Thanks to a stable of highly regarded offensive linemen who arrived at Stanford in 2012, the Cardinal offense was expected to roll to the usual terrific numbers last season.

It didn’t quite happen, although the line came together smartly over the last third of the season. Head coach David Shaw admitted he probably shouldn’t have hyped the line as much as he had.

The numbers in 2014 were pretty good, just not up to Stanford standards. The line gave up just 23 sacks, fewest in the Pac-12, although part of it was that the Cardinal didn’t throw nearly as often as many other teams.

More troubling was the fact that Stanford ranked just eighth in the conference in rushing. Overall, it was next to last in points and yards. The O-line took a big part of the hit for all that.

Center Graham Shuler thinks it’s high time the line lived up to its billing.

“I appreciated the pressure from Coach Shaw,” he said Tuesday. “I appreciated the pressure to do well and succeed. I think all these guys did. And we were really disappointed when we didn’t do that.”

Left tackle Andrus Peat is now with the Saints, having been the No. 13 pick in the NFL draft. But the line is bigger, stronger and deeper than it was last year, according to Mike Bloomgren, the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

“I won’t talk too badly about last year’s offensive line, but I do think they’ve grown,” he said. “I think they’ll be a lot better.”

Only Kyle Murphy, moving from right tackle to left to replace Peat, and left guard Josh Garnett are locked in as starters at this point, Bloomgren said. Not even Shuler, who started all 13 games last year, is a lock because of the challenge of versatile Johnny Caspers.

“Caspers is definitely one of our top five linemen, so he’ll be playing somewhere,” Bloomgren said. “I believe Josh and Kyle are not just solid performers who have secured their jobs, but two men -- if they continue to refine their game in a couple areas -- who will be our next All-Americans.”

Caspers, David Bright and Brendon Austin are dueling at right guard, and Bright, sophomore Casey Tucker and Nick Davidson are in the mix at right tackle. Bright and Davidson are finally taking part in camp after recovering from injuries.

Shuler, Garnett, Murphy, Caspers and Davidson, along with the departed Peat, were all part of the incoming class of 2012. Guard Brandon Fanaika would have been too, but he delayed his entrance to embark on a two-year Mormon church mission.

“We’ve got a lot of experience under our belts after a tough season last year,” said Shuler, wearing Peat’s No. 70 on his T-shirt under his jersey. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have come a long way.”

Even without Peat, Shuler is convinced the line has improved. “We came in with this class ready to get to work and do a lot,” he said. “We’ve got that all on our plate. It’s time to eat it.”

Briefly: There’s no timetable for the return of wide receiver Michael Rector from his disciplinary suspension, Shaw said. … Redshirt freshman Bobby Okereke is now part of the competition with Kevin Palma and redshirt freshman Jordan Perez at one inside linebacker spot. … Terrence Alexander and Taijuan Thomas have pushed into the competition at cornerback with Alijah Holder and Alameen Murphy to start opposite Ronnie Harris, Shaw said.

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