1962-1998 • Iowa, North Texas, SMU
3 schools coached, anchored by Iowa.
Hayden Fry coached 37 seasons, won 56.0%, and posted an average SRS of 6.1. Best season: 1985 Iowa. The profile was defense-first with a highly volatile profile. 3 stops shaped the career arc.
Career Record
230-180-10
Career Win %
56.0%
Seasons
37
Career Span
37 years
Average SRS
6.1
Peak SRS
17.7
Best Finish
#10
Consistency
28.1
Higher = steadier
Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stop began.
Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.
Active comparison point
10-2 • SRS 17.7 • SP Overall 22.7
Win %
83.3%
YoY SRS
+4.7
SP Off / Def
41.7 / 21.1
Finish
#10
Comparison context
Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.
Each stop is sized by tenure length. Richer fill reflects a stronger average SRS at that school.
Iowa
1979-1998 • 20 seasons
Avg SRS 8.2 • Win % 61.3%
North Texas
1973-1978 • 6 seasons
Avg SRS -0.9 • Win % 59.9%
SMU
1962-1972 • 11 seasons
Avg SRS 6.2 • Win % 42.7%
Longest Tenure
Iowa • 20 seasons
Best Tenure
Iowa • 8.2 SRS
Best Tenure Win %
Iowa • 61.3%
Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.
These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.
Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.
Hayden Fry sets the reference point in overall strength.
Hayden Fry sets the reference point in overall strength.
Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.
Hayden Fry
Strong
Raw avg SP Overall: 6.8
77th pct
Strong
See how each stop compared with what that program usually looked like outside this tenure.
1979-1998 • 143-89-6
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
7.2 during vs 3.4 baseline
+3.8
Avg SRS
Higher is better
8.2 during vs -1.8 baseline
+9.9
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
8.6 during vs -6.4 baseline
+15.0
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
50.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+50.0%
1973-1978 • 38-25-3
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
6.3 during vs 4.4 baseline
+1.9
Avg SRS
Higher is better
-0.9 during vs -9.1 baseline
+8.2
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
2.9 during vs -16.8 baseline
+19.7
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
1962-1972 • 49-66-1
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
4.5 during vs 3.4 baseline
+1.1
Avg SRS
Higher is better
6.2 during vs 6.0 baseline
+0.1
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
2.0 during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
18.2% during vs 20.0% baseline
-1.8%
High Points
Best Season
Iowa 1985
10-2 • SRS 17.7
Biggest Improvement
SMU 1968
8-3 • 20.0 SRS
Best Offensive Season
Iowa 1990
8-4 • SP Off 42.5
Best Defensive Season
Iowa 1981
8-4 • SP Def 15.0
Setbacks
Worst Season
North Texas 1973
5-5-1 • SRS -17.1
Biggest Drop
North Texas 1973
5-5-1 • -31.0 SRS
Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.
| Iowa | 1998 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 27.3% | — | — | -4.9 | -5.1 | 22.9 | 28.0 | -19.1 | -31.1% |
| Iowa | 1997 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 58.3% | #21 | — | 14.2 | 14.3 | 34.2 | 21.0 | -0.3 | -16.7% |
| Iowa | 1996 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #22 | #18 | 14.5 | 17.4 | 37.4 | 21.5 | +0.2 | +8.3% |
| Iowa | 1995 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | #25 | 14.3 | 13.4 | 38.4 | 26.4 | +8.1 | +16.7% |
| Iowa | 1994 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 50.0% | — | — | 6.2 | 7.5 | 38.4 | 32.6 | +9.1 | 0.0% |
| Iowa | 1993 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 50.0% | — | — | -2.9 | -7.7 | 22.2 | 29.4 | -5.4 | +8.3% |
| Iowa | 1992 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.7% | #16 | — | 2.5 | 2.8 | 27.6 | 25.6 | -9.2 | -45.8% |
| Iowa | 1991 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 87.5% | #18 | #10 | 11.7 | 14.1 | 32.7 | 19.6 | -2.8 | +20.8% |
| Iowa | 1990 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | #18 | 14.5 | 15.7 | 42.5 | 30.1 | +19.2 | +21.2% |
| Iowa | 1989 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | #23 | — | -4.7 | -4.0 | 24.4 | 28.4 | -12.4 | -12.2% |
