The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bear Bryant

Followed Ears Whitworth. Bear Bryant took Alabama from National Program I to Dynasty — 5 Dynasty seasons.

The ascent
323–85
1945–1982 · 4 stints
MarylandKentuckyTexas A&MAlabama
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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 careerMARYLANDKENTUCKYTEXAS A&MALABAMADynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelMaryland, 1945: 6-2, Regional Program IV1945+2.3Kentucky, 1946: 7-3, Regional Program I1946Kentucky, 1947: 8-3, National Program IIIKentucky, 1948: 5-3, National Program IIIKentucky, 1949: 9-3, National Program IIKentucky, 1950: 11-1, Power Program IIIKentucky, 1951: 8-4, Power Program IIIKentucky, 1952: 5-4, Power Program IIKentucky, 1953: 7-2, Power Program II1953+28.2Texas A&M, 1954: 1-9, National Program II1954Texas A&M, 1955: 7-2, National Program IITexas A&M, 1956: 9-0, Power Program IIITexas A&M, 1957: 8-3, Power Program III1957+10.6Alabama, 1958: 5-4, National Program II1958Alabama, 1959: 7-2, National Program IIAlabama, 1960: 8-1, National Program IAlabama, 1961: 11-0, Power Program IAlabama, 1962: 10-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1963: 9-2, Blue BloodAlabama, 1964: 10-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1965: 9-1, DynastyAlabama, 1966: 11-0, DynastyAlabama, 1967: 8-2, DynastyAlabama, 1968: 8-3, Blue BloodAlabama, 1969: 6-5, Blue BloodAlabama, 1970: 6-5, Blue BloodAlabama, 1971: 11-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1972: 10-2, Blue BloodAlabama, 1973: 11-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1974: 11-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1975: 11-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1976: 9-3, Blue BloodAlabama, 1977: 11-1, Power Program IAlabama, 1978: 11-1, Blue BloodAlabama, 1979: 12-0, DynastyAlabama, 1980: 10-2, DynastyAlabama, 1981: 9-2, Blue BloodAlabama, 1982: 8-4, Blue Blood1982+55.8One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Dynasty in his 21st career season — faster than 7% of the 15 FBS coaches who have ever reached Dynasty (rank #14 of 15 by seasons-to-arrival).

Kentucky, 8 seasons
+28.2
Regional Program I → Power Program II.
Texas A&M, 4 seasons
+10.6
National Program II → Power Program III.
Alabama, 25 seasons
+55.8
National Program II → Blue Blood.

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.

55–25 against his rivals. Winless in 7 tries against Bob Neyland.

Rivalry record
55–25–4
65.5% · 4 rivals
One-score games
66–47–17
50.8% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Tennessee17–12–452%
Auburn19–676%
LSU18–482%
Texas1–325%
The toughest matchup
vs. Bob Neyland0–5–2
7 meetings, 1946–1952
’46 L’47 L’48 T’49 L’50 L’51 L’52 T
0% win rate across a real, 7-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
12–11 52.2%
Power Program
105–50 67.7%
National Program
98–18 84.5%
Regional Program
71–2 97.3%

Coaching career

1958–1982
Alabamatransformer
National Program I → Dynasty
Bear Bryant took Alabama from National Program I to Dynasty — 5 Dynasty seasons.

2nd-best Alabama tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Ears Whitworth (1955–1957) · succeeded by Ray Perkins (1983–1986).

232–46
1954–1957
Texas A&Mcaretakerborderline
National Program I → Power Program III
Bear Bryant moved Texas A&M from National Program I to Power Program III in 4 seasons.

8th-best Texas A&M tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Ray George (1951–1953) · succeeded by Jim Myers (1958–1961).

25–14
1946–1953
Kentuckybuilder
Regional Program II → Power Program II
Bear Bryant raised Kentucky from Regional Program II to Power Program II.

1st-best Kentucky tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Bernie Shively (1945–1945) · succeeded by Blanton Collier (1954–1961).

60–23
1945–1945
Marylandcaretaker
Regional Program V → Regional Program IV
Bear Bryant moved Maryland from Regional Program V to Regional Program IV in 1 season.

19th-best Maryland tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed Clarence Spears (1943–1944).

6–2