WCCO profile on Gordy Shaw, who is now coaching linemen at Maple Grove HS

BleedGopher

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per WCCO:

He’s long been a seen as a friend to Minnesota High school coaches. Gordy Shaw made his name recruiting Minnesota high school football players as an assistant for the Gophers.

After a long career that covered most of the United States, he moved back to Maple Grove and found a job … as a high school coach.

On a cold day at Maple Grove High School, the offensive line was getting a tutorial from a guy who knows a little about the game.

Gordy Shaw has spent most of the past 40 years coaching college linemen. He kept his home here while continuing the journey, but this fall, at his wife’s request, he came back.

“She’s missing the grandkids,” he said. “So we came back to Minnesota.”

His new arena: Friday nights, instead of Saturday afternoons.

“Having someone like him on the staff has been a treat,” Maple Grove coach Matt Lombardi said. “We’ve been very lucky that he’s in this area.”

There is something of an adjustment to coaching the high school game, though.

“Unbelievably different. I’ve always admired high school coaches because you’ve got to build with what’s in the building. They don’t go out and recruit players. They’ve got to understand the kids’ skill levels.”

He’s old school — that means run the football, and that’s what Maple Grove wants to be about, with a little Shaw education.
“After games, he’s there at 7:30 in the morning with the O-line, teaching them how to grade themselves,” Lombardi said. “He brings a little of the college flair to it.”

That’s all part of what he does: coach football.

“These kids are out there because they love football. They’re not getting a scholarship for it. It’s really rewarding from that standpoint. They play football because they love it,” Shaw said.

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/10/19/famed-assistant-to-coaches-now-one-himself/

Go Gophers!!
 


Can he coach defense? Our favorite football team needs an upgrade.
yes, Gordy Shaw coached defensive line at Minnesota in 1997,1998, 1999 and 2000 and then switched to offensive line and coached guards and centers until 2006. MASE brought Shaw on board from Jim Wacker’s staff when MASE replaced Wacker in 1997. He was a good coach & recruited well in Minnesota...receiving awards from the Minnesota state high school coaches assn.

A number of avid Brewster loyalists developed a real passion for trying to dis Shaw and the more Brewster failed... the more Brewster apologists attempted to bad-mouth Shaw.

Minnesota football fans fans always end up with what they deserve as the passage of time and the long line of discarded coaches and staffs keeps proving as the 2018 season mercifully inches toward November.
 
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The only thing worse than the Shaw hand wringing posts on this site are the Bradt athletic department planted disinfo posts on the other site
 

Gordy Shaw was a terrific coach. When he coached the D-line, he developed star
players and the Gophers were known to be solid defensively. When they switched
him to the O-line, he developed All-Americans and the Gophers were known for'their offensive line.
 


Gordy Shaw was a terrific coach. When he coached the D-line, he developed star
players and the Gophers were known to be solid defensively. When they switched
him to the O-line, he developed All-Americans and the Gophers were known for'their offensive line.



+1
 

yes, Gordy Shaw coached defensive line at Minnesota in 1997,1998, 1999 and 2000 and then switched to offensive line and coached guards and centers until 2006. MASE brought Shaw on board from Jim Wacker’s staff when MASE replaced Wacker in 1997. He was a good coach & recruited well in Minnesota...receiving awards from the Minnesota state high school coaches assn.

A number of avid Brewster loyalists developed a real passion for trying to dis Shaw and the more Brewster failed... the more Brewster apologists attempted to bad-mouth Shaw.

Minnesota football fans fans always end up with what they deserve as the passage of time and the long line of discarded coaches and staffs keeps proving as the 2018 season mercifully inches toward November.

Right, but now he's coaching Maple Grove HS.
 

Gordy Shaw was a terrific coach. When he coached the D-line, he developed star
players and the Gophers were known to be solid defensively. When they switched
him to the O-line, he developed All-Americans and the Gophers were known for'their offensive line.

I have nothing against Shaw and he did do a decent job at the U. That said, after he was fired his supporters on this board contended that he'd have no trouble finding work as a line coach (either O or D) at a major college program. That hasn't happened and I'm really curious as to why. Anyone have an answer?
 

I have nothing against Shaw and he did do a decent job at the U. That said, after he was fired his supporters on this board contended that he'd have no trouble finding work as a line coach (either O or D) at a major college program. That hasn't happened and I'm really curious as to why. Anyone have an answer?

It looks to me as though he has maintained his family and owned his home here in Minnesota these past dozen years by earning his living coaching college football. I know he was in Hawaii for a number of years (pretty nice place to live...and a pretty expensive place to live as well) He sounds pretty darn successful at making a living coaching a game...pretty darn successful at maintaining a family and successful at maintaining a presence in the college football world.

Isn't that pretty darn good 50PoundHead? The man is a college football coach and coaching is something he loves, is good at and has stayed with. It also sounds as though he and his family kept their roots and maintained their home in the Twin Cities area. Probably because they like and want to be centered near what had become their family's "home place..." after all his years at the University of Minnesota under Coach Wacker and Coach Mason. He and his family were at the U for a very long time. And, University Hospitals and medical care were very important to one of the members of his family. I think this is one incredible football career success story.

Sounds like a dream come true for a man with a passionfor his profession, his family and always keeping a home base, no matter where he was in this great country coaching football. He sounds like a very happy, dedicated, always coaching and working with young people teaching them about life, love, commitment and being part of a team.

In my world: he is a perfect example of a man living the truly GOOD life. When all is said and done, I highly doubt if any of us here on GOPHERHOLE have been any more successful in our pursuit of happiness and in being true to ourselves than Mr. Shaw has. Of course, he doesn't need me to say this, but, I really do admire him very much. He is a perfect example of a football man who has given much more than he has taken by being a football man. I am certain there are many men who will always think of him as "coach Shaw" who would be the first to admit they are better people because Coach Shaw was a coach and teacher and important person in their lives.


Gordy Shaw was born to be a coach...and he is still coaching. It really gets no better than that.
 
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