| Iowa | 1988 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 57.7% | #9 | — | 7.7 | 7.7 | 29.9 | 23.4 | -3.1 | -19.2% |
| Iowa | 1987 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 76.9% | #16 | #16 | 10.8 | 12.4 | 35.2 | 24.0 | +1.2 | +1.9% |
| Iowa | 1986 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | — | #16 | 9.6 | 12.2 | 35.9 | 25.7 | -8.1 | -8.3% |
| Iowa | 1985 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 83.3% | #4 | #10 | 17.7 | 22.7 | 41.7 | 21.1 | +4.7 | +17.9% |
| Iowa | 1984 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 65.4% | #12 | #16 | 13.0 | 12.4 | 31.9 | 20.2 | -1.7 | -9.6% |
| Iowa | 1983 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #16 | #14 | 14.7 | 16.6 | 35.9 | 21.3 | +8.5 | +8.3% |
| Iowa | 1982 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | — | 6.2 | 6.1 | 25.5 | 20.2 | -4.4 | 0.0% |
| Iowa | 1981 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | #18 | 10.6 | 11.9 | 26.3 | 15.0 | +11.0 | +30.3% |
| Iowa | 1980 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | -0.4 | -5.4 | 18.6 | 24.0 | -8.6 | -9.1% |
| Iowa | 1979 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | — | — | 8.2 | 7.4 | 28.4 | 22.1 | 0.0 | -36.4% |
| North Texas | 1978 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 81.8% | — | — | 8.2 | 14.2 | 29.9 | 16.7 | -4.4 | 0.0% |
| North Texas | 1977 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 81.8% | — | — | 12.6 | 19.1 | 35.9 | 18.8 | +8.3 | +27.3% |
| North Texas | 1976 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | 4.3 | 7.9 | 24.2 | 17.1 | +4.3 | -9.1% |
| North Texas | 1975 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.6% | — | — | 0.0 | 3.9 | 23.6 | 20.2 | +13.6 | +36.4% |
| North Texas | 1974 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 27.3% | — | — | -13.6 | -14.4 | 14.2 | 27.4 | +3.5 | -22.7% |
| North Texas | 1973 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 50.0% | — | — | -17.1 | -13.5 | 15.1 | 27.7 | -31.0 | -13.6% |
| SMU | 1972 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.6% | — | — | 13.9 | 12.2 | 28.8 | 17.4 | +16.4 | +27.3% |
| SMU | 1971 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | -2.5 | -7.9 | 16.6 | 24.1 | -8.8 | -9.1% |
| SMU | 1970 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | — | — | 6.3 | 1.8 | 21.1 | 19.8 | +1.6 | +15.4% |
| SMU | 1969 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 30.0% | — | — | 4.7 | — | — | — | -12.4 | -42.7% |
| SMU | 1968 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.7% | — | #14 | 17.1 | — | — | — | +20.0 | +42.7% |
| SMU | 1967 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 30.0% | — | — | -2.9 | — | — | — | -16.5 | -42.7% |
| SMU | 1966 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.7% | — | #10 | 13.6 | — | — | — | +5.6 | +27.7% |
| SMU | 1965 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 45.0% | — | — | 8.0 | — | — | — | +11.9 | +35.0% |
| SMU | 1964 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 10.0% | — | — | -3.9 | — | — | — | -14.0 | -26.4% |
| SMU | 1963 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | 10.1 | — | — | — | +6.6 | +16.4% |
| SMU | 1962 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 20.0% | — | — | 3.5 | — | — | — | — | — |
Related profiles are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.
same defense-first identity • avg SRS within 0.2
Avg SRS 5.9 • Peak SRS 21.7 • 28 seasons
Best finish #8 • Volatility 8.0
Open profile →avg SRS within 1.2 • volatility within 0.7
Avg SRS 4.9 • Peak SRS 16.7 • 20 seasons
Best finish #6 • Volatility 7.5
Open profile →same defense-first identity • volatility within 1.4
Avg SRS 2.9 • Peak SRS 15.1 • 25 seasons
Best finish #11 • Volatility 6.9
Open profile →same defense-first identity • avg SRS within 0.9
Avg SRS 7.0 • Peak SRS 27.0 • 25 seasons
Best finish #1 • Volatility 8.3
Open profile →avg SRS within 1.3 • volatility within 1.2
Avg SRS 7.4 • Peak SRS 23.8 • 36 seasons
Best finish #5 • Volatility 9.4
Open profile →avg SRS within 1.7 • volatility within 0.5
Avg SRS 4.4 • Peak SRS 22.9 • 30 seasons
Best finish #5 • Volatility 7.8
Open profile →