Sharrieff Shah
Sharrieff Shah
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- Title
- Cornerbacks/Special Teams Coordinator
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- sshah@huntsman.utah.edu
Cornerbacks/Co-Special Teams Coordinator
13th Year
Sharrieff Shah enters his 13th season coaching the Utah cornerbacks in 2024, and sixth year as special teams coordinator. His first foray into special teams came as co-coordinator during the 2016-18 seasons.
Nationally respected for his ability to evolve with the game, Shah was cited by ESPN.com in 2014 as one of “10 coaches who adapt and thrive.” He has helped his players do the same, developing five cornerback converts into NFL players.
Shah has a long-running reputation of developing top pass defenders. During his tenure leading the Utes corners, 11 Pac-12 All-Conference accolades have been earned—headlined by 2022 unanimous All-America choice, Jim Thorpe Award finalist and fourth-round NFL Draft pick Clark Phillips III.
Though the injury bug hit the Utes throughout 2023, Shah’s cornerbacks still helped the program put up a top-13 overall defense nationally with 307.2 yards allowed per game. The “next man up” mentality embraced throughout the entire program propelled Utah to bowl eligibility for the 10th straight season.
- As a team, Utah ranked third in the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed (224.4 yards per game) and fourth in pass efficiency defense (126.16). It was the sixth time in the last seven seasons that the team finished in the upper third of the conference in pass efficiency defense—including league-best marks in 2019 and ’20.
- Facing a USC aerial attack that finished fifth in the nation (333 passing yards per game), the Utes allowed 256 passing yards and no touchdowns. It was the first time since 2021 that the Trojans did not score a passing touchdown in a game.
- Though Utah fell to Washington in a tale of two halves, the Utes held Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr. to a QBR of 86.6 that day; it was the fifth-lowest single-game rating for Penix Jr. during Washington’s run to the CFP National Championship Game.
- Cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn was named Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, earning his first career All-Conference nod.
The 2022 Utes ranked second in the league both in total defense (334.1 yards per game) and passing yards allowed (222.6 yards per game) en route to the program’s second of back-to-back Pac-12 Championships and Rose Bowl appearances.
- Phillips shined as AP Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, capping his Utah career with nine career interceptions and four returned for touchdowns; the latter tied a school record.
- Phillips finished his career as the only active player in the Pac-12 with four pick-sixes and one of just four Power Five players. He departed Utah ranked 10th in program history with 30 career passes defended (21 PBU, 9 INT).
Shah and his group also battled injuries in 2021—their perseverance rewarded with a conference crown and first New Year’s Six bowl berth since 2008.
- Utah allowed 341.6 yards of offense per game, third in the Pac-12 and No. 16 of all Power Five programs. In six different games, Utah opponents were held under 315 total yards, including three matchups against teams in the final CFP rankings.
- Phillips led the conference in 2021 both with 15 passes defended on the season and 11 during league play. His 13 breakups that year rank fourth in program history.
The Utah corners guided the Utes to ranking second in the Pac-12 in total defense in 2020 (365 yards per game) and No. 1 in the Pac-12 (20th FBS) in pass efficiency defense (120.64). The defense totaled seven interceptions - two from Shah’s corners - in five games.
In addition to ranking No. 1 in the Pac-12 in pass efficiency defense in 2020, the Utes finished ranked second in that category in 2017.
- Seven of the team’s 14 total interceptions were by corners in 2017. Shah’s position also accounted for half of Utah’s interceptions in 2012 and 2015. The 2015 Utes led the Pac-12 with 22 interceptions, which ranked third nationally. Utah also led the Pac-12 in passes defended in 2015 with 88—38 of them from the cornerbacks.
- In 2016, Utah’s 18 interceptions (seven by the cornerbacks) ranked second in the Pac-12 and tied for ninth in the nation. The corners also contributed 26 of Utah’s 71 passes defended to help Utah tie for 14th place nationally.
Along with his reputation of molding cornerbacks, Utah’s return teams have consistently fared well under Shah’s direction.
- Britain Covey scattered his name across the Utah record book, resetting the program-best with 1,092 career punt return yards and tying the top mark at Utah with four career punt return touchdowns. Covey also ranks second all-time in career punt returns (92) and third in all-purpose yards (4,241). The five-time All-American had two punt return scores in 2021—his final season.
- Kaelin Clay was a first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 return specialist in 2014, when he led the country in punt returns for touchdowns (3). Boobie Hobbs was a second-team All-Pac-12 return specialist in 2017 when he finished 12th in the nation in punt return average (11.2).
- The 2020 team excelled on both return units, ranking second in the Pac-12 (eighth in FBS) in kickoff return average (28.3) and third (eighth in FBS) in punt return average (16.3). In addition, long snapper Keegan Markgraf was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, recognizing the nation’s top snapper.
- With Covey leading the charge in 2021, Utah’s punt return average (15.13) ranked second-best in the Pac-12 and sixth in FBS. The kick return team (25.81) had similar success, finishing fourth in the Pac-12 and No. 13 nationally.
Shah took a unique path into coaching after an all-conference playing career at Utah—spending 12 years as a practicing attorney. He remained involved in football during this time as a certified agent through the NFL Player Association (NFLPA) from 1996-2002. Additionally, Shah was a sideline reporter for ESPN 700—Utah’s flagship station—from 2000-11, and a sideline analyst for local television stations KUTV and KJZZ in their Ute broadcasts for three seasons.
Shah was a four-year letterman for the Utes from 1990-93 and started three seasons at strong safety, before he incurred a career-ending neck injury three games into his senior season. A team captain, Shah was an honorable mention all-Western Athletic Conference safety in 1991 and ‘92.
- Shah’s 1991 performance against Oregon State still ranks in the top five in Utah’s single-game record book in tackles for loss (5.0) and forced fumbles (2). It earned Shah Sports Illustrated National Defensive Player of the Week and WAC Player of the Week
- He also ran indoor track for the Utes, competing in the 60-yard dash and long jump from 1990-92. He qualified for the WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships all three years.
Shah is a three-time Utah alumnus, earning a Bachelor’s in political science (1993), Master’s in exercise and sport science (1995) and Juris Doctorate (2001).
A Los Angeles native, Shah was born Jan. 29, 1971. He is married to the former Jennifer Lui. The couple have two sons, Omar and Sharrieff Jr., the latter of whom played in football at Utah from 2014-16.
Coaching Experience
2012- | Utah |
2019- | Cornerbacks Special Teams Coordinator |
2016-18 | Cornerbacks Co-Special Teams Coordinator |
2012-15 | Cornerbacks |
Bowl Games
2023 | Las Vegas Bowl |
2022 | Rose Bowl |
2021 | Rose Bowl |
2019 | Alamo Bowl |
2018 | Holiday Bowl |
2017 | Heart of Dallas Bowl |
2016 | Foster Farms Bowl |
2015 | Las Vegas Bowl |
2014 | Las Vegas Bowl |