The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Al Groh

Followed George Welsh. Al Groh moved Virginia from National Program I to Power Program III in 9 seasons.

The ascent
85–93
1981–2009 · 2 stints
Wake ForestVirginia
← all coaches

Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerWAKE FORESTVIRGINIAPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelWake Forest, 1981: 4-7, Regional Program IV1981Wake Forest, 1982: 3-8, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1983: 4-7, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1984: 6-5, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1985: 4-7, Regional Program IVWake Forest, 1986: 5-6, Regional Program IV1986-2.5Virginia, 2001: 5-7, National Program II2001Virginia, 2002: 9-5, National Program IVirginia, 2003: 8-5, National Program IVirginia, 2004: 8-4, Power Program IIIVirginia, 2005: 7-5, Power Program IIIVirginia, 2006: 5-7, National Program IVirginia, 2007: 9-4, National Program IVirginia, 2008: 5-7, National Program IVirginia, 2009: 3-9, National Program I2009+2.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 10th career season — faster than 7% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #356 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Wake Forest, 6 seasons
−2.5
Regional Program IV → Regional Program IV.
Virginia, 9 seasons
+2.6
National Program II → National Program I.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

1–8 against his rivals. Just 1–4 against George Welsh.

Rivalry record
1–8
11.1% · 1 rival
One-score games
30–30
50.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
3–10
23.1%
Rivalry ledger
Virginia Tech1–811%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. George Welsh1–4
5 meetings, 1982–1986
’82 L’83 W’84 L’85 L’86 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
3–10 23.1%
Power Program
6–32 15.8%
National Program
33–33 50.0%
Regional Program
26–15 63.4%

Coaching career

2001–2009
Virginiacaretaker
National Program I → Power Program III
Al Groh moved Virginia from National Program I to Power Program III in 9 seasons.

2nd-best Virginia tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed George Welsh (1982–2000) · succeeded by Mike London (2010–2015).

Where the roster comes from, by position
Grows Wide receiver from high school
100%
#230 of 243 stints

29 NFL Draft picks: Billy Baber (2001), Chris Luzar (2002), Monsanto Pope (2002), Antwoine Womack (2002), Angelo Crowell (2003), Billy McMullen (2003), Matt Schaub (2004), Heath Miller (2005) + 21 more

59–53
1981–1986
Wake Forestcaretaker
Regional Program IV → Regional Program IV
Al Groh held Wake Forest at Regional Program IV for 6 seasons.

11th-best Wake Forest tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed John Mackovic (1978–1980) · succeeded by Bill Dooley (1987–1992).

2 NFL Draft picks: Kenny Duckett (1982), Paul Kiser (1987)

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