“I’m always a player who, whatever the coaches want, I’ll play,” said Shaw, a redshirt sophomore from Suwanee.
Shaw played strongside linebacker at Lanier High School, where he was first-team all-state in Class AAAA after making 130 solo tackles. The move at Georgia State was made because of Andrew Everett’s ability to play rush end and Shaw’s athleticism.
He is 6-foot-4 and last listed at 222 pounds, though he looks bigger. In his first playing time last season, he had 36 tackles, seven for loss and 2 ½ sacks. If Shaw could do the season over again, he said he would study his playbook more so that he would know not only his responsibilities, but also of those players near him.
“I did ok,” he said. “It was an average season. Still a lot to improve upon. Last season and that experience is good to have in my pocket.”
Coach Trent Miles said Shaw’s size and speed makes him an ideal player to set edges on run plays, turning plays back inside to the flowing linebackers and linemen. The Panthers allowed an average of 181.1 rushing yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry.
“I expect Michael Shaw to have an outstanding season,” Miles said. “We expect him to continue to develop, continue to grow in that weight room and play with speed, intensity and range. I see Michael Shaw developing into one of the best linebackers in the conference.”
The move does change the skills that Shaw needs.
He is learning how to drop into zone coverage as well as to cover man to man. He said safeties Bobby Baker and Bryan Williams who, along with the coaches, are teaching him techniques to play with inside or outside leverage.
“I’m learning a lot,” Shaw said.
