With new QB for Stanford, K-State likely to zero in on McCaffrey

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Stanford head coach David Shaw was asked this week if Christian McCaffrey had any trouble locking into football after all the preseason Heisman talk.

“Christian’s been locked in since 10 minutes after the Rose Bowl,” Shaw said.

When the No. 8 Cardinal open the season against Kansas State on Friday at Stanford Stadium, the eyes of about 50,000 people and a national TV audience will be locked on McCaffrey, last season’s Heisman Trophy runner-up and one of the early favorites this year.

Certainly, the Wildcats’ defense will be keying on the tailback, who got off to a rocky start last year in a surprising 16-6 loss at Northwestern.

“Hopefully, we give these Wildcats a better game than we gave the last Wildcats,” Shaw said.

With Stanford starting a new quarterback, Ryan Burns, K-State and other opponents probably will pack the box against McCaffrey until Burns shows he can hit his targets downfield.

“If people key on Christian,” Shaw said, “we’re still going to give him the ball. Bottom line is they still have to tackle him, which has proven to be a difficult thing to do.”

In addition to everything else he does, McCaffrey apparently will assume the short-yardage and goal-line carries that went to Remound Wright last year. Wright, adept at leaping over, bursting through and bouncing off piles, rushed for 13 touchdowns his senior season, five more than McCaffrey.

Running back Christian McCaffrey, is expected to add short- yardage and goal-line duties to his workload this season. Running back Christian McCaffrey, is expected to add short- yardage and goal-line duties to his workload this season. Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close With new QB for Stanford, K-State likely to zero in on McCaffrey 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

“Just being able to mimic what he did is going to be a lot of fun for me,” McCaffrey said of Wright.

Backup tailback Bryce Love hasn’t practiced this week because of an undisclosed injury, forcing him out for the opener. That probably will mean even more touches for McCaffrey and redshirt freshman Cameron Scarlett. Michael Rector or Francis Owusu is likely to take Love’s place next to McCaffrey on kickoff returns.

Burns, a redshirt junior, has thrown just one pass in brief appearances over the past two years.

“I don’t expect to put the whole ball of wax on his shoulders and have him win the game for us,” Shaw said. “I expect him to play his role.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Keller Chryst also will play some series, Shaw said, but he wouldn’t indicate when or for how long the backup would play.

Burns has one more pass attempt to his credit than K-State’s starting quarterback, Jesse Ertz. The redshirt junior lasted only one play last year, tearing the ACL in his right knee on an awkward tackle in his first start.

Three other K-State quarterbacks, including a converted receiver, tried to take his place, but they combined to complete fewer than half their passes. The Wildcats, plagued by injuries, limped to a 6-7 record, losing to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.

Under 76-year-old head coach Bill Snyder, the Wildcats have nine starters back on defense, but the offensive line has four new starters and another playing a new position. Standout safety Dante Barnett is back from a season-ending shoulder injury in the 2015 opener, and Jordan Willis is an excellent pass rusher (9.5 sacks).

Snyder is a legend in Kansas. The Wildcats’ stadium is named Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and his statue graces the west side of the stadium.

“I consider him one of the most transformational people in modern Kansas history,” athletic director John Currie told The Chronicle this week. “The attitude he has brought the football program has been transformational. He’s the most consistent person I’ve ever been around in my life. He has a set of principles and a philosophy that work.”

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald

Kansas State at No. 8 Stanford

Where: Stanford Stadium

When: 6 p.m.

TV/Radio: FS1/1050

Story lines: Despite an inexperienced starting quarterback and a reshuffled offensive line, Stanford has a high national ranking. The Cardinal, including AP national Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, struggled in last year’s opener at Northwestern, so head coach David Shaw softened the tail end of training camp, hoping his team will be fresher.

Injuries: Kansas State — none. Stanford — RB Bryce Love is out.

What to watch for

The Cardinal will try to get new QB Ryan Burns some easy completions early, likely to TE Dalton Schultz and WR Trent Irwin. But at some point, they’ll go to deep tries for Michael Rector and Francis Owusu. In the meantime, it will be McCaffrey’s show.

The body-clock factor. It was 9 a.m. PDT when the Northwestern game started last year. That won’t be an excuse this time if Stanford struggles.

Charles Jones, K-State’s most experienced RB, will lead a tailback-by-committee that includes hard-running Justin Silmon and Dalvin Warmack, a speedy pass-catching threat.

— Tom FitzGerald

Clear bags only

Stanford has implemented a clear-bag policy at Stanford Stadium to “provide a safer environment for the public and expedite fan entry,” the school said. For more information, visit GoStanford.com/AllClear.

Top Cardinal recruit injured

One of Stanford’s top recruits for 2017, quarterback Davis Mills of Norcross, Ga., injured his knee in a fluke accident recently, but underwent surgery and is expected back late this season for Greater Atlanta Christian School.

Mills, ranked as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the country by Scout.com and 247Sports, was hurt when he made a misstep on a staircase at home, according to his coach, Tim Hardy.

“He’ll be back this season,” Hardy told The Chronicle on Thursday. “He’ll be back for the home stretch.”

Mills did not tear his ACL, Hardy said, but the coach declined to describe the exact nature of the injury.

Mills passed for 2,821 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, and has thrown for more than 5,000 yards in his high school career. He rushed for 561 yards and 14 TDs last year.

He gave Stanford a verbal commitment March 15, turning down a host of schools, including Michigan and Michigan State.