Michigan State University Athletics
Smiling Shaw Makes Opposing Offenses Frown
9/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2000
By Dina Karwoski
Sports Information Intern
When junior defensive tackle Josh Shaw lumbers into a room, all eyes are on him. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 285 pounds, he has size to stop opposing running backs dead in their tracks and the quickness to make quarterbacks scamper for their lives. He's also got a smile as wide as his wingspan and flashes it as frequently as he gets to the quarterback.
"If I had to write a personal about myself, I would just say I was cool," says Shaw, displaying his trademark grin. "A guy that likes to sit at home, watch movies and relax. I just like to have fun with whatever I do, whether it be on the football field or at home."
Shaw's idea of fun on the football field has caused offensive coordinators around the nation their fair share of worries. A defensive tackle who covers 40 yards in 4.8 seconds and has the ability to throw blockers around like rag dolls would have been unheard of in decades past. Shaw, however, is part of a new group of athletes that is redefining the nature of the position. The journey to MSU has been a long one for Shaw, from his days on the second string in Pop Warner league to being thrown into the mix as a college freshman.
"When I was in little league, I never started," Shaw explained. "We had a really good team and they would get us up by so many points that the second string could come in. I played defensive line then but really didn't have the understanding of it that I have now. It taught me how to play with the big boys, how hard work was important.
"When I got to college, the first couple of games were so crazy," said Shaw. "The speed of the game from high school to college is so different -- it's much quicker. Practice helped me get used to it, but games are different. I actually don't think that they ever intended to put me in, but they did on a goal line situation. I broke through the line and got a tackle for a loss and have been playing ever since."
Now a junior, Shaw and partner-in-crime Jace Sayler make up one of the best defensive interiors in the Big Ten. The duo has accounted for 34 tackles this season -- Shaw himself has recorded a team high 23, including two tackles for losses. Shaw and Sayler anchor a unit that ranks second in the Big Ten in total defense.
"(Sayler) is nice to have to your left," commented Shaw. "He knows I am going to get my job done and I know he is going to get his job done, so you know there's not going to be much running in the middle. If I need to get hyped in a game it doesn't take much. I just yell over 'Let's get it done, fat boy.'"
If one could earn a degree by talking trash, Shaw would be well on his way to a doctorate by now. A self-proclaimed master of the art, Shaw uses his sharp tongue to motivate himself and his teammates while frustrating his opponents at the same time.
"I just keep talking and that keeps me hyped," says Shaw. "I never get tired because I am going off that energy. I'll talk about your momma and the players personally, like I know them. I just keep talking, anything to get them mad and off their game. No one has been able to shut me up yet."
Shaw, a transplanted South Floridian, says his brashness on the field stems from his upbringing.
"That's how we play football in Florida," Shaw says. "I won't cheap shot though. I just keep talking. Most of the time what I say and my actions are enough to frustrate the offense."
Once the game is over, Shaw exhibits a different personality. The cracks directed toward foes are replaced by a calmer attitude.
"I am just laid-back, kicking it, real chill," Shaw explained. "Pretty much the opposite from what I am like on the field."
Charming off the field, Shaw is not your typical lineman. He's got the ability to light up an opposing quarterback with a hit or a room with his smile.
