The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532241
TRACKING THE PACK 14 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Elisha Shaw was a top-100 prospect coming out of Tucker (Ga.) High in the 2014 recruiting cycle. He was courted by several SEC powerhouses, including Alabama and Georgia, but a career-ending neck injury ahead of his senior high school season cut his playing days short. Although Shaw wasn't able to compete at the college level, the NCAA approved a waiver for him to receive a non-foot- ball scholarship to Alabama, where he pursued his next path in the sport: coaching. S h aw h a s co n t i n u e d to climb the coaching ladder and was recently promoted to a full-time assistant position at NC State. Having joined the Wolfpack staff as a gradu- ate assistant last year, he will now serve as co-defensive line coach. Here are the highlights of a recent Q&A with Shaw: How would you charac- terize what the last 10 years of your life have been like? "I would just say a Crock- Pot. You've got this plan, you've got this meal you want to cook up. And you've got the ingredients and the recipe all together, but you've got to cook it slowly. It's not a fast track. "That's how I would describe my last 10 years — just a slow cook. God slowed me down and wanted me to learn a little bit more." How did the non-football scholarship to Alabama shape everything you've become as an adult? "It's earned, not given. And even when you earn it, the result of that is only temporary. Sometimes you have to re- earn it. "One thing we did back in my college days, we'd win, get back to the start line and try to go win again. That's been my life. Earn success once. If life says, 'Hey, I want you to earn [it again],' you take the same process to excellence and earn it again. That's legacy-driven." What have you learned from the various coaches you've worked with? "The biggest thing I learned from a lot of the coaches that helped me out … is just the process. Find a process and turn it into excellence." What's it like working with defensive line coach Charley Wiles? "It's a blessing when I open that elevator. I'm able to go in there and just mess with Charley. I've got a nickname for him, I call him 'OG.' We've got someone who's been coaching football and D-line technique for longer than I've been alive. "I'm just humbled. It's a blessing. I'm fired up to go help him and grind with him. It's the best partnership I can ever ask for." How does working with Wiles help your development as a young assistant coach? "Huge. Like I told you, Crock- Pot, right? The difference between a Crock-Pot and a deep fryer is that I'm not trying to jump out so fast. One, Raleigh is a lovely place. NC State is a lovely place. This staff is so seasoned, but not only that, great people. You go find coaches who are all about the game, but these coaches teach you about the game and about life. You just enjoy every moment of it. I love that. "There's an opportunity to sit un- derneath the wisdom and soak it, bounce things off coach Charley Wiles and receive things from him to cre- ate this great recipe that works. The one thing about Charley, his recipe is proven. I only want to take that from him, add to that and create a recipe that works — create a recipe that NC State loves." What has defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot brought to the staff? "I've been around a lot of coaches, different kinds. Just like you've got dogs, you've got different kinds with different temperaments. I'm fired up about D.J. He's very sharp. You look at his resume, it shows. He saw the game and coached the game on many different levels. I'm fired up about what he can bring to this defense, and how we can help this de- fense evolve to play some dominant football games. I know our fans are ready to see that. "I'm excited about how we evolve this defense and allow guys like [senior defensive tackle] Brandon Cleveland to get one-on-ones and dominate. … I think it's exciting for recruits, I think it's exciting for the Wolfpack nation. We're going to see some really good football. I'm excited for D.J. I'm excited that I'm next to D.J., helping him paint this picture for our university and our fans." — Noah Fleischman SITTING DOWN WITH: NC State Co-Defensive Line Coach Elisha Shaw Shaw joined NC State's staff as a graduate assistant last year and was recently named co-defensive line coach. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE FOOTBALL