The Zeitgeist List · coaching

David Elson

David Elson held Western Kentucky at Regional Program III for 3 seasons.

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2007–2009 · 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 Regional Program in his 1st career season — faster than 20% of the 925 FBS coaches who have ever reached Regional Program (rank #1 of 925 by seasons-to-arrival).

Western Kentucky, 3 seasons

+0.0

Regional Program III → Regional Program IV.

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.

1–2 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Larry Blakeney.

Rivalry record

1–2

33.3% · 1 rival

One-score games

1–7

12.5% · margin ≤8

vs. Blue Blood or better

0–1

0.0%

Rivalry ledger

Middle Tennessee1–233%

The toughest matchup

vs. Larry Blakeney0–3

3 meetings, 2007–2009

’07 L’08 L’09 L

0% win rate across a real, 3-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

0–1 0.0%

Power Program

0–3 0.0%

National Program

0–1 0.0%

Regional Program

1–20 4.8%

Coaching career

2007–2009

Western Kentuckycaretaker

Regional Program III

David Elson held Western Kentucky at Regional Program III for 3 seasons.

5th-best Western Kentucky tenure of 6 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Willie Taggart (2010–2012).

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