Shaw ready for battle
10/22/2010 12:00:00 PM | Football
The Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week may be quiet and mild-mannered, but his play speaks volumes on the field. There is a distinguished work ethic that makes Robert Shaw one of the most critical pieces to the revolution of Bearkat football this season.
Shaw joined the Sam Houston State football team in 2009 as a true freshman from Converse Judson High School in San Antonio. He started 10 games and recorded 26 tackles in a mediocre 6-5 season for the Bearkats.
According to Shaw, the expectations didn't appear to be high from a team standpoint. The attitude of the team was to line up and play individually, rather than cohesively. This, however, contradicted the way Shaw was taught to play football all the way from middle school.
Converse Judson implemented a program with its feeder-pattern middle school, allowing the younger kids to learn the same principles of the game taught at the higher levels. Shaw says with the brotherhood he experienced from "boot camp" football practices early on, he gained a more serious work ethic, because teammates played for each other.
"We had so much fun as a team," said Shaw. "We had music, we climbed fences and just had fun working hard together. We came closer together as a team doing stuff like that."
Shaw shares a connection to this season's squad and says that everyone plays for the same reason. The required work ethic and belief in the program spreads through the locker room, leading into the Battle of the Piney Woods on Saturday.
There's also motivation from the historic rivalry with SFA. Shaw still has last season's blowout on his mind, where he distinctively remembers SFA taking shots down field after the game was far out of reach for the Kats. The young defense struggled the entire season.
Veterans like Shaw and senior safety Victor Carmichael felt they had unfinished business against Southeastern Louisiana last week. But the attitude towards SFA is more concentrated.
"This is more personal," Shaw said. "It was two minutes left in the fourth quarter and they were throwing the ball deep, still trying to put up points. They were already blowing us out. I just feel that was real disrespectful. We've got something coming."
Now, there is a level playing field. The freshmen secondary returns as a veteran unit with four consecutive wins under its belt and the two most recent SLC Defensive Players of the Week in Shaw and sophomore safety Darnell Taylor.
Defensive coordinator Scott Stoker credits Shaw's success this season to experience.
"He's so much better because he played in 11 games last season as a true freshman," Stoker said. "He's a guy who can play corner and any of the safety spots. He works hard every day. Obviously, the experience factor makes a big difference."
Even with the quietest disposition on the defense, Shaw let's his play speak for itself. He has the second most tackles for the Bearkats this season with two interceptions, one for a touchdown, and two blocked punts for touchdowns as well.
SHSU ranks at the top of the SLC in total defense and has given up the second fewest points, behind SFA. Shaw realizes his team still has a lot to prove, but says winning has given them confidence that wasn't there in last season's Battle of the Piney Woods.
While SFA holds bragging rights for now, Shaw is sticking with the subtle approach.
"We won't do too much talking. We're just going to talk out there on the field."
