The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Ed Chlebek

Followed Ron Blackledge. Ed Chlebek held Kent State at Regional Program III for 2 seasons.

Peak, then fade
26–51
1976–1982 · 3 stints
Eastern MichiganBoston CollegeKent 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 careerEASTERN MICHIGANBOSTON COLLEGEKENT STATENational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelEastern Michigan, 1976: 2-9, Regional Program II1976Eastern Michigan, 1977: 8-3, Regional Program II1977-6.1Boston College, 1978: 0-11, National Program II1978Boston College, 1979: 5-6, National Program II1979Boston College, 1980: 7-4, National Program II1980-7.2Kent State, 1981: 4-7, Regional Program III1981Kent State, 1982: 0-11, Regional Program IV1982-0.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 3rd career season — faster than 25% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #454 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Eastern Michigan, 2 seasons
−6.1
Regional Program II → Regional Program II.
Boston College, 3 seasons
−7.2
National Program II → National Program II.
Kent State, 2 seasons
−0.6
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 Jackie Sherrill.

Rivalry record
1–2
33.3% · 2 rivals
One-score games
5–13
27.8% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Central Michigan1–150%
Western Michigan0–10%
The toughest matchup
vs. Jackie Sherrill0–3
3 meetings, 1978–1980
’78 L’79 L’80 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
1–6 14.3%
National Program
7–15 31.8%
Regional Program
10–20 33.3%

Coaching career

1981–1982
Kent Statecaretaker
Regional Program III → Regional Program III
Ed Chlebek held Kent State at Regional Program III for 2 seasons.

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

Followed Ron Blackledge (1978–1980) · succeeded by Dick Scesniak (1983–1985).

4–18
1978–1980
Boston Collegecaretaker
National Program I → National Program II
Ed Chlebek slid Boston College from National Program I to National Program II in 3 seasons.

11th-best Boston College tenure of 18 by the numbers.

Followed Joseph Yukica (1968–1977) · succeeded by Jack Bicknell (1981–1990).

4 NFL Draft picks: Fred Smerlas (1979), John Schmeding (1980), Karl Swanke (1980), Tim Sherwin (1981)

12–21
1976–1977
Eastern Michigancaretaker
Regional Program I → Regional Program II
Ed Chlebek slid Eastern Michigan from Regional Program I to Regional Program II in 2 seasons.

2nd-best Eastern Michigan tenure of 13 by the numbers.

Followed George Mans (1975–1975) · succeeded by Mike Stock (1978–1982).

2 NFL Draft picks: Clarence Chapman (1976), Ron Johnson (1978)

10–12