Associated Press
The college football notebook…
STANFORD, Calif. ó If David Shaw has his way, he will never have to interview for another football coaching job. He is right where he has always felt he belonged: Stanford.
A head college coach at age 38, Shaw is ready to turn Stanford into a football powerhouse despite its tough academic standards.
ěSince the day I started coaching, this is the job I always knew that I wanted,î Shaw said. ěTodayís finally the day.î
Shaw arrived as an assistant on the Stanford coaching staff with Jim Harbaugh four years ago with the task of rebuilding a one-win team.
He was promoted Thursday to replace Harbaugh and maintain the Cardinalís place as a national contender following their most successful season in decades.
ěWeíve got a good football team. Weíve got a team thatís tough, thatís physical, thatís eager to pick up where we left off,î Shaw said during his introductory news conference. ěOur schemes are going to be the same. Itís going to be very similar. Weíre going to be aggressive on defense. Weíre going to get after people on defense. Weíre going to be aggressive on offense.î
Shaw won out over fellow assistants Greg Roman and Vic Fangio, among others, to take over the program less than a week after Harbaugh left to become coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
ěHis contribution to the current state of affairs of our football program is immeasurable,î athletic director Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. ěIt has been an interesting and exciting fall. This is, in my estimation, the most logical step that we can take. Having David Shaw take over the football program at this university speaks volumes about Stanford. I think it speaks volumes about the experience student-athletes have. … He is the guy who is going to lead Stanford football for a long, long time.î
Pasqualoni hired at UConn
HARTFORD, Conn. ó Former Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni is heading back to the Big East as football coach at Connecticut.
UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway announced the hiring Thursday and said a news conference introducing Pasqualoni, who grew up in Cheshire, would be held a 12:30 p.m. Friday.
ěWe are very proud to welcome Paul Pasqualoni to the UConn family and also bring him back home to his native Connecticut,î Hathaway said in a statement. ěPaul brings an outstanding coaching background to UConn on the collegiate, professional and high school level. He also is a man of strong character and integrity and we look forward to him developing our football student-athletes in the classroom, on the field and as part of the community.î
JoePa in good health
SAN ANTONIO ó Joe Paterno says reports of his declining health are greatly exaggerated.
The 84-year-old Penn State coach Thursday received the NCAA Presidentís Gerald R. Ford Award at the NCAAís annual convention. It recognizes significant leadership for intercollegiate sports.
Paterno, who counted the late Ford among his friends, reiterated his plans to coach next season. It is the final year of a three-year extension signed in 2008.
Paterno says he remains in good health ó contrary to occasional rumors on the Internet. He recalled one that spread while working at his desk one morning.
ěI was supposed to be in Hershey getting cured for cancer,î he said.
Robinson stays at Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. ó Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has decided to stay and play for coach Brady Hoke.
School spokesman Dave Ablauf says Robinson informed Hoke of his decision during a meeting on Thursday.
Robinsonís high school coach said 10 to 15 schools had called him by Wednesday afternoon, expressing their interest in the dual-threat QB if he chose to transfer.
LSUís Ridley enters draft
BATON ROUGE, La. ó LSU leading rusher Stevan Ridley says heís going to the NFL draft, although itís not yet clear whether he can be persuaded to change his mind.
LSU spokesman Michael Bonnette says head coach Les Miles and running backs coach Frank Wilson are both hoping to meet with Ridley and his mother in their hometown of Natchez, Miss., to find out if thereís anything they can do to bring Ridley back to the Tigers.
The 6-foot, 223-pound junior spent his first full season as a starter in 2010, rushing for 1,147 yards and 15 touchdowns. He ran for 105 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown, in LSUís 41-24 victory over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.