Names to know

Alex Fletcher Stanford center

Any team that has a strong rushing attack has a strong center. Fletcher is not huge at 6-foot-3 and 296 pounds – the entire Stanford line is strong and quick, not oversized – but has great feet. Nominated for every major lineman award, he not only handles a man in the gap, but can get around the corner if need be and out to a linebacker when called for. After starting nine games at center as a sophomore, he played guard last season but moved back into the middle for his senior season.

Ben Woodard WSU tight end

Woodard played his high school football in Cheney, where he caught the eye of then-Eastern Washington coach Paul Wulff. But WSU won out. After graduating in 2002, Woodard headed to his Latter-day Saint mission in Central America. When he returned to WSU in 2004, building strength was a priority. Now 6-5 and 242 pounds, the senior is the Cougars’ best blocking tight end, but he has caught nine passes for 113 yards this season.

Pat Maynor Stanford linebacker

Though fellow outside linebacker Clinton Snyder gets most of the ink, Maynor has used his 6-2, 255-pound body well enough to lead the Cardinal in tackles (59), tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (four). He’s also fast enough to get back into pass coverage, as witnessed by his four pass breakups, second most on the team. The aggressive senior has started 40 games in his career, collecting 27 tackles behind the line of scrimmage at that time.