The question was posed to Jon Embree last Dec. 6, within minutes of his formal introduction as Colorado’s new head football coach.
He was asked: Is there any program that you will try to emulate?
“We want to play like Stanford,” Embree responded without hesitation.
Beginning with today’s 5:30 p.m. kickoff (Versus network) at Stanford Stadium, Colorado will get an up-close-and-personal look at the team — and the attitude — to which it should aspire. The Buffaloes (1-4, 0-1 Pac-12) are advised to tighten their chin straps.
“Stanford wants to pound you,” Embree said.
The No. 7 Cardinal (4-0, 2-0) have the nation’s top pro prospect, senior quarterback Andrew Luck, but this isn’t one of those finesse, pitch-and-catch spread offenses. Stanford operates a pro-style formation that some may even call “old school” these days.
Undoubtedly the most physical team in the Pac-12, the Cardinal strives for balance on offense, getting as much delight from running over an opponent as passing over it, if not more so. Even Luck, a sturdy 6-foot-4, 237-pounder, has become something of a YouTube legend with video clips of him knocking down would-be tacklers.
“Stanford wants to make it a street fight,” Embree explained. “They’re a power-running team. If you don’t have that mind-set, they’ll run you out of the stadium.”
Ranked fourth in the USA Today coaches poll, Stanford is riding an FBS-best 12-game winning streak, dating to a loss at Oregon last October. The Cardinal has not been tested this year, winning four games by an average score of 46-12.
CU safety Ray Polk calls Stanford’s passing game “tricky.” He figures to have a particularly busy time keeping track of Stanford tight ends, who have accounted for nine of Stanford’s 13 touchdown receptions this season.
“It isn’t anything that’s impossible,” said Polk of having success against Stanford. “But it’s going to be a big challenge. We have to fly around and make plays and be aggressive.”
How’s this for efficiency? Stanford ranks first nationally in fewest turnovers committed: One.
“When Luck is throwing it, you have to do a good job of tackling,” Embree said. “You have to make sure they don’t just hit you quickly. You watch the UCLA game. The start of the third quarter, all of a sudden it was two plays, touchdown. They opened the game, 16 plays, 99 yards. They can do both.
“You have to get good pressure on Luck when the opportunity presents itself. You have to tackle. And you have to stop the run.”
Embree said, on film, Stanford looks the same under first-year coach David Shaw as it had the previous four seasons under Jim Harbaugh, who now coaches the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Shaw was elevated from offensive coordinator.
“I think David probably didn’t get as much credit he deserved for what he did when Harbaugh was there,” Embree said. “His fingerprints were on it. It’s just continuing on.
“It’s a program I have admired from a distance for a long time.”
Consistency in toughness, consistency in effort, consistency in performance. As far as Embree is concerned, that’s what football should be all about.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
