93 DE 94 DE 95 DE 96 DE 97 DE 98 DE 99 DL

Aeneas DiCosmo Isaiah Sanders Casey Filkins Jonathan McGill Levani Damuni Marcus Graham Thomas Booker Michael Wilson John Humphreys Donjae Logan Andres Fox Elijah Higgins Nathaniel Peat Tristan Sinclair Colby Bowman Noah Williams Jordan Fox Jack West Thunder Keck Ari Patu Ethan Bonner 426.9 Emmet Kenney Jacob Mangum-Farrar Stephen Herron Connor Weselman Kyu Blu Kelly Dylan Plautz Tanner McKee Jimmy Wyrick Caleb Ellis Silas Starr Austin Jones Jaden Slocum Kendall Williamson Jason Kaul E.J. Smith Ryan Johnson Ryan Sanborn Jay Symonds Nicolas Toomer Bryce Farrell Brandon Jones Brendon Barrow William Stockwell Beau Nelson Omari Porter Dorian Maddox Salim Turner-Muhammad Spencer Jorgensen Caleb Robinson Ese Dubre Cameron McFarlane Zahran Manley Mitch Leigber Alaka’i Gilman Houston Heimuli Evan Jackson Alexander Thorpe Tobin Phillips Diego Preciado Bailey Parsons Joshua Karty Caleb Kelly Ricky Miezan Tangaloa Kaufusi Coco Lukrich Kyle Petrucci Dalyn Wade-Perry Duke Reeder Kiersten Lee Matthew Merritt Drake Metcalf Jake Lynch Levi Rogers Wilfredo Aybar Drake Nugent Barrett Miller Branson Bragg Max Kalny Jason Amsler Connor McLaughlin Austin Uke Jake Hornibrook James Pogorelc Walter Rouse Jack Leyrer Logan Berzins Myles Hinton Will Gibson David Kasemervisz Brycen Tremayne Jayson Raines Danny McFadden Benjamin Yurosek Shield Taylor Bradley Archer Tucker Fisk Lukas Ungar Gabe Reid Lance Keneley Trey LaBounty Anthony Franklin Aristotle Taylor Jacob Katona Aaron Armitage Zach Buckey Zephron Lester

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22.9 P O I N TS A L LOW E D P E R GA M E

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22.2 PASS I N G YA R DS P E R GA M E

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230.3 TOTA L YA R DS P E R GA M E

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390.1 TOTA L YA R DS A L LOW E D P E R GA M E

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OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

AUSTIN JONES

MARQEZ BIMAGE

HEIGHT: 5’ 10” | WEIGHT: 190 | YEAR: JUNIOR

HEIGHT: 6’ 2” | WEIGHT: 260 | YEAR: SENIOR

RUSH: 315

TKL: 26

- ALL-PAC-12 THIRD TEAM AND HONORABLE MENTION (2020)

REC: 254 TDS: 1

TFL: 7 FR: 3

- WALK-ON GRADUATE TRANSFER FROM TEXAS

SCORE PREDICTIONS JESSE STEWART

KABIR RAO

FOOTBALL BEAT WRITER

FOOTBALL BEAT WRITER

CAL

STANFORD

CAL

STANFORD

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31-27

WILLIAM COOKE

MARIA KHAN

FOOTBALL BEAT WRITER

FOOTBALL BEAT WRITER

CAL

STANFORD

CAL

STANFORD

30-24

28-21

MIA HORNE

SARAH SIEGEL

SPORTS EDITOR

DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR

CAL

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2 QB 3 S 4 WR 5 S 7 CB 7 QB 8 OLB 9 QB 10 WR 11 WR 11 CB 13 QB 13 S 14 CB 14 WR 15 PK 15 QB 16 TE 17 WR 18 CB 18 WR 19 OLB 19 QB 20 CB 21 CB 22 WR 23 S 23 RB 24 S 24 RB 25 RB 25 S 26 S 27 ILB 28 CB 28 RB 29 WR 29 CB 30 PK 30 CB 31 S 31 RB 32 S 33 ILB 34 RB 36 WR 37 PK 37 OLB 37 P 38 PK 38 OLB 39 WR 39 CB 40 OLB 40 TE 41 FB 42 ILB 43 P 43 ILB 44 OLB 44 FB 45 ILB 45 LS 46 OLB 46 TE 47 LS 47 DE 48 LS 48 OLB 49 DL 50 ILB 51 ILB 52 OLB 53 OLB 54 ILB 55 ILB 56 ILB 57 OLB 58 NG 59 ILB 60 OL 61 OL 62 OL 63 OL 65 OL 66 OL 67 OL 69 OL 70 OL 72 OL 73 OL 74 OL 75 DL 76 OL 77 OL 79 OL 80 WR 81 TE 82 WR 83 WR 84 TE 85 TE 86 WR 87 TE 88 TE 89 WR 90 DL 91 NG 92 OLB 93 DL 94 NG 95 DE 96 DE 97 NG 98 OLB 99 DE

