STANFORD, Calif. - Heisman Trophy candidate Christian McCaffrey and David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, earned top Pac-12 Conference honors on Tuesday.
McCaffrey was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Shaw and Mike Leach of Washington State were co-Coaches of the Year.
McCaffrey is the sixth Stanford player to receive the award, joining quarterback Andrew Luck (2010, 2011), running back Toby Gerhart (2009), wide receiver Troy Walters (1999) and running back Brad Muster (1986).
The Castle Rock, Colorado, native amassed a nation-best and Pac-12-record 3,035 all-purpose yards during the regular season. A finalist for the Doak Walker, Maxwell and Hornung Awards, and semifinalist for the Walter Camp Award, the versatile McCaffrey set several school records by rushing for 243 yards against UCLA, posted nine-straight 100-yard rushing games, and recorded 389 all-purpose yards against Cal, the latter eclipsing a 25-year-old mark.
McCaffrey ranks second in the Pac-12 in rushing with 1,640 yards and his 136.7 yards/game average ranks seventh nationally. He also tops the conference and ranks seventh in the country in kickoff returns with an average of 29.7.
Shaw, now in his fifth season, guided Stanford to its fourth Pac-12 North Division title in five years, and brings a 10-2 record into Saturday’s Pac-12 Championship Game against USC at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The Cardinal has defeated three ranked opponents this season and has averaged 36.9 points behind the league’s most efficient passing game (157.8 passing efficiency) and a running game that averages 220.0 yards, the third best in school history. Stanford also leads the nation in time of possession at 35:12 minutes per game.
Shaw has compiled an overall record of 52-14 at Stanford, and reached 50 wins faster than any head coach in program history.
It marks the sixth time a Cardinal head coach has captured the award, with Shaw also winning in 2012 and 2011. Tyrone Willingham (1999, 1995) and Bill Walsh (1977) were the other recipients.
Shaw is the fourth three-time winner in league history.