The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Darryl Rogers

Followed Frank Kush. Darryl Rogers inherited a Power Program I Arizona State and won with it.

The ascent
109–62
1969–1984 · 4 stints
Fresno StateSan José StateMichigan StateArizona State
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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 careerFRESNO STATESAN JOSÉ STATEMICHIGAN STATEARIZONA STATEPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelFresno State, 1969: 6-4, Regional Program I1969Fresno State, 1970: 8-4, Regional Program IIFresno State, 1971: 6-5, Regional Program IIFresno State, 1972: 6-4, Regional Program II1972+0.0San José State, 1973: 5-4, Regional Program IV1973San José State, 1974: 8-3, Regional Program IIISan José State, 1975: 9-2, Regional Program I1975+12.4Michigan State, 1976: 4-6, Power Program III1976Michigan State, 1977: 7-3, Power Program IIIMichigan State, 1978: 8-3, Power Program IIMichigan State, 1979: 5-6, Power Program II1979+1.3Arizona State, 1980: 7-4, Power Program II1980Arizona State, 1981: 9-2, Power Program IIArizona State, 1982: 10-2, Power Program IArizona State, 1983: 6-4, Power Program IIArizona State, 1984: 5-6, Power Program II1984-0.8One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 8th career season — faster than 16% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #314 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Fresno State, 4 seasons
+0.0
Regional Program I → Regional Program II.
San José State, 3 seasons
+12.4
Regional Program IV → Regional Program I.
Michigan State, 4 seasons
+1.3
Power Program III → Power Program II.
Arizona State, 5 seasons
−0.8
Power Program II → Power 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.

4–9 against his rivals. Winless in 4 tries against Dan Devine.

Rivalry record
4–9
30.8% · 3 rivals
One-score games
19–20–5
43.2% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
3–8
27.3%
Rivalry ledger
Arizona2–340%
San Diego State1–325%
Michigan1–325%
The toughest matchup
vs. Dan Devine0–4
4 meetings, 1976–1979
’76 L’77 L’78 L’79 L
0% win rate across a real, 4-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
Blue Blood
3–8 27.3%
Power Program
7–14 33.3%
National Program
19–17 52.8%
Regional Program
47–8 85.5%

Coaching career

1980–1984
Arizona Stateinheritor
Power Program I → Power Program I
Darryl Rogers inherited a Power Program I Arizona State and won with it.

3rd-best Arizona State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Frank Kush (1958–1979) · succeeded by John Cooper (1985–1987).

23 NFL Draft picks: Mark Malone (1980), Bob Kohrs (1980), Ben Apuna (1980), John Mistler (1981), Ron Washington (1981), Mel Hoover (1981), Gerald Riggs (1982), Robert Weathers (1982) + 15 more

37–18
1976–1979
Michigan Statecaretaker
Power Program III → Power Program II
Darryl Rogers moved Michigan State from Power Program III to Power Program II in 4 seasons.

5th-best Michigan State tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Dennis Stolz (1973–1975) · succeeded by Frank Waters (1980–1982).

11 NFL Draft picks: Greg Schaum (1976), Mike Cobb (1977), Tom Hannon (1977), Larry Bethea (1978), Al Pitts (1978), James Earley (1978), Mel Land (1979), Kirk Gibson (1979) + 3 more

24–18
1973–1975
San José Statebuilderborderline
Regional Program IV → Regional Program I
Darryl Rogers raised San José State from Regional Program IV to Regional Program I.

7th-best San José State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed DeWayne King (1970–1972) · succeeded by Lynn Stiles (1976–1978).

5 NFL Draft picks: Cody Jones (1973), Louis Wright (1975), Dave Wasick (1975), Kim Bokamper (1976), Carl Ekern (1976)

22–9
1969–1972
Fresno Statecaretaker
Regional Program I
Darryl Rogers held Fresno State at Regional Program I for 4 seasons.

9th-best Fresno State tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Succeeded by J.R. Boone (1973–1975).

3 NFL Draft picks: Ervin Hunt (1970), Dwayne Crump (1973), Gary Weaver (1973)

26–17