Kai Millner Elijah Hicks Nikko Remigio Raymond Woodie III Chigozie Anusiem Chase Garbers Kuony Deng Ryan Glover Jeremiah Hunter Kekoa Crawford Tyson McWilliams Blake DeBisschop Miles Williams Lu-Magia Hearns III Monroe Young Nico Ramos Robby Rowell Collin Moore Mavin Anderson Branden Smith J. Michael Sturdivant Cameron Goode Zach Johnson Josh Drayden Collin Gamble Justin Richard Baker Dejuan Butler Marcel Dancy Fatu Iosefa Chris Street DeCarlos Brooks Isaiah Humphries Craig Woodson Trey Paster Kaleb Higgins Damien Moore Aidan Lee Isaiah Young Dario Longhetto Jaylen Martin Hunter Barth Ashton Stredick Daniel Scott Myles Jernigan Christopher Brooks Grant Daley Nick Lopez Jeffrey Johnson Jamieson Sheahan Ronan Donnelly Matt Horwitz Trond Grizzell Evan McLurkin Parker Bosche Keleki Latu Champion Johnson Nate Rutchena Christopher Abbes III Femi Oladejo Patrick Hisatake Beaux Tagaloa McKyle So’oto Slater Zellers Marqez Bimage Jake Muller Jake Arguello JH Tevis Daniel Etter Orin Patu Darius Long Kyle Smith Blake Antzoulatos Braxten Croteau Kaleb Elarms-Orr Evan Tattersall Mo Iosefa Andy Alfieri Ieremia Ieremia Stanley McKenzie Ryan Puskas Brian Driscoll Valentino Daltoso Ben Coleman Brayden Rohme Dylan Jemtegaard Colin Hamilton Colin Moroney Sami Nazzal Ryan Lange McKade Mettauer Matthew Cindric Will Craig Jaedon Roberts Bastian Swinney Everett Johnson Ender Aguilar Trevon Clark Elijah Mojarro Mason Mangum Chris Rogers Gavin Reinwald Jake Tonges Jared Staub Jermaine Terry II Nick Alftin Tommy Christakos Brett Johnson Ricky Correia Myles Williams Luc Bequette Gunnar Rask Akili Calhoun Derek Wilkins Aaron Maldonado Carter Lynch Ethan Saunders

P O T E N T I A L S TA R T E R S STANFORD QB: RB: WR: TE: LT: LG: C: RG: RT: K:

18 8 4 19 88 84 75 63 60 73 78 43

TANNER MCKEE NATHANIEL PEAT MICHAEL WILSON SILAS STARR TUCKER FISK BENJAMIN YUROSEK WALTER ROUSE BARRETT MILLER DRAKE NUGENT JAKE HORNIBROOK MYLES HINTON JOSHUA KARTY

DL: LB:

CB: S: P:

4 50 23 90 45 3 10 13 17 21 9 23

THOMAS BOOKER DALYN WADE-PERRY RYAN JOHNSON GABE REID RICKY MIEZAN LEVANI DAMUNI JORDAN FOX ETHAN BONNER KYU BLU KELLY KENDALL WILLIAMSON NOAH WILLIAMS RYAN SANBORN

CAL QB: RB: WR: TE: LT: LG: C: RG: RT: K:

7 28 80 4 11 85 63 62 73 77 61 30

CHASE GARBERS DAMIEN MOORE TREVON CLARK NIKKO REMIGIO KEKOA CRAWFORD JAKE TONGES BRAYDEN ROHME BEN COLEMAN MATTHEW CINDRIC EVERETT JOHNSON VALENTINO DALTOSO DARIO LONGHETTO

DL: LB:

CB: S: P:

93 75 47 19 42 55 46 20 15 3 32 37

LUC BEQUETTE JAEDON ROBERTS JH TEVIS CAMERON GOODE NATE RUTCHENA MUELU IOSEFA MARQEZ BIMAGE JOSH DRAYDEN LU-MAGIA HEARNS III ELIJAH HICKS DANIEL SCOTT JAMIESON SHEAHAN