STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — One linebacker spreads black paint all across his face. Another screams after every sack. The safeties regularly jar helmets loose, dancing and smiling in celebration.
Apparently Stanford’s defense is trying to get noticed.
On a team with Heisman Trophy favorite Andrew Luck anchoring a high-scoring offense, that isn’t always easy on the other side of the ball. So far, so good.
The defensive starters haven’t allowed anyone into the end zone yet, another sign of an emerging strength that is making Luck twice as dangerous. The first major test for sixth-ranked Stanford’s defense comes Saturday night under the lights in the desert, facing a fast-paced Arizona team that prides itself on piling up points.