The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Don James

Followed Jim Owens. Don James took Washington from National Program II to Power Program I.

The empire-builder
175–79
1971–1992 · 2 stints
Kent StateWashington
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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 careerKENT STATEWASHINGTONBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelKent State, 1971: 3-8, Regional Program III1971Kent State, 1972: 6-5, Regional Program IIIKent State, 1973: 9-2, Regional Program IKent State, 1974: 7-4, National Program III1974+7.2Washington, 1975: 6-5, National Program II1975Washington, 1976: 5-6, National Program IIWashington, 1977: 8-4, National Program IWashington, 1978: 7-4, Power Program IIIWashington, 1979: 9-3, Power Program IIIWashington, 1980: 9-3, Power Program IIWashington, 1981: 10-2, Power Program IIWashington, 1982: 10-2, Power Program IIWashington, 1983: 8-4, Power Program IIWashington, 1984: 11-1, Power Program IWashington, 1985: 7-5, Power Program IWashington, 1986: 8-3, Power Program IWashington, 1987: 7-4, Power Program IIWashington, 1988: 6-5, Power Program IIWashington, 1989: 8-4, Power Program IIWashington, 1990: 10-2, Power Program IWashington, 1991: 12-0, Power Program IWashington, 1992: 9-3, Power Program I1992+30.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 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).

Kent State, 4 seasons
+7.2
Regional Program III → National Program III.
Washington, 18 seasons
+30.6
National Program II → Power Program I.

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.

28–8 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Lee Corso.

Rivalry record
28–8
77.8% · 2 rivals
One-score games
42–35–2
53.2% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
7–9
43.8%
Rivalry ledger
Oregon15–383%
Washington State13–572%
The toughest matchup
vs. Lee Corso0–3
3 meetings, 1972–1978
’72 L’76 L’78 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
7–9 43.8%
Power Program
33–29 53.2%
National Program
52–23 69.3%
Regional Program
72–17 80.9%

Coaching career

1975–1992
Washingtontransformer
National Program II → Power Program I
Don James took Washington from National Program II to Power Program I.

1st-best Washington tenure of 18 by the numbers.

Followed Jim Owens (1957–1974) · succeeded by Jim Lambright (1993–1998).

61 NFL Draft picks: Dave Pear (1975), Ray Pinney (1976), Dan Lloyd (1976), Robin Earl (1977), Blair Bush (1978), Dave Browning (1978), Jeff Toews (1979), Michael Jackson (1979) + 53 more

150–60
1971–1974
Kent Statecaretaker
Regional Program II → National Program III
Don James moved Kent State from Regional Program II to National Program III in 4 seasons.

1st-best Kent State tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Dave Puddington (1968–1970) · succeeded by Dennis Fitzgerald (1975–1977).

2 NFL Draft picks: Gerald Tinker (1974), Jack Lambert (1974)

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