
STANFORD -- Stanford President John Hennessy and athletic director Bernard Muir announced Wednesday an agreement for the long-term contract extension of Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw with Stanford Athletics and Stanford University.
“David Shaw has led the football program to great success,” said Hennessy. “He embodies the goal we have for our scholar-athletes—success in the classroom and on the field. We are pleased that he will lead our football program for years to come.”
“David has demonstrated great success as a leader within the Stanford community and as a mentor to scholar-athletes who wear the Cardinal uniform,” said Muir. “This agreement provides added stability and reassurance that David will be at the helm to secure our football program's long-term sustained success.”Shaw is in his second year as Stanford Football’s head coach, hired Jan. 13, 2011. He served the previous four years as the Cardinal’s offensive coordinator.
“My family and I would like to thank Athletic Director Bernard Muir for being very proactive throughout this process,” said Shaw. “I am looking forward to seeing our athletic department continue to grow under his leadership.
[RATTO: These days, college coaching contracts hardly binding]
“I would also like to thank President John Hennessy and Provost John Etchemendy for providing the support and resources necessary to build and maintain one of the top football programs in the country here at Stanford University.
“I feel blessed to work every day with an outstanding staff and coach the best group of young men in America, and I am excited to lead the Stanford Football program for many years to come.”
Stanford is one of just four teams in the nation from BCS conferences to compile 34 or more wins over the last three seasons along with Oregon (35), LSU (34) and Alabama (34). The Cardinal’s .872 winning percentage since 2010 is tied for third-best among FBS teams during that stretch.
Stanford’s three straight 11-win seasons are unprecedented in school history. Stanford had never won 11 games prior to 2010 and had reached 10 wins only three times previously (1926, 1942 and 1992).
Shaw guided the 11-2 Cardinal this season to its first Pac-12 Championship in 13 years and a berth in the 99th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO. This marks the third consecutive BCS bowl for Stanford, a feat claimed by just seven other schools. On the heels of the 2012 Fiesta Bowl and 2011 Orange Bowl, the Cardinal have achieved the rare distinction of playing in three different BCS bowls in three straight years, matched only Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon in the Bowl Championship Series era of college football.
A four-year letterwinner at Stanford from 1991-94 as a wide receiver, Shaw was a member of Stanford's 1991 Aloha Bowl team coached by Dennis Green that finished the season with an 8-4 mark and was the third-highest scoring team in school history. He was also on the Cardinal's Blockbuster Bowl-winning squad coached by Bill Walsh that had a 10-3 overall mark and final No. 9 ranking in 1992. Shaw finished his Stanford career with 57 catches for 664 yards and five touchdowns.
Courtesy Stanford University media services
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.