Before David Shaw even entered the coaching profession, he had a coaching legend for a mentor in Bill Walsh. Walsh coached a young David Shaw as a Cardinal receiver in the early 90's which provided Shaw the unique opportunity to draw on Walsh's extensive knowledge of the game once he entered the coaching profession.
At the 5:20 mark of the interview, 95.7 The Game hosts Guy Haberman and John Middlekauff ask Shaw about the #1 attribute that he looks for in a quarterback. To answer, Shaw recalled a memory from his old head coach.
"When I first started coaching, I would meet with Bill Walsh at least once a year, and I would come sit in his office and I would actually pose that question to him and we would talk about all those thing with quarterbacks and he made a list for me. I still have that list in my desk. I laminated it and I've had it every since." Shaw explained.
"Bill Walsh said that the number one thing was instincts.The number one thing that you're looking for is a guy that can do the things that you can't coach. He's got a sense in the pocket, not just because we've trained him, but because he can feel the pocket breaking down, he can slide and make an awkward body throw, he picks things up pretty quickly and he has a sense for being able to compete."
"Of course you're looking for a consistent throwing motion, and a smart kid with great footwork and a strong arm and all of those things that are tangible, but also the intangible of 'This kid is ultra-competitive, he has a feel for the play of the game, he has a sense for timing, he has a sense for pushing up in the pocket."
"You're looking for those things that you can't teach."