The Stanford offense is benefitting from going up against a front seven that is playing hard. And the center competition may be taken over by a familiar name for Cardinal fans.

Cardinal Sports Report spoke with head coach David Shaw, wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy and sophomore receiver Connor Wedington. Subscribers can read the full quotes from Kennedy and Wedington on The Farm Report Forum. (Kennedy spoke about each scholarship receiver who participated in the scrimmage Sunday and Wedington described his own development and what he has seen from several defensive backs.)

Shaw and the staff watched video of the team's scrimmage Sunday and people who watched that day may not be surprised who Shaw first talked about as a top performer.

"Gabe Reid has continued his impressive streak since the start of spring. He's so explosive, so physical," he said. "He has done such a great job of adding to that experienced group of outside linebackers."

Reid is a redshirt freshman who spent two years on an LDS mission. Shaw also discussed the progress of two freshmen who got back home from missions this summer, wide receiver Simi Fehoko and outside linebacker Loa Kaufusi.

"Simi Fehoko is an anomaly," Shaw said. "Usually those guys come back and they lost a lot of wight. Simi came back and gained 15 pounds. I don't know how he did that. He looks great and is on the verge of being one of those guys who may be ready to play."

Kaufusi isn't as close to playing as Fehoko, but it's not because he lacks the talent, or the size, to play as a freshman. Even with Curtis Robinson battling an injury -- Stanford will know more about his situation in the next couple weeks -- there are more than enough outside linebackers for the Cardinal to go to before leaning on a true freshman.

"If we really pushed him he may be able to. But we have a lot of guys ahead of him right now and he's still learning," Shaw said. "We don't feel like we have to accelerate him. If at some point he gets to that point that would be great. We're pretty deep at the linebacker position right now. Loa has been great. He's a big, physical, athletic guy who has a very bright future."

At the end of last season another young player seemed to have a long road ahead to starting a game. Drew Dalman needed to get bigger to compete at the center spot and he made significant strides this offseason to be in a position to help the team while Jesse Burkett works through a knee injury.

Dalman and Brian Chaffin (R-Jr.) are competing to play in place of Burkett. Stanford will know in the next week or two if Burkett is likely to miss several games.

"Drew Dalman has learned a lot and come a long way in a short period of time -- for a guy having to play all three (interior positions) to really be in a battle to start at center," Shaw said. "I'm very comfortable with where those guys are right now. Our defense is giving us everything you can think of right now, so both of them get a chance to be swimming in it every once in a while. Once we settle down and get into a game plan I think they'll be fine."



Of course, Drew's father, Chris, is a former Cardinal offensive lineman who was drafted by the 49ers in 1993. He started 64 games, including for a Super Bowl champion. He was part of the coaching staff that helped turn around the Cardinal program starting in 2007.

"Sometimes I'm walking behind him (Drew) and it's the same walk, the same mannerisms," Shaw smiled. "I try really hard not to call him Chris. Drew is off to a really good start. I'm excited about what his future holds."

