The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bill Curry

Followed Jerry Claiborne. Bill Curry held Kentucky at National Program III for 7 seasons.

Peak, then fade
83–105
1980–1996 · 3 stints
Georgia TechAlabamaKentucky
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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 careerGEORGIA TECHALABAMAKENTUCKYDynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelGeorgia Tech, 1980: 1-9, National Program II1980Georgia Tech, 1981: 1-10, National Program IIIGeorgia Tech, 1982: 6-5, National Program IIIGeorgia Tech, 1983: 3-8, Regional Program IGeorgia Tech, 1984: 6-4, National Program IIIGeorgia Tech, 1985: 9-2, National Program IIIGeorgia Tech, 1986: 5-5, National Program II1986-5.5Alabama, 1987: 7-5, Blue Blood1987Alabama, 1988: 9-3, Blue BloodAlabama, 1989: 10-2, Blue Blood1989-4.6Kentucky, 1990: 4-7, National Program III1990Kentucky, 1991: 3-8, National Program IIIKentucky, 1992: 4-7, Regional Program IKentucky, 1993: 6-6, Regional Program IKentucky, 1994: 1-10, Regional Program IIKentucky, 1995: 4-7, Regional Program IIKentucky, 1996: 4-7, Regional Program II1996-7.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 8th career season — faster than 26% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #71 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Georgia Tech, 7 seasons
−5.5
National Program II → National Program II.
Alabama, 3 seasons
−4.6
Blue Blood → Blue Blood.
Kentucky, 7 seasons
−7.0
National Program III → Regional Program II.

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.

8–17 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Gerry DiNardo.

Rivalry record
8–17
32.0% · 5 rivals
One-score games
36–33–3
50.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–2
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Tennessee3–633%
Georgia2–529%
LSU2–167%
Auburn0–30%
Louisville1–233%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Gerry DiNardo1–5
6 meetings, 1991–1996
’91 L’92 L’93 L’94 L’95 W’96 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–2 0.0%
Blue Blood
7–9 43.8%
Power Program
14–48 22.6%
National Program
23–23 50.0%
Regional Program
34–20 63.0%

Coaching career

1990–1996
Kentuckycaretaker
National Program III → National Program III
Bill Curry held Kentucky at National Program III for 7 seasons.

11th-best Kentucky tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Jerry Claiborne (1982–1989) · succeeded by Hal Mumme (1997–2000).

12 NFL Draft picks: Oliver Barnett (1990), Donnie Gardner (1990), Andy Murray (1990), Dean Wells (1993), Todd Perry (1993), Chuck Bradley (1993), Terry Samuels (1994), Zane Beehn (1994) + 4 more

26–52
1987–1989
Alabamainheritor
Blue Blood → Blue Blood
Bill Curry inherited a Blue Blood Alabama and won with it.

7th-best Alabama tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Ray Perkins (1983–1986) · succeeded by Gene Stallings (1990–1996).

11 NFL Draft picks: Cornelius Bennett (1987), Freddie Robinson (1987), Greg Richardson (1987), Curt Jarvis (1987), Derrick Thomas (1989), Greg Gilbert (1989), Chris Mohr (1989), Howard Cross (1989) + 3 more

26–10
1980–1986
Georgia Techcaretaker
National Program II → National Program II
Bill Curry held Georgia Tech at National Program II for 7 seasons.

14th-best Georgia Tech tenure of 14 by the numbers.

Followed Pepper Rodgers (1974–1979) · succeeded by Bobby Ross (1987–1991).

8 NFL Draft picks: Henry Johnson (1980), Mike Kelley (1982), Dave Lutz (1983), Ellis Gardner (1983), Robert Lavette (1985), Pat Swilling (1986), Mark Pike (1986), Reggie Rutland (1987)

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