The Stanford team voted its 2017 team captains Sunday with unprecedented results. More players received a higher number of votes than we have seen before, yielding seven Cardinal captains for this season: fifth-year senior offensive tackle David Bright, senior quarterback Keller Chryst, fifth-year senior outside linebacker Peter Kalambayi, senior cornerback Alameen Murphy, senior defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, tight end Dalton Schultz and senior free safety Brandon Simmons.
Even more striking is the widely held belief in the locker room that these seven captains are the tip of the iceberg. Stanford's depth of leadership is as exciting a signal for success this year as any.
"We have so many leaders outside the captains, which makes it very special because there are many guys bringing the team closer together," says Bright. "I also think this year, we have had everyone on the same page. We all had the same mentality and wanted the same thing. When you align all of those goals together in the pursuit of one ultimate goal, then special things happen."
While the media spotlight is currently shining during training camp, team leadership was forged away from the public eye throughout the preceding winter, spring and summer away.
"We do extra film work with the young guys to get on the same page," says Kalambayi. "We make sure that our position groups are locked in from top to bottom, whether the second-year starter or the freshman walk-on, to make sure everybody knows what to do throughout the off-season."
This year's Cardinal captains help illustrate the different forms of leadership which guide the Stanford locker room through both words and deeds. Fifth-year seniors Bright and Kalambayi help break down the captains on offense and defense, respectively:
OT David Bright – "I don't say a whole lot. I think you need to have credibility behind your name. If you are doing things right, then everything falls into place. That's how I have always thought about it. I would rather lead by example and then say something when it needs to be said."
QB Keller Chryst – "Keller is a model of work. He won't say a lot, but when he does, everyone respects him because of how much work he put in. Everyone especially knows he tore his ACL, and how he came back in fall camp is something that is really special. He just grinds."
TE Dalton Schultz – "Dalton has a great enthusiasm about him and brings great energy to the table. He has been a vocal guy for us this whole offseason, which I think is awesome. It's been cool to see him grow."
OLB Peter Kalambayi – "I try to do the right thing all the time. It takes a lot of people doing things the wrong way for me to speak up. I don't say a lot of words, but when I do, they will be stern words of encouragement to make it clear that we have a standard to hold. We won't settle for anything less."
CB Alameen Murphy – "Alameen has always been one of the hardest workers on the team since he came here, who does things right all the time. He is somebody the young guys can look up to as an example of how to do things the right way. I remember one day we missed a summer run. Alameen doesn't speak much, but after that team run he scolded the whole team and told us that this is not the standard we set here. Nobody missed the run for the next three or four runs after Alameen addressed the team."
DT Harrison Phillips – "Harrison always holds people accountable. If you cut a rep short or left your bottle out, Harrison is the one to tell you that is not okay and get on the ground to do some 'thinkers.' Harrison is an example of someone who is a good student-athlete, works hard and does a lot of extra work in the weight room. It really shows when he plays."
FS Brandon Simmons – "Brandon is pretty much vocal all the time. If there ever is a day where the juice feels low, he will take it upon himself to address the defense or team. In the weight room, he is always excited and takes pride in being strong and detailed in the weight room. He keeps the energy going all the time."