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- Stanford's season-opening football game Friday night against Kansas State signifies a beginning in many ways, especially for players like new starting quarterback Ryan Burns and 2015 AP Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, who embarks on what promises to be another memorable season.
But the game also marks an ending.
Robert Mitchell will be attending his final game on the Stanford sideline. Few outside the football program know Mitchell, but many would recognize him. Mitchell has been a fixture around the football corridors since 2002 as a volunteer, helping out wherever he can, by passing out water bottles during practice or moving equipment.
The soft-spoken Mitchell doesn't reveal much about himself, but his story is compelling.
In 1979, when Robert was 2, he was walking with his uncle when a drunk driver barreled into Robert. He was thrown into the air, and landed underneath the other vehicle, which dragged him another 20-30 yards before Robert was dislodged and the driver sped off.
Robert suffered permanent brain damage.
Mitchell, who was born at Stanford Hospital, eventually gravitated toward the Cardinal. Since then, current and former members of Stanford's staff have taken him under their wing -- athletic trainer Steve Bartlinski, equipment room supply coordinator Perry Archibald, former equipment manager Gary Hazelitt, and former video producer Jon Oswald, among others.
Each day, Mitchell, 39, begins the long commute from San Jose on public transportation -- busses, trains, and Stanford's Marguerite shuttle.
He does so without complaint. In fact, it's been a joy.
"I really, really love football," Mitchell said in a 2010 interview. "Without football in my life, I don't know what I'd do."
Not only did Mitchell love being around the football team, he found a calling. He began taking classes at San Jose City College to become a certified athletic trainer.
"I don't care how long it takes me, I'm going to go through it," he said. "And nothing is going to stop me … I'm just trying not to give up."
However, Mitchell will face an obstacle to that quest when he leaves next week for Memphis, Tennessee, where he will live with relatives. He will be missed.
David Shaw, Stanford's Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, paid tribute to Mitchell at Monday's press conference.
"Robert's one of those individuals who has every right and every justification to be unhappy, to be angry, to have resentment," Shaw said. "And every single day, he just comes and works. He's positive, and guys look at him as part of our team.
"When he talks about the football team, he says 'we'. He doesn't say, 'you guys.' We all appreciate that."
As Mitchell once said, "I'm trying to be an inspiration to this team and people in general. It takes an inspiration to do the type of things that these guys are doing. Especially when they're in class, they need all the inspiration they can get. So do I."
Suffice to say, Mitchell has been an inspiration to all who know him.
"It's going to be a little strange without him," Shaw said. "But at the same time, I'm happy for him as he moves on to another chapter of his life. We'll enjoy this last week with him." - After assembling possibly the most spectacular season in college football history, McCaffrey didn't take long to re-focus for 2016. McCaffrey, of course, broke Barry Sanders' NCAA season record for all-purpose yardage (with 3,864) while crushing Toby Gerhart's school season rushing record (with 2,019), and finishing his historic year with a Rose Bowl-record 368 all-purpose yards.
"Christian's been locked in since about 10 minutes after the Rose Bowl," Shaw said. "That's just who he is. He just can't wait to play football again."
Teams will be loading the box to stop McCaffrey. That puts responsibility on his teammates, but it also doesn't stop Stanford from using its best weapon.
"We're still going to give him the ball," Shaw said. "Because the bottom line is, they still have to tackle him, which has proven to be a difficult thing to do." - McCaffrey's goals are simple: "Get as many yards as possible on every touch," he said. "Last year, I went in with the same mindset and it seemed to work out. This year, I don't want to overcomplicate things … My goal is to get as many yards and score as many touchdowns as possible and win as many games as possible."
With national magazine covers and feature stories, there might be reason for teammates to resent the attention awarded McCaffrey. But that's not the case. McCaffrey refuses to let the attention get to his head and said his accolades are a product of the team's play, rather than his own.
Plus, it's hard to be on top of a mountain for a player so grounded.
"You still get up at 5:30 a.m. in the winter to grind with your teammates," McCaffrey said. "That's what you're thinking about more than what magazine cover you're on. Because that's how you get there." - What is Shaw's expectation of new quarterback Ryan Burns, a first-time starter after the graduation of four-year starter Kevin Hogan, now with the Kansas City Chiefs?
"My expectation is for him to run the offense," Shaw said. "To be efficient and protect the football. One of the biggest things about being a quarterback is helping other people do their jobs. So, I don't expect to put the whole game on his shoulders, I expect him to play his role.
"It's what I expect from everyone else on the field: Do your job and let everyone else on the field do theirs."
"We all feel extremely confident with him at quarterback, knowing that he knows all the plays, and all the checks," McCaffrey said. "We all feel that whatever happens, both of those guys (including Keller Chryst) can come in and execute.
"Kevin's someone you definitely can't replace, as a quarterback and a leader. But people forget that these quarterbacks are the same people that learned from Kevin." - Sophomore running back Bryce Love is "unlikely" to play" because of injury, Shaw said.
