[81alum]

Big difference

Joe P built PSU.

Shaw inherited.

What is the FOOTBALL positive you can credit to Shaw?

David Shaw was part of Harbaugh's original team.  Shaw was a more experienced coach than Harbaugh (Shaw spent 5 years coaching in the pros, Harbaugh 2) before Harbaugh tapped Shaw for his staff at San Diego.  Shaw moved with Harbaugh when he took the Stanford job.  (Lance Anderson also came from San Diego with Harbs.)  In any case, we can't know for sure how important Shaw's influence was on Harbaugh, but I think it likely that having an alum of the Stanford program on his staff made Harbaugh's ability to recruit and adjust to the unique conditions at Stanford much easier.  It is even possible that Harbaugh would not have been successful at a place like Stanford without Shaw.  So Shaw was at least somewhat important to building the program beginning in 2007 and may have been critically important.

[81alum]

Big difference

Joe P built PSU.

Shaw inherited.

What is the FOOTBALL positive you can credit to Shaw?

David Shaw was part of Harbaugh's original team.  Shaw was a more experienced coach than Harbaugh (Shaw spent 5 years coaching in the pros, Harbaugh 2) before Harbaugh tapped Shaw for his staff at San Diego.  Shaw moved with Harbaugh when he took the Stanford job.  (Lance Anderson also came from San Diego with Harbs.)  In any case, we can't know for sure how important Shaw's influence was on Harbaugh, but I think it likely that having an alum of the Stanford program on his staff made Harbaugh's ability to recruit and adjust to the unique conditions at Stanford much easier.  It is even possible that Harbaugh would not have been successful at a place like Stanford without Shaw.  So Shaw was at least somewhat important to building the program beginning in 2007 and may have been critically important.