Disclaimer: Online sportsbook BetOnline released odds that David Shaw is the betting favorite to become Michigan’s head coach if Jim Harbaugh were to leave. Here, we play out this scenario.
JANUARY 29, 2026
BREAKING: Michigan Hires David Shaw, Stanford Brings Back Jim Harbaugh
After a two-month coaching search, Michigan has their guy—David Shaw, who replaces Jim Harbaugh.
Shaw took the reins from Harbaugh once before. In 2011, Harbaugh departed Stanford for the NFL, and Shaw inherited the program. He led the team to three PAC-12 titles and a pair of Rose Bowl wins in their three trips. He leaves Stanford as the winningest coach in program history.
This year, the Cardinal and Shaw struggled, losing five straight games after their opening victory. Cardinal fans became increasingly frustrated with their coach, while Stanford at 3-9 never came close to bowl eligibility. The Cardinal concluded the season with a blowout loss to Notre Dame.
Shaw receives $6.5 million annually in his new deal, a significant upgrade from his $4.3 million at Stanford. He is also adding Shannon Turley to his Michigan staff, following the mysterious firing of the award-winning performance director in early 2019. Harbaugh recruited Turley to Ann Arbor for years, but was unable to convince the strength coach to leave Palo Alto.
Meanwhile, Stanford announced that they would bring back their former coach Jim Harbaugh, who famously turned around a struggling Stanford program.
Harbaugh did not meet expectations at Michigan and will take a pay cut at Stanford. He’ll receive about $5 million annually—$2.5 million less than his last job. There’s no surprise that the coaching market did not offer him more after a disappointing run at Michigan and a falling out with the 49ers just a few years prior.
Still, Stanford should be excited to replace the departing Shaw with Harbaugh. Last time Harbaugh served as head coach at Stanford, he took over a one-win team and left them as a one-loss team. There’s no telling what he’ll do this time around, and many are optimistic.
Harbaugh and Shaw will now look to piece together the rest of their staffs. Early reports suggest that both coaches are vying for their former player, Andrew Luck, as an assistant. Sources close to the matter say that Luck is leaning toward a return to Stanford.
More as the story develops.
Comments
HaHa
Never happen – Shaw is Stanford’s coach for the long term. Andrew Luck would be a nice addition to the coaching staff. Stanford’s current problems are not related to Turley’s departure.
By gaffman on 09.26.19 4:26pm
If you are correct,
we’re in for a long, dismal future. I see nothing in Shaw’s tenure that suggests he can turn this developing shipwreck into something positive. He has a staff of yes men and no accounts; the conditioning program is shot, and the injuries mount weekly, and we’re on what looks like a trek to 6 or more losses this year. Anyone who watched last week’s game (not many, given the turnout in the stadium) must have wondered what robot was calling the plays. It appeared that we have a playbook of 3 plays – run left, run right, incomplete pass to C. Parkinson in triple coverage. I may switch back to DirectTV so I can’t get the PAC12 network, where Stanford will be parked for any game that isn’t against a ranked opponent. I am disheartened, pretty much disgusted, by how poorly this season has progressed. I see some real talent in places on the field, but it is not coached well, used well, or given an offensive plan that has much hope of success. I hope Charlie Foy is correct.
By jafco99 on 09.26.19 6:01pm
Sad but well-articulated
I’ve loved having David Shaw at Stanford. I’d hate for it to end like this. But they need to show something, and soon.
By g8tgod on 09.26.19 10:54pm
Guys, there's no way Shaw gets canned
if we go 6-6, 5-7 or even 4-8. You know this. We aren’t USC.
As long as the program doesn’t settle into a 4-5 win every season type of trough, Shaw is not going to be touched by the AD, and if he leaves it will be because he wants to leave. If Stanford stabilizes into a team that ranges from 6-9 wins, with a year or two here and there with greater or fewer than that, Shaw won’t be touched, as long as he wants to stay.
By Brendan Ross on 09.27.19 5:34am
Agree Completely
Shaw will NEVER get fired from Stanford. He epitomizes what the University is all about and is a former player and assistant coach. Plus, he is not going to produce many seasons at or below .500. This year’s non-conference schedule is a bit of an outlier in terms of quality.
At some point, David Shaw may elect to move on to other opportunities. But he has had many already and I do not think he is in a big hurry. He loves Stanford, and gets to coach a "big time program" without the big time AD and alumni BS. He is not motivated by $$$, and generally has earned the recognition as a superior college coach. He does not have much left to prove. I would love for him to take on the mantle of grooming the next coach by bringing in some new assistants (particularly an offensive coordinator), and then having the satisfaction of leaving the team in good and capable hands when he moves on. Shaw is stubborn, but classy.
By hoyaparanoia on 09.27.19 8:53am
Stanford isn't USC
Stanford doesn’t need to live up to the kind of legends that USC created in its football past. Plus, Stanford already has the best college athletics program in the nation…without national football or basketball championships. Those 25 consecutive Director’s Cups, and counting, are taking a lot of pressure off David Shaw, who’s "stumbled" to become Stanford’s winningest football coach. Heck, USC has only 21 total varsity sport teams, Stanford has 36. Also, Stanford mens soccer just had a 3-peat of NCAA championships, 2015-2017. Meanwhile, USC doesn’t have a mens soccer team, none. David Shaw is in a sweet spot as a football head coach, especially with his actual successes during his tenure. None of the Cardinal boosters are going to dismiss his "made-for-Stanford" past performance on the basis of a freaky start to one season. If Costello hadn’t been hurt in that targetting hit, or had his hand injured in the first series of the Oregon game, Stanford’s record could be markedly better at this point. It’s not Stanford’s worst Shaw season—yet. Yeesh, only 4 games to date!
By Candid One on 09.28.19 1:27am
Amazed That USC Does Not Have A Mens Soccer Team
Or substantially fewer varsity teams than Stanford. Truly surprising.
By hoyaparanoia on 09.29.19 9:45pm
Are you Harbaughs Agent??? LOL
Dude…you’re writing article after article about replacing Shaw…please…enough already. Yes we know it was a tough 3 game stretch but now The Cardinal is on a one game winning streak!!! Let’s build from there Charlie! All is not lost!! Your doom and gloom posts about replacing Shaw w Harbaugh are annoying to say the least. It would be different if Harbaugh was doing spectacular things at Michigan but he’s not. He’s doing ok and needs to focus so that he keeps his job at Michigan. As Cardinal fans we need to focus on the players, their development and highlight things that help us become more successful!!
Give Shaw some credit, he successfully recruited Davis Mills!! When’s the last time Stanford successfully recruited an allstar from GA? I will help you out…..it’s never happened! Most GA guys (for whatever reason) simply do not select schools like Stanford. They instead commit to schools like Clemson (Trevor Lawrence), Ohio State (Justin Fields) and UGA (J Fromm). Yeah, Georgia is stacked w talent. So anyway enough w the doom n gloom, let’s keep the focus where it needs to be..improving and making the most of what we already have in place…that applies to both players and coaches. it’s going to be interesting to see what you write next week after we upset Washington! If we can hold Oregon to 21 points we can do the same to Washington #GoCardinal
By Slot_Man22 on 10.01.19 11:33pm
Shaw would be safe through...
…at least three+ down seasons, even in the modern market, IMO.
Go on his own? From the Farm? With the medical coverage he gets?
By Plan Man on 10.02.19 9:36am