Elite and steady
Upper-left is the premium zone: strong average results without much season-to-season swing.
Coaches Research Hub
Explore college football coaches by peak, consistency, and identity.
Turn coach-season records into career arcs, school-by-school tenures, style profiles, and side-by-side comparisons.
Peak finder
Jump from the broad landscape to the highest single-season ceilings.
Tenure story
See where coaches built, inherited, or stabilized a program.
Compare mode
Stack up to four coaches on the same profile and arc surfaces.
Current Research Window
These totals update with every filter so the discovery visuals and the table below stay on the same coach universe. Start from the recommended sample, then tighten the field around identity, school, time span, or quality.
3+ seasons
1271
Coaches in view
1786 indexed coaches available
11703
Coach-seasons
12402 total coach-season rows
28/51
Page position
1271 coaches in the current filtered result set
Summary and Filtering
Filter and rank coaches
Coach search stays primary, then school, archetype, time span, and quality sharpen the list. The recommended starting point is 3+ seasons.
Primary Discovery
One clear lens at a time.
Start with career shape or flip to identity. Either way, the chart, the coach summary, the outlier list, and the table context all stay synchronized.
Success vs Volatility
Start with the simplest question: who paired real strength with a repeatable week-to-week shape?
250 coaches shown
Elite and steady
Elite but volatile
Lower ceiling but stable
Lower ceiling and unstable
Frank Leahy
Volatility: 9.13 • Average SRS: 22.65
86.4% win rate • 38.3 peak SRS
Volatility
Average SRS
Hover or focus a point to isolate it. Click a coach to carry that selection into the results table.
Average SRS reads overall strength. Volatility is the spread of season-to-season SRS, so lower values mean a steadier profile.
Career shape lens
Frank Leahy
This is the clearest first-pass view for peak versus stability. It is the best place to start browsing.
BalancedPeak Dominator
Frank Leahy is currently highlighted in the success vs volatility view.
- Volatility
- 9.13
- Average SRS
- 22.65
- Career Win %
- 86.4%
- Peak SRS
- 38.3
Active chart outliers
These callouts update with the active discovery mode and filtered coach set.
Highest peak
Red Blaik
Single-season ceiling leader in the current filtered set.
44.1 peak SRSMost consistent elite coach
Tom Osborne
High average strength without the season-to-season swing.
24.22 avg SRS • 4.49 volatilitySteadiest floor
Pete Reynolds
Lowest volatility in the view. Lower is more stable.
1.28 volatilityElite but volatile
Chuck Fairbanks
Big ceiling, but the weekly shape moved around more than the steady tier.
15.61 volatility
Top Career Peaks
Keep the ceiling board in view, but as a support module for the active lens, not the main destination.
- 46.5
1. Harry Hughes
1916
- 44.1
2. Red Blaik
1945
- 44.0
3. Nelson Norgren
1916
- 42.5
4. Henry Williams
1905
- 42.2
5. Amos Alonzo Stagg
1905
Elite but volatile
Upper-right still reaches major heights, but the shape was less repeatable.
Lower ceiling but stable
Lower-left profiles stayed steady even if the absolute ceiling never reached the very top tier.
Lower ceiling and unstable
Lower-right is where the career shape had neither a high average peak nor reliable steadiness.
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Supporting Insights
Quick leaderboards, grouped on purpose.
These are shortcuts into the same table below. Performance leads the stack, while stability and longevity stay visible without competing with the main chart.
Performance
Primary leaderboard shortcuts
The fastest path into peak and results leaders.
Highest Peak SRS
Single-season ceiling leaders.
1. Harry Hughes
1916 Colorado State (6-0-1)
46.52. Red Blaik
1945 Army (9-0)
44.13. Nelson Norgren
1916 Utah (3-2)
44.04. Henry Williams
1905 Minnesota (10-1)
42.55. Amos Alonzo Stagg
1905 Chicago (11-0)
42.2
Best Career Win %
Who won the most across a meaningful sample.
