Carter Shaw never got to play for his dad at Stanford, only impress him at UCLA

UCLA wide receiver Carter Shaw runs with the ball during a win over Hawaii in August. (Darryl Oumi / Getty Images)

Lingering on the field after the game ended, everything that just unfolded swirling in his head, UCLA wide receiver Carter Shaw received instant analysis from a football savant and one of the top coaches in Pac-12 history.

You know, his dad.

David Shaw told his son to focus on what he did well against Louisiana State, the highlight reverse that he ran and the routes that he won against big-time cornerbacks, even if only one pass that fell incomplete came his way.

It was another confidence boost for the redshirt freshman who’s continuing to absorb fatherly advice while forging his own identity. Sometimes, a reminder of why he’s sticking with this game as a preferred walk-on just fighting for opportunities is all Carter needs.

His dad delivered it as part of his pregame message last weekend, helping his son soothe his unsettled mind.

“He said not to get too invested in the results and the pressure but to know why you love this game,” Carter said, “not for the scholarship money, not for the fame or whatever you get from it, but because you’ve been playing it since you were a kid and it’s what you love.”

A six-year-old Carter Shaw, left, and his then-eight-year-old sister Keegan hug their father and Stanford coach David Shaw after a game in October 2011. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)

For most of his childhood, Carter wanted to play for his father, not just hear from him.

The boy marinated in every moment he spent around heroes Christian McCaffrey and Richard Sherman while attending Stanford practices and games with his father, the longtime Cardinal coach.

His favorite memories were the three trips Stanford made to the Rose Bowl, the Cardinal beating Wisconsin and Iowa while losing to Michigan…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/carter-shaw-never-got-play-110025274.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-09-27 11:00:25

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