STANFORD, Calif. – David Shaw (Coach of the Year), Bryce Love (Offensive Player of the Year) and Walker Little (Freshman Offensive Co-Player of the Year) each earned Pac-12 top honors Tuesday.
Shaw earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time (2011, 2012 and co-coach with Washington State's Mike Leach in 2015). In seven seasons at Stanford, Shaw's record is 73-21. His career wins are the most in Stanford history. Against Cal on Nov. 18, Shaw eclipsed the record set by Glenn "Pop" Warner (71 from 1924-32).
After opening the season 1-2, Stanford won eight of its final nine regular-season games, including victories over No. 9 Washington and No. 8 Notre Dame over the final three weeks of the season. Stanford clinched the Pac-12 North Division and made its fourth Pac-12 Championship Game appearance under Shaw. Stanford has posted eight or more wins in nine consecutive seasons.
Love, a junior running back and Heisman finalist from Wake Forest, North Carolina, led the Pac-12 and all Power 5 running backs in rushing, averaging 164.4 yards/game. He's rushed for 100 or more yards in 11 games this season, tying a school record. His 12 runs of 50 or more yards are an FBS record.
Love set a school single-season record with 301 yards on 25 carries (12.0 yards/rush) and three touchdowns vs. Arizona State. In the Pac-12 Championship Game, Love surpassed 2009 Heisman finalist Toby Gerhart and moved into second place on the school's single-season rushing list with 1,973 yards.
With a bowl game remaining, he needs 47 yards to break the school record set by 2015 Heisman finalist Christian McCaffrey.
This marks the fifth time in the last nine years that Stanford has claimed the conference offensive player of the year honor.
Little, a freshman from Houston, Texas, is the first true freshman to start at tackle for Stanford in 17 years. He was part of an offensive line that led the Cardinal to an average of 205.8 rushing yards/game.
Little and the offensive front allowed just 16 sacks for a league-low 1.23 sacks/game.
Little is the second Cardinal to earn Freshman of the Year honors, joining wide receiver Teyo Johnson (2001).
