On Saturday, Stanford's defense was able to showcase the progress it's made this spring. A scrimmage focused on goal-line situations shone a spotlight on a strengthening, healing defensive line that still awaits veteran reinforcements Aziz Shittu and Brennan Scarlett.

The Cardinal's new-look secondary, meanwhile, hasn't yet delivered a big splash of advancement, but Stanford's staff is confident the unit's new core is laying a solid foundation.

Safety Jordan Richards is gone, but Stanford has several young players ready to step into prominent roles in its secondary. Joshua Weisberg/Icon SMI

"We're getting better," defensive backs coach Duane Akina smiled. "We're growing up, slowly but surely. They're starting to know what to do. They're not brand new anymore."

Captain Jordan Richards, who manned the ship from safety, is gone. So is Kyle Olugbode, who delivered an excellent senior season in center field opposite Richards. Cornerback Alex Carter declared for the NFL Draft, and Wayne Lyons transferred to Michigan. The injured Ronnie Harris is Stanford's eldest returning defensive back, but he'll miss all of spring ball. And if versatile veteran Zach Hoffpauir signs with an MLB team following this year's draft -- a recent hand injury might worsen his baseball stock -- he won't be back in 2015.

"I just hope he gets drafted at a number that's not too high so he gets to come back," David Shaw said. "Because we're definitely counting on him."

For the time being, though, Stanford is hammering away at a contingency plan that features fresh talent in frontline roles. Kodi Whitfield and Dallas Lloyd, former offensive players who changed sides last offseason, have impressed Akina this offseason and seem on target for starting jobs at safety.

"Dallas and Kodi have been a really nice surprise," Akina said. "They've been able to free up and just let their instincts take over."

Elsewhere, Stanford is preaching positional versatility so that its defensive backs can freely rotate from cornerback to nickel and provide flexibility that has proven invaluable against the Pac-12's many slot weapons. Alijah Holder, Alameen Murphy, Terrence Alexander, and Taijuan Thomas all earned Akina's mention after fighting through another trial-by-fire week of spring practice.

"We have corners lined up on a weak-side tight end with pulling guards coming at them -- that's tough," Akina said. "They need to learn how to force the issue instinctively, and safeties need to be able to play in space and cover man-to-man so they leave here complete."

Alexander says that the young defensive backs are relishing the chance to develop this new adaptability, especially since the fiery Akina is their teacher.

"He's crazy," Alexander smiled. "When I was being recruited, I got upset when [former defensive backs coach] Derek Mason left. But with Akina it couldn't have gotten any better. He's teaching me stuff -- angles, spacing, vision -- that I never would have thought about. That's how I know he's a great coach."

Stanford is counting on Akina's acumen to bring a very talented but very green crop of defensive backs up to speed quickly.

"Our youth is significant -- it's there," Shaw said. "But so is the talent."