As the New York Giants are soon to be taken off life support and allowed to lay this franchise-debilitating 2017 season to rest, rumors are beginning to swirl about a possible replacement for former head coach Ben McAdoo, who was fired after leading the team to a 2-10 record and benching stalwart quarterback Eli Manning.
The names of several elite college coaches have been offered as possible candidates. Nick Sabans name is always thrown out there, but his return to the NFL seems unlikely as he has turned Alabama into a dynasty and NFL feeder system.
Jim Harbaugh is always mentioned as a candidate to join his brother, Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh in the NFL. Harbaugh is not a Giants kind of guy. Hes making $9 million a year at Michigan, hes very opinionated. That could get dicey with the media and he would want too much control.
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The Giants’ options to replace McAdoo and Reese https://t.co/PrwrHdhsH3
The guy that would be the perfect fit is David Shaw of Stanford. Hes offensively savvy and runs a pro-type offense at Stanford with a nice blend of passing and power football, which Giants fans would appreciate. Hes a proven offensive guru who produces pro talent, is a leader, intelligent and the elite African-American coach in college football. Hes a name with NFL and college coaching success. He played wide receiver for the Cardinals from 1991 to 1994, where he was coached and molded by legendary mentors Dennis Green (RIP) and Bill Walsh.
Before he joined Stanford as offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh, Shaw was Harbaugh’s passing game coordinator at the University of San Diego and spent nine years as an NFL assistant coach from 1997-2005 with the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens.
Shaws resume is lit and he has spent the past few seasons resisting overtures from NFL franchises to leave Stanford. He hasn’t done it and despite the fact that his wife is from New Jersey, he says he doesn’t have any immediate interest in coaching in the NFL.
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Cross Stanford’s David Shaw off Giants’ coaching list https://t.co/Qx2USePCi4
Im planning for the long haul, Shaw said. As much as weve won and played well, I think were still establishing ourselves and were still building and were still growing. We can accomplish so much more, and I dont feel like that the jobs close to halfway done.
As far as coaching in the NFL goes, Ive coached at that level,” Shaw said. ” Ive worked with All-Pro guys and Hall of Fame guys, and Ive coached in every game except for the biggest one, so its not like, OK, thats my goal and I have to get there. My goal is to do great things at Stanford. If one day that happens, great, but its not a goal in my career to do that.
Shaw says he’s chilling at Stanford, which is what he’s supposed to say. He has $5.6 million reasons to remain a college coach. He’s eating well, but if he has any kind of personal motivation to get his ultimate coaching props and values history, then he will inevitably leave Stanford.
Now is the time for the Giants to hire their first African-American head coach. At 45 years old, Shaw is still young and hungry. Hes been waiting for the perfect franchise to entice him enough to leave a plush situation at one of Americas jewel universities and try his hand at the landmine of unpredictability, criticism and fanaticism that comes with being an NFL coach.
Although playing in New York doesnt allow any coach the luxury of losing, McAdoos firing after two seasons is not indicative of how the Giants usually conduct business with their coaches.
Before Steve Spagnuolo was named interim head coach for the last four games of the season, the Giants franchise only had three head coaches since Jim Fassel took the helm in 1997. They are the perfect franchise to bring Shaw along slowly and give him time to get his feet planted in the pro game as the top shot caller.
Shaw has everything an NFL team could want in a young head coach, less the experience of actually being one in the NFL, but we see that the NFL is trending towards hiring new faces into high places. The jobs for flagship NFL franchises like the Giants and Cowboys dont become available often. If Shaw’s ever going to get serious about coming to the NFL, this is the job to have. And the Giants would be fools not to do everything in their power bring him into the fold.
