Texas State head football coach Dennis Franchione announced Wednesday that highly successful line coach Gordy Shaw has been named the new offensive line coach for the Bobcats.
“We are very fortunate to get an offensive line coach the caliber of Gordy Shaw,” said Franchione. “I consider him to be one of the premiere offensive line coaches in the country. He has coached Outland Trophy and Rimington Award winners. He also has coached offensive lines in highly successful running and passing offenses. He will be a great addition to our staff.”
Shaw comes to Texas State after serving last season as the running game coordinator and offensive line coach at Idaho and three seasons as the offensive line coach at Hawaii, where he produced a Rimington Award finalist and five All-WAC offensive linemen.
He also served as the offensive coordinator at South Dakota in 2008 when the Coyotes ranked fourth nationally in scoring offense (37.5 points per game), sixth in total offense (461.8 yards per game) and seventh in rushing offense (240 yards per game). In addition, Coyote quarterback Noah Shepard ranked 14th nationally in passing efficiency (147.22) and tied for 18th nationally with 13 rushing touchdowns.
Prior to joining South Dakota’s staff, Shaw spent 14 seasons at Minnesota where he coached future NFL players Ben Hamilton, Greg Eslinger, Mark Setterstrom and Matt Spaeth. Eslinger was a two-time All-American and All-Big 10 performer who won the Rimington and Outland Trophies in 2005.
Eslinger and Setterstrom helped pave the way for Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney to each rush for over 1,000 yards in 2003 and 2004, which marked the first time in NCAA history that feat was accomplished.
Shaw’s offensive line also gave up just nine sacks in 2004, and Minnesota’s offense set the Big 10 record for total offense (6,430 yards) in 2003, while finishing with the fourth-highest rushing total and sixth-highest point total for the year.
From 1997-2000, Shaw coached the Gopher defensive line and produced future pros Karon Riley and John Schlecht. In 1999, he was named Nike Assistant Coach of the Year.
During his 14 years at the school, Minnesota played in seven bowl games in an eight-year span, including five straight bowl berths beginning in 2002. The Gophers also won 38 games during those five seasons, the most since 1903-07. He has coached in nine bowl games throughout his career.
Shaw joined Minnesota’s staff after serving as an offensive line coach at Wyoming from 1990-92. In 1990, the Cowboys compiled a 9-4 overall record and played in the Copper Bowl.
Shaw also was Idaho’s defensive coordinator in 1989 and helped guide the Vandals to a 9-3 record and the Big Sky Conference championship with an 8-0 mark.