[Austroturf]

Shaw should surround himself with the same caliber of coaches that he worked with back in those days as a member of Harbaugh's staff -- individuals who have their sights set high and are burning to win and prove themselves and take the next step.

I think you are confusing caliber with aspiration. It is perfectly possible to be a very high caliber OC, or Running Backs coach, or any other kind of coach without having any aspirations at all to be a head coach. It is often true that people who have aspirations to advance to the next level are very good at their current position. If you aren't good in your present position, you will very probably not advance, so that can be motivation. However, it is not the only possible motivation. Loving what you do can be equally powerful.

There are lots of coaches who spend their entire career as coordinators, are very good at it, and willingly stay there. There are also many who aspire to be head coaches, get the job, and fail at it. Those guys often go back to being coordinators and are excellent.

First, your views and statements are valid; but, no, I am not confusing caliber and aspiration: they are distinct, but my experience in life (and I have managed very senior people for much of my career) indicates that you will get a stronger edge and an extra mile of performance from those who want to prove themselves for the next level.  Those with strong caliber but little aspiration often don't have the same level of passion.  They do their work and often do it well, but the fire is absent.  Ideally, an assistant coach will have both the requisite caliber and aspiration.  The staff of Stanford football 2009 was loaded with that kind of coach.  Today, that profile appears to be missing.  And Shaw, who is Mr. Even-Keel, could probably use a few young, ambitious, capable firebrands to spark the team to a higher level of performance.  The players do not seem as switched on as they once were.

[Austroturf]

Shaw should surround himself with the same caliber of coaches that he worked with back in those days as a member of Harbaugh's staff -- individuals who have their sights set high and are burning to win and prove themselves and take the next step.

I think you are confusing caliber with aspiration. It is perfectly possible to be a very high caliber OC, or Running Backs coach, or any other kind of coach without having any aspirations at all to be a head coach. It is often true that people who have aspirations to advance to the next level are very good at their current position. If you aren't good in your present position, you will very probably not advance, so that can be motivation. However, it is not the only possible motivation. Loving what you do can be equally powerful.

There are lots of coaches who spend their entire career as coordinators, are very good at it, and willingly stay there. There are also many who aspire to be head coaches, get the job, and fail at it. Those guys often go back to being coordinators and are excellent.

First, your views and statements are valid; but, no, I am not confusing caliber and aspiration: they are distinct, but my experience in life (and I have managed very senior people for much of my career) indicates that you will get a stronger edge and an extra mile of performance from those who want to prove themselves for the next level.  Those with strong caliber but little aspiration often don't have the same level of passion.  They do their work and often do it well, but the fire is absent.  Ideally, an assistant coach will have both the requisite caliber and aspiration.  The staff of Stanford football 2009 was loaded with that kind of coach.  Today, that profile appears to be missing.  And Shaw, who is Mr. Even-Keel, could probably use a few young, ambitious, capable firebrands to spark the team to a higher level of performance.  The players do not seem as switched on as they once were.