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College football’s 20 best coaches not named Nick Saban

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talks into his AT&T headset during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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PALO ALTO, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: Head coach David Shaw of the Stanford Cardinal looks on while his team warms up prior to playing the UCLA Bruins in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: Head coach David Shaw of the Stanford Cardinal looks on while his team warms up prior to playing the UCLA Bruins in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

One of the smartest coaches in the country has to be David Shaw. Not only is he a Stanford graduate, but he’s put it work at the highest level and has plenty of coaching experience at the age of 46.

In fact, Shaw spent eight years in the NFL as an assistant for the Eagles, Raiders and Ravens before joining Jim Harbaugh in San Diego, coaching the wide receivers. He followed Harbaugh to Stanford in 2007 as the offensive coordinator and held that role until 2010 when the head coach decided to make the leap to the NFL, joining the San Francisco 49ers.

Shaw took over for the successful head coach and he had some big shoes to fill. The pressure hasn’t seemed to faze him, though. In seven years as head coach of the Cardinal, Shaw has put together five 10-plus win seasons and is 4-3 in bowl games.

Picking up where Harbaugh left off, Shaw also has three conference titles and two addition Pac-12 North division crowns. He has led Stanford to four BCS or New Year’s Six bowls, going 2-2 in those contests.

If you’re looking for one of those underrated guys, Shaw is just that.