The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Dick Tomey

Followed Fitz Hill. Dick Tomey moved San José State from Regional Program V to Regional Program IV in 5 seasons.

Peak, then fade
183–145
1977–2009 · 3 stints
Hawai'iArizonaSan José 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 careerHAWAI'IARIZONASAN JOSÉ STATEPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelHawai'i, 1977: 5-6, Regional Program III1977Hawai'i, 1978: 6-5, Regional Program IIIHawai'i, 1979: 6-5, Regional Program IIIHawai'i, 1980: 8-3, Regional Program IIIHawai'i, 1981: 9-2, Regional Program IHawai'i, 1982: 6-5, Regional Program IHawai'i, 1983: 5-5, Regional Program IHawai'i, 1984: 7-4, Regional Program IHawai'i, 1985: 4-6, Regional Program IHawai'i, 1986: 7-5, Regional Program I1986+8.6Arizona, 1987: 4-4, National Program I1987Arizona, 1988: 7-4, National Program IArizona, 1989: 8-4, Power Program IIIArizona, 1990: 7-5, National Program IArizona, 1991: 4-7, National Program IArizona, 1992: 6-5, National Program IArizona, 1993: 10-2, Power Program IIIArizona, 1994: 8-4, Power Program IIIArizona, 1995: 6-5, Power Program IIIArizona, 1996: 5-6, Power Program IIIArizona, 1997: 7-5, National Program IArizona, 1998: 12-1, Power Program IIIArizona, 1999: 6-6, Power Program IIIArizona, 2000: 5-6, Power Program III2000+6.1San José State, 2005: 3-8, Regional Program V2005San José State, 2006: 9-4, Regional Program VSan José State, 2007: 5-7, Regional Program VSan José State, 2008: 6-6, Regional Program IVSan José State, 2009: 2-10, Regional Program V2009+2.9One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 13th career season — faster than 3% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #380 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Hawai'i, 10 seasons
+8.6
Regional Program III → Regional Program I.
Arizona, 14 seasons
+6.1
National Program I → Power Program III.
San José State, 5 seasons
+2.9
Regional Program V → Regional Program V.

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.

12–7 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Mike Bellotti.

Rivalry record
12–7–1
60.0% · 2 rivals
One-score games
59–55–7
48.8% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
2–2
50.0%
Rivalry ledger
Arizona State8–5–157%
UNLV4–267%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Mike Bellotti1–5
6 meetings, 1995–2000
’95 L’96 L’97 L’98 W’99 L’00 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
2–2 50.0%
Blue Blood
1–9 10.0%
Power Program
24–48 33.3%
National Program
52–39 57.1%
Regional Program
76–39 66.1%

Coaching career

2005–2009
San José Statecaretaker
Regional Program V → Regional Program IV
Dick Tomey moved San José State from Regional Program V to Regional Program IV in 5 seasons.

16th-best San José State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Fitz Hill (2001–2004) · succeeded by Mike MacIntyre (2010–2012).

6 NFL Draft picks: James Jones (2007), John Broussard (2007), Dwight Lowery (2008), Jarron Gilbert (2009), Christopher Owens (2009), Coye Francies (2009)

25–35
1987–2000
Arizonacaretaker
National Program I → Power Program III
Dick Tomey moved Arizona from National Program I to Power Program III in 14 seasons.

1st-best Arizona tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Larry Smith (1980–1986) · succeeded by John Mackovic (2001–2003).

42 NFL Draft picks: Byron Evans (1987), Ruben Rodriguez (1987), Danny Lockett (1987), Joe Tofflemire (1989), Derek Hill (1989), Brad Henke (1989), Rob Woods (1989), Chris Singleton (1990) + 34 more

95–64
1977–1986
Hawai'icaretaker
Regional Program III → Regional Program I
Dick Tomey moved Hawai'i from Regional Program III to Regional Program I in 10 seasons.

4th-best Hawai'i tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Larry Price (1974–1976) · succeeded by Bob Wagner (1987–1995).

12 NFL Draft picks: Dan Audick (1977), Gary Allen (1982), David Toloumu (1982), Anthony Edgar (1983), Bernard Carvalho (1984), Raphel Cherry (1985), Rich Miano (1985), Mike Akiu (1985) + 4 more

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