With the allure of Power Five schools tempting his fate, recent Toledo running back commit Willie Shaw defied convention and surprised his mom on Mother's Day by choosing to continue his football career with the Rockets.
Shaw, a talented 6-foot, 195-pound backfield force from Brother Rice High School in Chicago, cut his list of potential schools down to Illinois, Nebraska, and Toledo.
But the bond he built up with the Rockets coaching staff separated Toledo from the pack.
“It’s not always about the name of the school, the brand, the logo or the conference,” Shaw told the Chicago Tribune recently.