Drew Dalman

The moment was not overwhelming.

Oh sure, there was nervous tension floating around in Drew Dalman’s stomach. Yet, he had visualized this scene since the day he set foot on the Stanford University campus, creating his own expectations to live up to.

"It was so much fun being in a real football game," Dalman said. "It was awesome. I just had a blast running around with my teammates. It reminded me of why I love the sport so much."

After a season of snapping balls on the scout team, the former Palma standout started at center last week for the Cardinal football team as a redshirt freshman against San Diego State.

Dalman will be at center again Saturday when conference rival USC comes to Stanford in a battle of nationally ranked programs.

"It’s tough to assess a letter grade on my performance," Dalman said. "There were some things that I was happy about. There are a lot of things I need to improve upon from Week 1 to Week 2.’’

The 280-pound Dalman didn’t look like a 19-year-old making his first start, masking line calls and taking charge at the line of scrimmage, using hand movements upon seeing the defense line up.

"It’s more about communicating and making sure we’re all on the same page," Dalman said. "I did a little of that in high school as well."

While the Cardinal didn’t run the ball well, the pass protection was excellent as KJ Costello threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns.

"Drew is so technically sound," Palma coach Jeff Carnazzo said. "Colleges would come and we’d tell them that. But they have to see it themselves. As soon as the kid got on campus, they saw it."

There was still a process for Dalman, who was redshirted last year, enabling him to gain strength and speed in Stanford’s conditioning program to go along with his already high IQ for the game.

"It can be a little tough working for a goal that does not have an end," Dalman said. "Maybe there is an impression that when you’re redshirting, you’re put on the shelf. But you’re refining your craft."

Dalman spent last season adding 15 pounds of muscle, watching a lot of film and spending most of his practice time lined up at center against Stanford’s first-team defense.

By his own estimation, Dalman took part in at least 100 practices without the benefit of seeing any action during the season last fall.

"Maybe some moments were harder than others," Dalman said. "But I never hit rock bottom. I knew in the back of my mind that this day would come. I knew the work would pay off in the end."

Dalman’s debut as a starter for the Cardinal came nearly 30 years to the day that his dad, Chris, made his first start at Stanford in 1989 as a right guard — also as a redshirt freshman.

"I thought he put guys in the right locations," Chris Dalman said. "It can be hard to play when there is uncertainly in yourself. It didn’t seem like the moment or environment was too big for Drew."

Seeing his first extensive action in an game in over a year was an adrenaline rush for the younger Dalman, who settled into his role from the opening series, pancaking defenders.

The soreness that he often felt after a game for Palma after colliding with opponents over 100 times a game never materialized.

"I think because I went both ways in high school I was more sore," Dalman said. "I was a little stiff. Obviously it’s more physical at this level, but I have an idea of the process I need to have in keeping my body right."

Having a father who played the same position for eight years with the San Francisco 49ers certainly is a nice tool to lean on for advice.

And while there might be that temptation to give his son a call, Chris Dalman believes in just being a dad at this stage and letting his son’s coaches at Stanford work with him.

"Every once in a while Drew will call and bounce an idea off me, asking what I would do," Dalman’s dad said. "I don’t call and say, ‘I saw this.’ When he wants information, he’ll solicit it."

The one piece of advice the younger Dalman has never forgotten from his dad was creating his own moments and relishing the experience.

"My dad told me to make this my own experience and get what I want to get out of it," Drew Dalman said. "Realize opportunities when they are there and capitalize."

If there was one thing that perhaps surprised the younger Dalman, it’s that the speed of the game was not overwhelming. All the instincts of the game came right back.

"We do a great job of doing game tempo in workouts," Dalman said. "I see it so much. I’ve had a lot of practices under my belt. It didn’t feel any different for me."

Of course, a new challenge awaits in USC, which is ranked No. 12 in the college coaches poll, three slots behind Stanford.

While Stanford was gaining a measure of redemption with a 31-10 win over San Diego State, the Trojans were 43-21 winners over UNLV in their opener.

"The talent USC has jumps off the film," Dalman said. "It’s about matching up with them. You get a semi-traditional front with them. That’s a good football team. But we’re a good football team."

While Dalman has had to learn how to prioritize his time, juggling academics with football has not been difficult.

"I enjoy school," Dalman said. "It’s never been something I drag through. I’d be lying if I said it was not stressful. But it’s a privilege to be going to this institution and playing football, not a sacrifice."