The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Dave Wannstedt

Followed Walt Harris. Dave Wannstedt moved Pittsburgh from National Program II to Power Program III in 6 seasons.

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2005–2010 · 1 stint
Pittsburgh
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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 careerPITTSBURGHPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyPittsburgh, 2005: 5-6, National Program II2005Pittsburgh, 2006: 6-6, National Program I2006Pittsburgh, 2007: 5-7, National Program I2007Pittsburgh, 2008: 9-4, National Program I2008Pittsburgh, 2009: 10-3, National Program I2009Pittsburgh, 2010: 7-5, Power Program III2010+4.6One 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).

Pittsburgh, 6 seasons
+4.6
National 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.

2–3 against his rivals. Just 1–4 against Greg Schiano.

Rivalry record
2–3
40.0% · 1 rival
One-score games
11–12
47.8% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
West Virginia2–340%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Greg Schiano1–4
5 meetings, 2005–2009
’05 L’06 L’07 L’08 L’09 W
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
0–1 0.0%
Power Program
6–8 42.9%
National Program
13–9 59.1%
Regional Program
11–7 61.1%

Coaching career

2005–2010
Pittsburghcaretaker
National Program II → Power Program III
Dave Wannstedt moved Pittsburgh from National Program II to Power Program III in 6 seasons.

10th-best Pittsburgh tenure of 23 by the numbers.

Followed Walt Harris (1997–2004) · succeeded by Todd Graham (2011–2011).

Where the roster comes from, by position
Grows Running back from high school
100%
#196 of 208 stints
Grows Interior line from high school
100%
#198 of 224 stints

20 NFL Draft picks: Rob Petitti (2005), Charles Spencer (2006), Josh Lay (2006), Darrelle Revis (2007), Clint Session (2007), H.B. Blades (2007), Jeff Otah (2008), Mike McGlynn (2008) + 12 more

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