David Shaw Tabbed as a Top Candidate For UCLA Opening After Chip Kelly's Departure

The former Stanford head coach may have a chance to return to the college coaching ranks

After months of being on the hot seat, Chip Kelly did UCLA a favor and removed himself from the role.

The only caveat to him taking the Ohio State job was the fact that he did so well after the coaching carousel that saw Jedd Fisch, Kalen DeBoer, and Johnathan Smith all leave for new jobs. With the job opening at such an inopportune time, the program will need to move quickly to not suffer a mass exodus of players to the portal. 

In a report by CBS Sports' Will Backus, candidates to replace Kelly were identified and former Stanford head coach David Shaw was among them.

Former Stanford head coach David Shaw  / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Shaw had just one head coaching stint and up until the final few seasons it went as well as it could have. He stepped down from the head coaching role at Stanford after a tenure that saw him become the program's winningest coach of all time but also saw him struggle to adapt to the modern world that is college football. Backus explained that Shaw would be an enticing candidate for a handful of openings, but did explain that Shaw has his sights set on the NFL.

Here's a name that will be intrinsically linked with almost every opening from now until he takes another job -- especially for those in the state of California. It's no wonder why. The 51-year old Shaw won and won often at Stanford, a place that's notoriously hard to win at given its rigorous academic standards and proximity to powerhouse programs. He finished his 12-year Stanford career with a 96-54 record, leading the program to three Pac-12 titles -- its first and only titles in the 21st century -- and three AP top-10 finishes. UCLA even has a family connection. Shaw's his son, Carter, is currently enrolled as a wide receiver. The challenge here is turning Shaw's gaze away from the NFL, where he's had his eyes firmly set since his Stanford tenure came to an end in 2022. 

Shaw interviewed for multiple NFL head coaching openings this offseason and spent this past football season as an analyst for NFL Network.