Stanford's 2010 Season:

12-1 (8-1 in Pac-10), Won Orange Bowl 40-12 over Virginia Tech

Andrew Luck returns as the nation's most talented quarterback. (John Martinez Pavliga via Wikimedia Commons)

-- Five returning starters

-- Impact Players: QB Andrew Luck, RB Stepfan Taylor, TE Coby Fleener

In 2010, coach Jim Harbaugh and QB Andrew Luck helped lead the Cardinal to the school's first 12-win season and first win in a BCS bowl. Harbaugh has since departed to become the head coach of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, but Luck decided to pass up on being, likely, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and instead stayed in school - a decision new head coach David Shaw and Stanford fans are no doubt pleased with. Luck led the 2010 Cardinal to a No. 14 national ranking in total offense and No. 9 ranking in scoring. There is no question that Andrew Luck is a superior talent, but the Stanford offense has other weapons to utilize.

Stepfan Taylor will once again get the nod at running back after a impressive sophomore campaign in which he rushed for 1137 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 266 receiving yards and another TD through the air. That combined TD total of 16 was good enough for Taylor to finish tied for 18th in touchdowns nationally. Ryan Hewitt will line up at fullback.

Tight End Coby Fleener returns as a starter, and was the Cardinal's third-leading receiver in 2010 (and is the leading returner in 2011). Rounding out the top of the receiving corps will be Griff Whalen and Chris Owusu. Owusu, who is better known for his duties as a kick returner, was actually Stanford's fourth-leading receiver last year as a reserve and should transition nicely into a starting role.

The offensive line welcomes back two returning starters in tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro. Joining the returning duo are projected starters Kevin Danser, Tyler Mabry and Sam Schwartzstein.

Defensive Analysis:

-- Six returning starters

-- Impact players: LB Shayne Skov, S Delano Howell, DL Matt Masifilo

The Cardinal played great defense in 2010. They ranked 21st nationally in total defense, 10th in scoring defense and 7th in turnover margin. However they have some holes to fill this season. Gone are coordinator Vic Fangio (who followed Harbaugh to the NFL), CB Richard Sherman, star LB Owen Marecic and dominant nose tackle Sione Fua. Don't be mistaken though, the ingredients are still there for a dominant 2011 campaign.

Although Sherman has moved on to the NFL, the three other starters from last year's secondary all return. Delano Howell (2010's interception leader) and Michael Thomas combine to make one of the better safety duos in the Pac-12. Johnson Bademosi returns at corner and will be joined by Barry Browning.

Linebacker Shayne Skov returns and was the Cardinal's leading tackler in 2010.  Chase Thomas also returns at LB, and led Stanford in tackles for loss with eleven last year. Thomas was also second to Snow in total tackles. The duo shared the team lead in sacks with seven apiece. Blake Lueders appears to be a candidate to fill one of the remaining LB spots, and true freshman James Vaughters will compete immediately to fill the other.

Matt Masifilo is the only returning starter along the defensive line. Masifilo, who totaled four sacks in 2010, will likely be joined by Ben Gardner at DE and Terrence Stephens at NT.

Andrew Luck is considered by many to be the top quarterback in the country. He is polished, poised and the undisputed leader of his team. They have one of the better, yet more underrated running backs in the Pac-12. The schedule features early tune-ups against San Jose St. and Duke, and the Cardinal get to host two of their tougher contests (Oregon and Notre Dame) on The Farm. The experienced secondary should prove to be very beneficial in a league full of talented opposing quarterbacks.

Areas Of Concern:

Jim Harbaugh did a great job building this Stanford program, and he left some big shoes to fill. A first-year head coach (David Shaw), and a new face coordinating the defense (Derek Mason), as well as multiple other new assistants, could pose potential problems as the Cardinal adjust to the new leadership. However, both Shaw and Mason were members of Stanford's coaching staff last year. The offensive and defensive lines each have solid players returning but also have several key departures to replace to be able to match last year's level of play.

There's a lot to like about the Stanford Cardinal in 2011. The experience on both sides of the ball should be sufficient to lead the Cardinal to a second consecutive BCS bowl game. Stanford fans aren't particularly known for providing much of a home field advantage, but if they can manage to get behind the Cardinal and finally sell out critical home games in Palo Alto, it could go a long way towards propelling Stanford to another top-ten finish and possibly a Pac-12 Championship.

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