The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Bill Mallory

Followed Sam Wyche. Bill Mallory raised Indiana from Regional Program III to National Program III.

Peak, then fade
167–130
1969–1996 · 4 stints
Miami (OH)ColoradoNorthern IllinoisIndiana
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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 careerMIAMI (OH)COLORADONORTHERN ILL…INDIANAPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelMiami (OH), 1969: 7-3, National Program I1969Miami (OH), 1970: 7-3, National Program IMiami (OH), 1971: 7-3, National Program IMiami (OH), 1972: 7-3, National Program IIMiami (OH), 1973: 11-0, National Program I1973-2.1Colorado, 1974: 5-6, Power Program III1974Colorado, 1975: 9-3, Power Program IIIColorado, 1976: 8-4, Power Program IIColorado, 1977: 7-3, Power Program IIColorado, 1978: 6-5, Power Program III1978+0.4Northern Illinois, 1980: 7-4, Regional Program IV1980Northern Illinois, 1981: 3-8, Regional Program IVNorthern Illinois, 1982: 5-5, Regional Program IVNorthern Illinois, 1983: 10-2, Regional Program III1983+4.9Indiana, 1984: 0-11, Regional Program IV1984Indiana, 1985: 4-7, Regional Program IVIndiana, 1986: 6-6, Regional Program IVIndiana, 1987: 8-4, Regional Program IIIIndiana, 1988: 8-3, Regional Program IIIndiana, 1989: 5-6, Regional Program IIndiana, 1990: 6-5, National Program IIIIndiana, 1991: 7-4, National Program IIIIndiana, 1992: 5-6, National Program IIIIndiana, 1993: 8-4, National Program IIIIndiana, 1994: 6-5, National Program IIIIndiana, 1995: 2-9, National Program IIIIndiana, 1996: 3-8, National Program III1996+15.7One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 6th career season — faster than 25% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #279 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Miami (OH), 5 seasons
−2.1
National Program I → National Program I.
Colorado, 5 seasons
+0.4
Power Program III → Power Program III.
Northern Illinois, 4 seasons
+4.9
Regional Program IV → Regional Program III.
Indiana, 13 seasons
+15.7
Regional Program IV → National Program III.

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.

16–20 against his rivals. Winless in 5 tries against Tom Osborne.

Rivalry record
16–20
44.4% · 6 rivals
One-score games
44–47–4
46.3% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
1–1
50.0%
Rivalry ledger
Purdue7–654%
Ohio3–260%
Cincinnati4–180%
Nebraska0–50%
Ball State1–325%
Toledo1–325%
The toughest matchup
vs. Tom Osborne0–5
5 meetings, 1974–1978
’74 L’75 L’76 L’77 L’78 L
0% win rate across a real, 5-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
1–1 50.0%
Blue Blood
0–15 0.0%
Power Program
11–36 23.4%
National Program
39–46 45.9%
Regional Program
99–30 76.7%

Coaching career

1984–1996
Indianabuilder
Regional Program III → National Program III
Bill Mallory raised Indiana from Regional Program III to National Program III.

5th-best Indiana tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Sam Wyche (1983–1983) · succeeded by Cam Cameron (1997–2001).

14 NFL Draft picks: Kevin Allen (1985), Leonard Bell (1987), Anthony Thompson (1990), Ian Beckles (1990), Mike Dumas (1991), Nolan Harrison (1991), Vaughn Dunbar (1992), Shawn Harper (1992) + 6 more

68–78
1980–1983
Northern Illinoiscaretaker
Regional Program IV → Regional Program III
Bill Mallory moved Northern Illinois from Regional Program IV to Regional Program III in 4 seasons.

9th-best Northern Illinois tenure of 13 by the numbers.

Followed Pat Culpepper (1976–1979) · succeeded by Lee Corso (1984–1984).

25–19
1974–1978
Coloradocaretaker
Power Program II → Power Program II
Bill Mallory held Colorado at Power Program II for 5 seasons.

4th-best Colorado tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Eddie Crowder (1963–1973) · succeeded by Chuck Fairbanks (1979–1981).

30 NFL Draft picks: Bo Matthews (1974), J.V. Cain (1974), Charles Davis (1974), Greg Horton (1974), Ozell Collier (1974), Jon Keyworth (1974), Rod Perry (1975), Harvey Goodman (1975) + 22 more

35–21
1969–1973
Miami (OH)caretaker
National Program I → National Program I
Bill Mallory held Miami (OH) at National Program I for 5 seasons.

4th-best Miami (OH) tenure of 14 by the numbers.

Followed Bo Schembechler (1963–1968) · succeeded by Dick Crum (1974–1977).

2 NFL Draft picks: Bob Babich (1969), Gary Arthur (1970)

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