David Shaw
Quick Bio: It’s unclear if he would even be interested or if Tennessee is even interested in him, but it’s well known that Phillip Fulmer has respect for David Shaw as a coach. And that may be enough to make him a candidate. Let alone his stellar track record as a coach. Shaw worked in the NFL from 1997-2005 on the offensive side of the ball before moving to the college game as San Diego’s receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He then joined Stanford’s staff in 2007 and has been there ever since. He was named their head coach in 2011 and has been extremely successful.
Pros: Shaw has compiled a 73-20 record as head coach while at Stanford, taking the Cardinal to three Rose Bowls and a Fiesta Bowl. Stanford finished tied for first in their division this year, but the tiebreaker wasn’t in their favor. Regardless, a 9-3 record this year still proved to be another solid year for Shaw. He’s won 10 or more games five of the seven years he’s been head coach at Stanford.
Cons: There aren’t many downsides to Shaw as a coach. He’s proven he can win at a high level at a Power Five school. But the biggest question for him is if he would leave a stable and productive place like Stanford to come coach at Tennessee. The odds are very slim that would happen.
