Stanford Football: 5 players to watch in spring game

Stanford football ceded control of the Pac-12 to Washington last year. Which Cardinal players should you watch at this year's spring game?

The Cardinal won ten games last year, eclipsing double digits in the win column for the fifth time in six years under head coach David Shaw. Yet Stanford fell to third in the Pac-12 North. They enter 2017 staring up at Washington, and there are a lot of questions yet to be answered on The Farm. If Shaw's team hopes to contend for the conference this year, they will need to answer many of these questions during spring practice.

They've already had a taste of life after Christian McCaffrey, but the quarterback situation is still a mess and the defense needs some fine-tuning. With no fewer than 15 returning starters, though, the Cardinal have all the ingredients to challenge in the Pac-12 once again. The key is fitting all those cogs together in their proper roles and maximizing the talent on hand.

With that in mind, let's look at who might step up and contribute in key roles for Stanford this season. Click ahead to see the five Cardinal players to watch closely when they take the field for the spring game on April 15.

September 12, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love (20) scores a 93-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Central Florida Knights at Stanford Stadium. The Cardinal defeated the Knights 31-7. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Love

RB, Stanford

Though Christian McCaffrey is no longer a Cardinal, the running game should be just fine in 2017. Bryce Love showed the future will be just fine in the Stanford backfield after gashing North Carolina for 119 rushing yards and a 49-yard TD catch in the Sun Bowl.

Entering his junior year, Love now gets full control of the starting tailback duties. Though he is built slightly differently than McCaffrey, he offers a similar profile as a shorter running and pass-catching threat.

It will be interesting to see how much Shaw elects to work out Love during this spring practice schedule, given that he is now the lead back. Cameron Scarlett will likely see more reps, as will Trevor Speights and Dorian Maddox.

But watch to see what Love is able to do in the spring game on April 15, as that will be his main opportunity to shine this spring. Look especially to see how he manages to read holes opened up by an offensive line that is still a work in progress.

Nov 7, 2015; Boulder, CO, USA; Stanford Cardinal safety Ben Edwards (9) pulls in a interception in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. The Cardinals defeated the Buffaloes 42-10. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Edwards

FS, Stanford

Senior safeties Dallas Lloyd and Zach Hoffpauir are both graduated after playing key roles in the secondary in 2016.

For a team that ranked 25th nationally in passing efficiency defense, filling those holes is going to be critical. That creates an opportunity for junior safety Ben Edwards to finally step into a starting role. He has the most experience of any safety on the roster besides strong safety Justin Reid, his likely partner atop the depth chart.

As a sophomore, Edwards returned an interception 35 yards at Arizona to shift the momentum in a 34-10 victory. He also finished the year with three pass breakups and 29 tackles in limited duty.

With an expanded role, Edwards could quickly emerge as a force against the passing attacks of the Pac-12. Look to see how he patrols the field and how he operates in tandem with Reid and the cornerbacks during this year's spring game.

Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ryan Burns (17) throws the ball against the North Carolina Tar Heels defense at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Burns

QB, Stanford

Last year it seemed as though Ryan Burns was going to be the next great Stanford quarterback. He went an efficient 14 of 18 for 156 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening win against Kansas State.

It wasn't always pretty, but he also led the team to wins over USC and UCLA. Even in losses against Washington and Washington State, Burns was not necessarily the primary cause of defeat. Yet after a three-interception game against Colorado, Shaw gave him the hook.

Yet Keller Chryst has not been much better at the position, and his fragility resulted in Burns' reappearance at the Sun Bowl. Now he will try to regain his position atop the depth chart this spring even as he competes with redshirt freshman K.J. Costello.

Keep an eye on how well Burns manages to work the ball to his various receivers, and if he manages to begin building relationships with the new additions. If Burns can grow to provide more of a downfield threat, it would boost Stanford's chances in the Pac-12.

Oct 15, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Sean Barton (27) grabs Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Nic Weishar (82) in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Stanford won 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Barton

LB, Stanford

The Cardinal are losing a lot of talent from their linebacking corps. Peter Kalambayi and Kevin Palma are both gone, opening the door for a new talent to emerge. One of the potential candidates to step up and replace Palma at inside linebacker is Sean Barton.

Originally recruited in 2013, Barton served a mission with the LDS church out of high school. After his two years away he arrived in Palo Alto in 2015. He redshirted his first year and got his first playing time last season.

In a relief role as a redshirt freshman, Barton notched 30 tackles. He also had 2.0 sacks and forced a fumble in the playing time he received. The main issue in Barton's case is size. Though he is 6-foot-3, Barton weights just 212 pounds.

Though it allows him to be faster and more mobile, the lack of bulk is a detriment in the run game. At this year's spring game, watch to see how well Barton is able to fend off blocks and get into the backfield.

Sep 30, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Trenton Irwin (2) is pursed by Washington Huskies defensive back Darren Gardenhire (3) during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Trenton Irwin

WR, Stanford

In addition to McCaffrey's receiving out of the backfield, the Cardinal also lose two of their top four receivers from 2016.

The graduation of Francis Owusu and Michael Rector creates opportunities for increased targets for players such as Trenton Irwin. He led the team in receiving last year(albeit with a paltry 34 yards per game). He should manage to snag more than one interception this year, and could see his yards per game rise significantly.

This spring, look to see how Irwin connects with quarterbacks Ryan Burns and redshirt freshman K.J. Costello. With Keller Chryst sidelined with an injury this spring, it will be interesting to see if Irwin and the other receivers build a rapport with one of the other passers.

If Irwin takes that next step and is able to develop into a more consistent threat downfield, that would help open up everything for the offense.