Stanford gets much needed progress from Williams and Swann

Redshirt sophomores Mike Williams and Jovan Swann will be counted on to carry a great deal of the burden of whether Stanford's defensive line is effective this season. They appear to have taken to that task with a will to succeed.

Defensive line coach Diron Reynolds offered an update on both third-year players and more in a post-practice Q&A with Cardinal Sports Report. Subscribers can all of his comments on The Farm Report forum.

"Mike is a lot stronger," Reynolds said. "He knows the defense better and is playing with much more confidence. I think he's getting off the ball a lot better. He's getting into blockers way quicker than he used to. He has a big body and is able to leverage guys. He's probably been our second or third best pass rusher so far. Definitely one of our better guys in the interior.

""I think it's more with his quickness (that has improved his pass rush). He's getting off the ball. His anticipation of the snap and movement of the ball has been more on point than in the past year."

Williams will probably start the season opener at nose tackle. Swann will be on one side and redshirt junior Dylan Jackson the other. Swann got more playing time last as last season progressed and flashed at times. But he often faced much more physically mature lineman who could lock him down.

There aren't many guards in the country who are better than Stanford's Nate Herbig. He has been Swann's sparring partner all offseason.

"The past two days have been Jovan's best practices -- the way he's getting off and getting his hands on blockers really quick," Reynolds said. "Him and Nate (Herbig) have been having a big battle the way they have been challenging each other with the pass rush. They complement each other well."

Swann is "tons better" competing against the likes of Herbig now compared to last season.

"I think he's three times better than he was last year. He has made some big steps. He's watching a lot of old tape. I'm showing him guys who fit his stature. He's a big fan of Aaron Donald. I'm trying to show him guys with smaller stature doing the same thing he's doing with his pass rush. I think he has become more active and is absorbing it."

The performance of Stanford's defensive line will be a major determining factor of how successful the Cardinal will be this season. There is a lot of uncertainty and not much proven depth.

It appears Stanford will rely the most on Jackson, Williams, Swann and redshirt freshman Dalyn Wade-Perry. That's not a reassuring number for a 3-4 defense, but the Cardinal are often in nickel and rely on two defensive linemen at a time.

Unfortunately for Stanford, Wade-Perry has been sidelined at times in camp with an injury that's required a walking boot on his right foot. The New Jersey native had a good spring and an even stronger camp could have propelled him into position to challenge Williams to start at nose tackle.

At least for the start of the season he will probably rotate in to relieve Williams. Although, there may be times Stanford keeps Williams on the field at end, which they did several times during the spring.