David Shaw has called it a career at Stanford. He announced after Saturday's game vs. BYU that he was resigning as the Cardinal's coach.
Stanford announced Shaw's decision following a season-ending 35-26 loss to the Cougars, which dropped the team to 3-9. It was the second consecutive 3-9 finish for the Cardinal following a 4-2 record in the COVID-19-affected 2020 season and a 4-8 record the year prior.
"After many prayers and multiple discussions with my wife, one phrase keeps coming to me — it's time," Shaw said in a statement. "There are not sufficient words to describe the love and gratitude I feel for my family, all of my former and current players, my staff, this administration and the entire Stanford family. Thank you all."
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Said Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir:
"I would like to thank David for his immense contributions to Stanford. David has represented Stanford football, as both a player and a coach, with unwavering grace, humility and integrity. He has cared tremendously for each and every student-athlete in his program while helping them pursue their full academic and athletic potential.
"David will forever remain a valued member of the Stanford football family and an integral part of the storied history of the program. I hope Cardinal fans everywhere will join me in thanking David and his family for their extraordinary years of service and wishing them all the best in their next chapter."
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about Shaw's departure from Stanford:
Why did David Shaw resign from Stanford?
Shaw's decision likely has to do with the program's struggles over the past four seasons.
The Cardinal went a combined 14-28 (10-25 Pac-12 Conference) from 2019-22, and that included a 4-2 record in the 2020 season. That four-year run was a far cry from Shaw's history of sustained success at Stanford.
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David Shaw record at Stanford
Shaw, who played at Stanford from 1991-94, leaves the program as its all-time leader in wins. He compiled a 96-54 record (a .640 winning percentage), with the wins being the fifth-most wins in Pac-12 history. That's a huge accomplishment, considering the Cardinal have 10 College Football Hall of Fame coaches, including Pop Warner, Walter Camp and Fielding H. Yost.
Shaw led Stanford to three Rose Bowl appearances and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. He was 5-3 in bowl games, including a 2-2 record in New Year's Day 6 games. Moreover, Stanford had 29 wins against ranked opponents, 11 against top-10 opponents and another five against top-five opponents under Shaw.
Stanford finished its season ranked six times under Shaw, including three times in the top 10. His team's best finish came in 2015, when the Cardinal were ranked No. 3 in the final AP Top 25.
Shaw also produced a lot of pro talent at Stanford: 43 players were drafted by the NFL during his tenure, most notably Andrew Luck, Christian McCaffrey and Zach Ertz.
Here is his year-by-year record at Stanford, including bowl games:
| Year | Record | Bowl |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 11-2 | Fiesta Bowl (loss) |
| 2012 | 12-2 | Rose Bowl (win) |
| 2013 | 11-3 | Rose Bowl (loss) |
| 2014 | 8-5 | Foster Farms Bowl (win) |
| 2015 | 12-2 | Rose Bowl (win) |
| 2016 | 10-3 | Sun Bowl (win) |
| 2017 | 9-5 | Alamo Bowl (loss) |
| 2018 | 9-4 | Sun Bowl (win) |
| 2019 | 4-8 | N/A |
| 2020 | 4-2 | N/A |
| 2021 | 3-9 | N/A |
| 2022 | 3-9 | N/A |
Who will replace David Shaw?
Stanford has not yet announced a replacement for Shaw, and it has no need to name an interim coach immediately because it won't be preparing for a bowl game.
Stanford said a national search for Shaw's successor is underway. The school will hold a press conference with Shaw and Muir on Monday.
