[CTcard]

I haven't read the whole assessment, but was struck that it ranks Jim Harbaugh as #3 and David Shaw at #8.

While any such rating is obviously an exercise in extreme arbitrariness, it makes me think about how much the quality of a coach is really an independent phenomenon.

With Harbaugh, I don't think there is anything very institution-specific about his strengths and abilities. At least for the short term, I think he could walk in just about anywhere and make an under-performing team better.

David Shaw appears to be a great coach for Stanford. However, I am not completely convinced that he would necessarily be a great coach just anywhere.
Of course I hope to not find out anything about that question one way or the other.

[CTcard]

I haven't read the whole assessment, but was struck that it ranks Jim Harbaugh as #3 and David Shaw at #8.

While any such rating is obviously an exercise in extreme arbitrariness, it makes me think about how much the quality of a coach is really an independent phenomenon.

With Harbaugh, I don't think there is anything very institution-specific about his strengths and abilities. At least for the short term, I think he could walk in just about anywhere and make an under-performing team better.

David Shaw appears to be a great coach for Stanford. However, I am not completely convinced that he would necessarily be a great coach just anywhere.
Of course I hope to not find out anything about that question one way or the other.