Love, a speedster and gamebreaker, is the player most likely to siphon the load from McCaffrey this season. If Love doesn't go, carries most likely will go to sophomore Cameron Scarlett, the brother of 2015 defensive line starter Brennan Scarlett. - This is the first time Stanford has played Kansas State and the first time Shaw has faced Bill Snyder, now in his 25th season as the Wildcats' head coach.
"He's one of the legends of the coaching profession," Shaw said. "There are a handful of names I've heard about my whole life as someone who coaches the game the right way, of having the respect of the young men he coaches and respect in the coaching profession. There's a standard on and off the field that Coach Snyder has kept very high for a long period of time." - Kansas State will be in a position to make history. The Wildcats have never won a true nonconference road game against a ranked team, with a 0-12 record in such contests.
Also, this is just the seventh time since 1989 that Kansas State is playing a true road game against a nonconference Power 5 school. The Wildcats are 2-4 in that time.
One more factoid -- No. 8 Stanford is the highest-ranked road opponent Kansas State has ever played to open a season. - Bobby Okereke, a junior, has earned the starting position at inside linebacker.
"Bobby has really had the best camp of any of our inside linebackers," Shaw said. "That's saying a lot." - McCaffrey is impressed with the Cardinal defense and believes everyone else will be too.
"They're a defense that's incredibly tough, they're fast, they're physical, and they're very talented," McCaffrey said. "And I think they're going to open a lot of eyes."
Defensive end Solomon Thomas is inclined to agree.
"If we play to our highest potential, we'll be unstoppable," he said. - This year, the Cardinal defense has great depth. The defensive line bears little resemblance to last year's thin line, especially with the return of Harrison Phillips, a tackle who missed nearly all of last season with an injury. The linebacker corps also is deep, with 4-5 players expected to rotate in and out of the lineup. And the secondary may be even deeper.
A lot of the improved line depth is due to the emergence of sophomore defensive end Dylan Jackson.
"We have six guys now that can come in and play and because Dylan Jackson came in and worked extremely hard," Shaw said. "Dylan has matured so much. He's learned a lot with technique, how to use his hands, what to do within the defense."
Thomas also has noticed his teammate's improvement.
"I've seen his technique grow better and better," Thomas said. "I feel like he matured mentally, in understanding schemes, and in what's going on."
However, Stanford did lose leading tackler Blake Martinez to graduation -- a potentially big loss. How will the Cardinal overcome it?
"We're not asking for any superheroes," Thomas said. "We're not asking for another Blake Martinez. All we're asking for is the next man to step up and do his job. And every one to do their jobs and we'll all be fine." - Justin Reid, who received more responsibility as his freshman season wore on last year, earned a starting safety spot for the season opener. Reid was at his best during the Pac-12 Championship Game victory over USC and the Rose Bowl victory over Iowa.
"He's quick, explosive, decisive," Shaw said. "He loves football, he's passionate about it. He practices like an aged veteran. He sees the game very well -- his anticipation for reading routes, reading route combinations, reading quarterbacks, and filling in the run game. He's been very good.
"The best thing I like about him is every day he has a great practice, the next day he comes back and tries to have a better practice. There's no resting, there's no backing off." - A spring experiment became permanent for Casey Tucker, and the offensive line is all the stronger for it. Tucker asked to move to left tackle to fill the absence of graduated Kyle Murphy and his play has warranted a starting spot.
However, the move may not have lasted if not for the emergence of junior A.T. Hall, who has solidified the right tackle spot. Hall's play also ensured that David Bright would not have to move from left guard. Hall has been one of the most impressive players in camp, both in the spring and the fall.
"We've jelled pretty well throughout training camp," McCaffrey said of his offensive line. "From a running back's standpoint, when you get in a film room with them, which is something I've tried to do a lot more this camp, we're able to see what each other sees. That's extremely important for a run game to succeed." - With two inexperienced quarterbacks on top of the depth chart, Stanford's use of virtual reality has helped with the transition in the post- Hogan era.
The headsets are most useful for quarterbacks picking up blitzes in practice and in 7-on-7 drills. The views can be shared by all the quarterbacks after the fact. Mental reps, they're called.
"It's been invaluable to us over the last couple of years," Shaw said. "With two quarterbacks who don't have a lot of experience, these two guys are two years into the VR and really watching. I think it's really helped them get to the position they're in right now." - Mindful of last year's 16-6 season-opening loss to Northwestern, Shaw made some changes in Stanford's preseason preparation to keep his team fresh.
Instead of four double-day sessions, Stanford had three. Two other practices were cut from the schedule and several others were of a shorter duration.
"We made sure we got all the situational things we had to," Shaw said. "We tackled maybe a little bit less in 2-3 practices, but I don't think it put us at any disadvantage. We still had scrimmages. We still were very, very physical. But we shaved off just enough to make sure we could get into this week pretty fresh."
Players said they feel the difference.
"Definitely, my body feels a lot better," McCaffrey said. "I think we all feel a lot better."
Said Thomas, "I personally feel great. I feel like I'm ready for the first game."