The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Blanton Collier

Followed Bear Bryant. Blanton Collier held Kentucky at Power Program II for 8 seasons.

41–36

1954–1961 · 1 stint

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.

Reached Power Program in his 1st career season — faster than 57% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #1 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Kentucky, 8 seasons

−5.3

Power Program II → Power 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.

5–2 against his rivals. Just 1–7 against John Vaught.

Rivalry record

5–2–1

62.5% · 1 rival

One-score games

12–13–3

42.9% · margin ≤8

vs. Blue Blood or better

3–4

42.9%

Rivalry ledger

Tennessee5–2–162%

The toughest matchupNemesis

vs. John Vaught1–7

8 meetings, 1954–1961

’54 L’55 W’56 L’57 L’58 L’59 L’60 L’61 L

Performance by opponent class

Blue Blood

3–4 42.9%

Power Program

10–20 33.3%

National Program

11–12 47.8%

Regional Program

3–0 100.0%

Coaching career

1954–1961

Kentuckycaretaker

Power Program II → Power Program II

Blanton Collier held Kentucky at Power Program II for 8 seasons.

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

Followed Bear Bryant (1946–1953) · succeeded by Charley Bradshaw (1962–1968).

41–36