1. Walter Camp
5 seasons
97.1%2. Knute Rockne
1924 Notre Dame (10-0)
88.1%3. Ryan Day
2019 Ohio State (13-1)
87.5%4. Frank Leahy
1946 Notre Dame (8-0-1)
86.4%5. Jesse Harper
1913 Notre Dame (7-0)
86.3%
Most Top 10 Finishes
Coaches who stacked elite endings.
1. Bear Bryant
1971 Alabama (11-1)
222. Joe Paterno
1994 Penn State (12-0)
223. Tom Osborne
1995 Nebraska (12-0)
184. Nick Saban
2016 Alabama (14-1)
185. Bo Schembechler
1973 Michigan (10-0-1)
16
Stability
Stability shortcuts
Who stays in control year after year.
Most Consistent
Low-volatility coaches with enough sample.
1. Parke Davis
1897 Lafayette (9-2-1)
0.02. DM Balliet
1901 Purdue (4-4-1)
0.03. Mike Sanford Jr
2022 Colorado (1-6)
0.24. Henry Shenk
1943 Kansas (4-5-1)
0.55. Jerry Baldwin
2001 Louisiana (3-8)
0.5
Longevity
Longevity shortcuts
Long arcs, big samples, and durable careers.
Longest Careers
Big careers and long arcs.
1. John Anderson
1976 Brown (8-1)
64 years2. Paul Davis
1963 Mississippi State (7-2-2)
59 years3. Amos Alonzo Stagg
1905 Chicago (11-0)
53 years4. George Barclay
1951 Washington and Lee (6-4)
48 years5. Joe Paterno
1994 Penn State (12-0)
46 years
Results Table
Coach results table
1271 filtered coaches in view. Lower rank numbers are better. Lower volatility means more stable. Lower SP Def numbers are better on the identity chart.
1271 filtered coachesSuccess vs Volatility activeSorted by Identity descending
| Compare | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Major Applewhite 22-17 • 2016-2025 | Houston, South Alabama | 5 | 39 | 22 | 17 | 56.4% | -1.5 | 5.4 2016 peak | 6.2 | 31.0 | 29.1 | — | 0 | Offense-First Offense-First | |
John Bender 31-16-6 • 1908-1920 | Haskell, Kansas State +1 | 6 | 53 | 31 | 16 | 64.1% | -5.2 | 6.5 1909 peak | 6.2 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced Longevity Coach | |
Wesley Fry 18-21-6 • 1935-1939 | Kansas State | 5 | 45 | 18 | 21 | 46.7% | 1.3 | 8.0 1936 peak | 5.2 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Tim DeRuyter 31-30 • 2011-2016 | Fresno State, Texas A&M | 6 | 61 | 31 | 30 | 50.8% | -3.5 | 16.0 2011 peak | 13.6 | 28.4 | 27.4 | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Rex Dockery 23-40-3 • 1978-1983 | Memphis, Texas Tech | 6 | 66 | 23 | 40 | 37.1% | 2.6 | 12.1 1978 peak | 9.0 | 21.4 | 22.3 | — | 0 | Defense-First Defense-First | |
Charles Hammett 6-10-2 • 1910-1912 | Northwestern | 3 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 38.9% | 1.9 | 12.8 1912 peak | 7.7 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced Volatile Builder | |
Tom Lieb 54-50-3 • 1933-1945 | Florida, Loyola Marymount | 11 | 107 | 54 | 50 | 51.9% | -0.7 | 7.3 1935 peak | 7.6 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced Longevity Coach | |
Andy Pilney 25-49-6 • 1954-1961 | Tulane | 8 | 80 | 25 | 49 | 35.0% | 3.8 | 9.2 1960 peak | 4.2 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced Program Stabilizer | |
Skip Holtz 118-98 • 2005-2021 | East Carolina, Louisiana Tech +1 | 17 | 216 | 118 | 98 | 54.6% | -3.2 | 10.6 2014 peak | 7.1 | 25.9 | 27.9 | — | 0 | Balanced Longevity Coach | |
