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Why David Shaw is an Excellent Fit for 49ers Head Coach Job

By Nicholas McGee

October 8, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw watches against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 8, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw watches against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 49ers are searching for another head coach following Chip Kelly’s firing, and Stanford’s David Shaw should be on their radar.

The 49ers search for a new general manager and head coach is underway and, in terms of the coaching search, the reported contenders have offered little in the way of surprises.

Believed to be set for interview with the 49ers are Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn, Redskins OC Sean McVay and Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

But one prominent name who has yet to be mentioned in connection with the position and should be near the top of the 49ers’ list is Stanford head coach David Shaw.

Before San Francisco hired Chip Kelly last offseason, the San Jose Mercury News reported Shaw was not interested in the 49ers head coaching gig. However, 12 months on, there are a number of reasons why he would be an excellent fit.

An offensive background and history of success

A theme has quickly developed in this coaching search. Joseph aside, all of the apparent candidates are offensive minds, with Shanahan and McDaniels in particular enjoying significant success at the pro level.

Though Stanford finished the 2016 season with the No. 11 ranked offense in the Pac-12, Shaw has a pedigree as an offensive coach at both the NFL and collegiate level.

Shaw has served as the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens, with whom he also worked as the wide receivers coach before following Jim Harbaugh to the University of San Diego – taking the role of passing game coordinator – and then to Stanford.

He worked with the running backs and wide receivers at Stanford, going on to get one year as Andrew Luck’s head coach after Harbaugh took the Niners job in 2011.

And since being promoted to the top job Shaw has enjoyed substantial success, building on the foundation Harbaugh laid to compile a 64-17 record and win three Pac-12 championships.

In doing so Shaw has maintained Stanford’s imposing defense, which ranked No. 4 in the Pac-12 and No.2 in scoring in the conference in 2016, and at this point his resume is one that should be very attractive to any NFL team looking for a coach.

Shaw has a proven history of working with quarterbacks and skill position players and has proven himself capable as a head man in one of the top conferences in college football, and this may be the year he can be convinced to take his talents back to the pros.

An increasingly difficult Pac-12

Shaw is earning around $4 million at Stanford, per the Mercury News, and is in a job at one of the better programmes in the country that would be extremely coveted were he to leave his post.

Nov 19, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) celebrates after a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. The Stanford Cardinal defeated the California Golden Bears 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) celebrates after a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. The Stanford Cardinal defeated the California Golden Bears 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

But the shift in power in the Pac-12 and the loss of a key player to the NFL in Christian McCaffrey may be enough to persuade Shaw to trade Stanford for the NFL.

A Washington team that crushed Stanford 44-6 this season is likely to remain a significant obstacle to the Cardinal’s hopes of regaining Pac-12 supremacy, particularly with the Huskies boasting a talented quarterback in Jake Browning

In the south USC will be coming off a Rose Bowl win and have a similarly exciting signal-caller – Sam Darnold – at their disposal.

Shaw would likely relish leading Stanford’s response to Washington’s season of dominance but, without the luxury of McCaffrey at running back, the circumstances the Cardinal face going into 2017 could have him casting an eye towards the NFL and potentially a team in his backyard in the 49ers.

Familiarity with the area

Were he to be a candidate for the 49ers job, Shaw would also have the benefit of having significant knowledge of the local area and ties to the Bill Walsh coaching tree – he played under both Walsh and Dennis Green at Stanford after growing up in Union City.

Those links to the Walsh era would go down well with large sections of the fanbase and there would be little in the way of upheaval for Shaw on his family with the 49ers headquarters virtually next door to Stanford’s base in Palo Alto.

Shaw’s history of working with and developing young players in college is likely to fit well with a 49ers roster that is one of the most inexperienced in the league.

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It does not seem that Shaw is on the 49ers hitlist at this point in time, but he is a seasoned coach who has enjoyed great success at the college both as an offensive coach and a head coach and is extremely familiar with the area.

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At this stage in his career, Shaw should be on the radar of every team looking for a new head coach and, even if the answer comes back that he is still not interested, it is at least worth the 49ers touching base with him to see if he could be tempted in moving down the road to try to breathe life back into this ailing franchise.