Gordon "Gordy" Shaw, the newly hired University of Hawai'i football assistant coach, wasted little time in landing his first recruit.

His daughter Aubrey, a high school senior in Minnesota, has decided to enroll at UH.

"She's got it figured out," said Shaw, who yesterday accepted the offensive line coach's job.

Shaw succeeds Alex Gerke, who assisted with the UH running backs and offensive linemen in 2008. Gerke resigned to accept a job at Utah State. Brian Smith, who held the title of offensive line coach, will be reassigned within the offense.

"Gordy is going to be our offensive line coach," UH head coach Greg McMackin said. "There will only be one voice in the offensive line room. I brought him in to coach the offensive line. ... Brian still has a place on the offensive staff."

McMackin said the move is "not a knock on (Smith). Brian is a good, young coach. He's going to be in our offensive plans. He's going to become a better coach working with a veteran coach like Gordy."

Shaw, 54, has had a decorated coaching career that has spanned more than three decades. Minnesota, Wyoming and Idaho were among his stints. In 14 seasons at Minnesota, he coached a line that blocked for current NFL running backs Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney. He recruited and coached center Greg Eslinger, who won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman and Rimington Trophy as the top center. Six of his Minnesota linemen were named first-team All-Americans.

In 2008, he was offensive coordinator at South Dakota, which recently was elevated to NCAA Division I-AA membership.

UH received more than 300 applicants. The field was narrowed to five, and then to three finalists. Last week, Shaw was invited to interview in Hawai'i.

"It was a no-brainer for my family," Shaw said. "They obviously wanted me to take a look at that job. The thing that really said, 'Yes, I want to really look into it,' was coach McMackin. I really didn't know him. But I know a lot of people who know him. I found he's a great person to work for. He's really big on family."

During the visit, Shaw met with the offensive linemen and observed weight-training sessions.

"I saw how hard they worked," Shaw said. "They're very motivated."

Last season, the Warriors yielded an NCAA record 59 sacks.

"The biggest thing, for me, is to clean up the fundamentals of their pass protection," Shaw said. "The players, shoot, they're ready to go. They're good players."

Shaw, who also has coached the defensive line, has experience in a variety of offenses, including four-wide schemes and empty sets.

"He's got some things that he's done at other places that will strengthen our pass protection," McMackin said. "I was impressed with his interview. He sees things on video that the normal person doesn't see. He has a lot of great experience. I really believe he'll fit in with our coaches and players."

Shaw will participate in spring training. His wife, Debra, will remain in Minnesota until Audrey graduates in June. The couple's eldest daughter, Whitney, is a chemical engineer. Another daughter, Jenna, is a biomedical engineer.

The Shaws also own a time-share on Kaua'i.

"I'm really excited about him," McMackin said. "I've got a lot of friends in the business who think he's one of the top line coaches in the country. They have a lot of respect for him."