Jim McElwain 77-64 • 2012-2024 | Central Michigan, Colorado State +1 | 12 | 141 | 77 | 64 | 54.6% | -3.8 | 12.4 2016 peak | 9.0 | 25.2 | 27.3 | #14 | 0 | Defense-First Longevity Coach | |
Bob Blackman 164-106-7 • 1953-1981 | Cornell, Dartmouth +2 | 29 | 277 | 164 | 106 | 60.5% | -6.1 | 10.5 1970 peak | 9.6 | 23.9 | 23.1 | #14 | 0 | Defense-First Longevity Coach | |
Donnie Duncan 18-24-2 • 1979-1982 | Iowa State | 4 | 44 | 18 | 24 | 43.2% | 1.9 | 8.3 1980 peak | 3.9 | 23.0 | 21.3 | — | 0 | Defense-First Defense-First | |
Johnny Griffith 10-16-4 • 1961-1963 | Georgia | 3 | 30 | 10 | 16 | 40.0% | 3.3 | 6.1 1963 peak | 3.1 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Jim Pittman 24-33-2 • 1966-1971 | TCU, Tulane | 6 | 59 | 24 | 33 | 42.4% | 0.9 | 11.2 1970 peak | 6.0 | 24.3 | 20.4 | #17 | 0 | Defense-First Defense-First | |
Tony Levine 20-17 • 2012-2014 | Houston | 3 | 37 | 20 | 17 | 54.0% | -1.9 | 6.9 2013 peak | 7.0 | 28.7 | 27.3 | — | 0 | Offense-First Offense-First | |
Patrick ODea 19-7-2 • 1900-1902 | Missouri, Notre Dame | 3 | 28 | 19 | 7 | 71.4% | -3.9 | -2.7 1902 peak | 0.9 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Charles Bowser 14-20-1 • 1939-1942 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 35 | 14 | 20 | 41.4% | 2.7 | 6.8 1939 peak | 3.8 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Keith Gilbertson 27-42 • 1992-2004 | California, Washington | 6 | 69 | 27 | 42 | 39.1% | 1.8 | 11.2 1993 peak | 6.0 | 30.0 | 30.1 | #25 | 0 | Offense-First Longevity Coach | |
Randy Walker 95-82-5 • 1990-2005 | Miami (OH), Northwestern | 16 | 182 | 95 | 82 | 53.6% | -2.8 | 9.8 1997 peak | 9.1 | 29.6 | 28.8 | — | 0 | Offense-First Volatile Builder | |
Otis Douglas 9-21 • 1950-1952 | Arkansas | 3 | 30 | 9 | 21 | 30.0% | 4.5 | 9.4 1951 peak | 4.1 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Edward Donahue 21-12-3 • 1917-1920 | Clemson | 4 | 36 | 21 | 12 | 62.5% | -3.8 | 3.7 1917 peak | 6.2 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Hugh Devore 13-26-3 • 1945-1963 | New York University, Notre Dame | 5 | 42 | 13 | 26 | 34.5% | -11.6 | 23.5 1945 peak | 22.5 | — | — | #9 | 1 | Balanced Peak Dominator | |
WJ Monilaw 28-13-1 • 1903-1908 | Drake, Missouri | 5 | 42 | 28 | 13 | 67.9% | -5.3 | 2.7 1903 peak | 6.2 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Tom Sebring 17-11-2 • 1925-1927 | Florida | 3 | 30 | 17 | 11 | 60.0% | -2.6 | 2.3 1925 peak | 4.3 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced — | |
Josh Cody 46-35-3 • 1927-1939 | Clemson, Florida | 8 | 84 | 46 | 35 | 56.5% | -2.3 | 5.1 1939 peak | 4.7 | — | — | — | 0 | Balanced Longevity Coach |
About This Data
How to read the page
Filtered state
Every number, chart callout, and leaderboard on this page reflects the current filter state, not the full indexed universe.
Metric framing
Lower volatility means more stable. Lower finish rank numbers are better. On identity, lower SP Def numbers indicate stronger defense.
Research flow
Use the active chart to form a hypothesis, then drop into the table to sort, compare, and export the exact slice you are studying.
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