Early Sunday morning, David Shaw stepped to the podium and announced a decision that had been rumored but still qualified as a shock: He had coached his final game at Stanford.
Shaw, the team's all-time winningest coach with 96 victories, resigned shortly after finishing his 12th season leading his alma mater. He reached his decision during Thanksgiving, saying it simply was time to move on and spend more time with his family and pursuing other interests. Stanford's recent struggles -- the team recorded consecutive 3-9 seasons and owns a 14-28 record since the start of 2019 -- didn't drive Shaw's decision, although he acknowledged the challenges that the program faces in the current environment with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness.