STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — David Shaw promises to get emotional when he walks into Stanford Stadium for the first time as a head coach Saturday. He might even shed a tear or two.
Nerves? Not exactly.
Shaw has dreamed of leading his alma mater since he was a receiver at Stanford under late Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh in the early 1990s. With the seventh-ranked Cardinal opening the season against San Jose State, Shaw’s debut carries a special twist.
The meeting between the South Bay rivals has been known as “The Bill Walsh Legacy Game” for years. Shaw was close with Walsh, evidenced by the three pictures of him hanging in his office.
Shaw’s father, Willie, also had once applied for the Stanford job. So Shaw made him an honorary captain Saturday.
