Stanford Football: 5 Storylines Heading into Spring Ball

Stanford had a very successful season last year, as they finished with an 11-2 record. This year will be a lot more difficult, as they lose several key starters on both sides of the ball. The good news is that they recruited very well and have a schedule in their favor.

Although we still may be months away from college football kicking off, spring ball is right around the corner. Stanford's first spring practice takes place Feb. 27, and the spring game will take place on April 14th.

As we get ready for everything spring has to offer, here are the top five storylines to pay attention to.

Which Offensive Players Will Step Up?

Stanford is a team that was ranked seventh in the country last year in points scored. But that was with Andrew Luck running the show and five other starters on the offense as well.

Now the question is, who will step up on the offensive side of the ball to help fill those shoes?

The Cardinal does have one of the best running back tandems in Stepfan Taylor, Anthony Wilkerson and Tyler Gaffney. That should help soften the blow of losing a great like Luck and make things easier on whoever replaces him.

Things aren't as easy at wide receiver, as the top three receivers from a year ago are gone in Griff Whalen and Chris Owusu and tight end Coby Fleener. That means young players such as Levine Toilolo, Ty Montgomery and Drew Terrell will need to step up.

There needs to be playmakers at the wide receiver position, and right now, we're not seeing many.

Who Will Fill in the Secondary?

Stanford had a bend-but-don't-break secondary last year, as they were ranked seventh in the Pac-12 and only had seven interceptions. Players like Michael Thomas, Delano Howell and Johnson Bademosi are no longer on the team.

Which means that junior cornerback Terrence Brown is the new leader in the secondary, as he finished last year with 43 tackles. Sophomore Jordan Richards will likely replace Howell, as he had a very impressive freshman season, racking up 31 tackles. Other players you should keep an eye on include cornerback Barry Browning and safety Myles Muagututia.

The secondary is extremely young, but there are pieces to fill in the holes that last year's players have left. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason will have his work cut out for him, though.

Who Will Become the Linebackers Coach?

Stanford has had to make a few coaching changes during the offseason, and linebacker coach is one of the positions that has yet to be filled. Jason Tarver was the linebackers coach last season and was also the co-defensive coach as well. He ended up taking a job as the Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator.

Head coach Davis Shaw hopes to have an announcement sometime this week on who will coach this unit, but also said this isn't an immediate need.

"I'm in no hurry," Shaw said. "We have seven practices this session, and if we get it filled, great. If not, I'm fine. The most important thing is that I get the right guy that fits us and fits what we want to do."

Although Shaw is in no hurry, this is still something to pay attention to as the spring continues to carry out.

Who Will Become the Starting QB?

This is the main question that is on everybody's mind. Who will be the guy that will replace Andrew Luck at the quarterback position?

Sophomore quarterback Brett Nottingham was Luck's backup last season and is the favorite heading into the spring. He has fantastic size at 6'4", 210 pounds and the skill set to really become a solid quarterback for this team. But he has thrown only eight passes in his career, and there of course will be growing pains once he steps onto the field.

Other quarterbacks that will push Nottingham for the starting position are Robbie Picazo and Josh Nunes and redshirt freshmen Kevin Hogan and Evan Crower. While this may remain an open competition throughout the spring, expect Nottingham to be the starter opening weekend against San Jose State.

Can Stanford Continue the Momentum?

Reality is that Stanford hasn't exactly been known for having much success as a football school. Before Andrew Luck came along, this was a program that didn't reach a bowl game until 2001. Now that Luck and so many other key players have left for the NFL, it's going to be interesting to see just how this team responds.

The good news is that the pieces are in place and the recruiting class is nothing short of amazing. This is a program that I don't believe is going away anytime soon. While I don't think fans should expect a BCS bowl game again this season, this is a team that won't go away quietly.

It looks like Stanford is here to stay as long as they can continue to recruit well. It's going to be interesting to see if the players can actually get the job done on the field.

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].