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Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - Printable Version

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Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - MarinCard - 09-20-2022

Was listening to former BYU/UVa head coach Bronco Mendenhall's new podcast (which is well worth your time if you've ever wanted to go deep on how head coaches set up programs - as a side note, Bronco would be the kind of guy I'd hope Stanford would hire should Shaw ever part), and he talks in the most recent episode about tapping into data science students at UVa to help coaches identify tendencies and probabilities in opponent teams. Anyone know if Shaw and his staff are doing something similar? Would seem like a no-brainer given the quality of talent they could pull from on campus. Then again, I've never once heard or seen Shaw talk about analytics or data science informing anything with the program.

RE: Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - Alvin - 09-20-2022

(09-20-2022, 11:52 AM)MarinCard Wrote:  Was listening to former BYU/UVa head coach Bronco Mendenhall's new podcast (which is well worth your time if you've ever wanted to go deep on how head coaches set up programs - as a side note, Bronco would be the kind of guy I'd hope Stanford would hire should Shaw ever part), and he talks in the most recent episode about tapping into data science students at UVa to help coaches identify tendencies and probabilities in opponent teams. Anyone know if Shaw and his staff are doing something similar? Would seem like a no-brainer given the quality of talent they could pull from on campus. Then again, I've never once heard or seen Shaw talk about analytics or data science informing anything with the program.

Shaw strikes me as too arrogant and insecure to ever learn from a student or non-coaching type on football matters. Look at his hires - docile and non-threatening types. Easily controlled. Will do as they are told. The one alpha coach they had was the ex-strength and conditioning guy who got fired for bogus reasons.  

I remember Stanford once had a player, can't remember his name, maybe 10-12 years ago, who was described as having a photographic memory and could predict based on the opposing team's formations what play they were likely to call...and maybe could do the same on either side of the ball. I was hoping Stanford would make that player an assistant coach or find a way to retain him after graduation.  He was a reserve player and had plans to go into politics or finance, wanna say it was Conor McFadden but could be wrong.

RE: Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - 81alum - 09-20-2022

(09-20-2022, 02:31 PM)Alvin Wrote:  [quote="MarinCard" pid='363349' dateline='1663699932']
I remember Stanford once had a player, can't remember his name, maybe 10-12 years ago, who was described as having a photographic memory and could predict based on the opposing team's formations what play they were likely to call...and maybe could do the same on either side of the ball. I was hoping Stanford would make that player an assistant coach or find a way to retain him after graduation.  He was a reserve player and had plans to go into politics or finance, wanna say it was Conor McFadden but could be wrong.

Conor McFadden, a beautiful mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ba5vkyzzTU

Conor turned down Princeton to come to Stanford, and he majored in Public Policy.  After graduating, Conor went to work for his father's Minnesota US Senate campaign.  His dad lost to Al Franken in 2014. Just from Google, Conor appears to have become an oil company executive?  Perhaps someone here knows more.

RE: Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - Alvin - 09-20-2022

(09-20-2022, 02:41 PM)81alum Wrote:  
(09-20-2022, 02:31 PM)Alvin Wrote:  [quote="MarinCard" pid='363349' dateline='1663699932']
I remember Stanford once had a player, can't remember his name, maybe 10-12 years ago, who was described as having a photographic memory and could predict based on the opposing team's formations what play they were likely to call...and maybe could do the same on either side of the ball. I was hoping Stanford would make that player an assistant coach or find a way to retain him after graduation.  He was a reserve player and had plans to go into politics or finance, wanna say it was Conor McFadden but could be wrong.

Conor McFadden, a beautiful mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ba5vkyzzTU

Conor turned down Princeton to come to Stanford, and he majored in Public Policy.  After graduating, Conor went to work for his father's Minnesota US Senate campaign.  His dad lost to Al Franken in 2014. Just from Google, Conor appears to have become an oil company executive?  Perhaps someone here knows more.

Thanks for posting that.  I remember reading about Conor somewhere but not the video.

RE: Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - TonyLima - 09-20-2022

Shaw has made many hires that are worse than taking a chance on Conor.

RE: Shaw's use of data science/analytics on campus - VB Card - 09-20-2022

(09-20-2022, 11:52 AM)MarinCard Wrote:  Was listening to former BYU/UVa head coach Bronco Mendenhall's new podcast (which is well worth your time if you've ever wanted to go deep on how head coaches set up programs - as a side note, Bronco would be the kind of guy I'd hope Stanford would hire should Shaw ever part), and he talks in the most recent episode about tapping into data science students at UVa to help coaches identify tendencies and probabilities in opponent teams. Anyone know if Shaw and his staff are doing something similar? Would seem like a no-brainer given the quality of talent they could pull from on campus. Then again, I've never once heard or seen Shaw talk about analytics or data science informing anything with the program.
 

As a lifelong UVA fan who now attends Stanford, I can pretty much say you don't want Bronco as your next head coach if we somehow get rid of Shaw in the next year. Don't get me wrong he's a great guy who runs a stand up program, but talk about a coach who makes football not fun anymore for his players. People on the board (myself included) get mad at Shaw for never having fired an assistant, Mendenhall literally "retired" and left UVA because the AD told him to fire his defensive coordinator who had played for him at BYU and Bronco refused out of loyalty so he quit.