Though this is his first season at UH, offensive line coach Gordy Shaw has a lot of connections within the program. Despite his familiarity with several members of the coaching staff, some things are still new to him. Shaw spoke with The Daily Cougar about adjusting to the no-huddle offense and getting a line that is losing five players to gel together.
The Daily Cougar: What drew you to the University of Houston?
Shaw
Gordy Shaw: (Head) coach (Tony) Levine and I go way back. (Defensive coordinator David) Gibbs and I actually coached four years back together at the University of Minnesota. Coach (Ken)McClintock, and also (offensive coordinator Travis) Bush, who I had a chance to meet and know a lot of coaches that knew him, so it was a family feeling that I had, to come here and work with a bunch of great guys.
TDC: Has the transition to UH been smooth for you?
GS: Very smooth. Some of the aspects of our offense I’ve never coached, like a no-huddle hurry-up offense. Even after 37 years, I’m still learning football and that aspect, but very smooth in terms of the helpfulness here at UH and the coaching staff.
TDC: Do you believe the guys are buying into what you’ve been trying to teach them so far?
GS: I believe so by their performance … In society in general, there are three groups of learners that walk around on the face of the earth. There are those that can hear it and do it, which is a very small percentage, maybe five percent. Then there’s a large majority of us that hear and see it, then can go out and do it. Then there’s those who have to hear it and see it and do it over and over again. So I have to assume that a couple of them are in that top group, majority of them in that middle group, and then there’s so many in that lower group.
TDC: Do you think your experience helps when it comes to coaching?
GS: Well I hope so; I think that at the end of the day, they still have to play. Thank god I can’t play anymore — I’m too old — but I think I can lend a lot of good coaching points to their performance and get them directed toward their potential.
TDC: What are some key things that you’ve been telling the offensive line?
GS: I’m not big on talking technical football, but I think getting them to play within themselves, getting them past a failure in a play and moving on to the next play — and that’s the wonderful thing about football — it teaches you if you get knocked down, get back up and go again.
TDC: How do you think the Cougars’ offensive line stacks up against their competition?
GS: I’ve got some very gifted guys, and I’ve got some guys that I’m going to have to coach to their abilities. So in that aspect right now, we have three or four different groups of guys in that role. Maybe what one guy can do, maybe another guy can’t, but he might still have to play, so I’ve got to coach to his ability too and what he can do, so it takes a process.
