The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Frank Cignetti

Followed Bobby Bowden. Frank Cignetti held West Virginia at National Program II for 4 seasons.

17–27

1976–1979 · 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 National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

West Virginia, 4 seasons

−8.4

National Program II → Regional 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.

0–4 against his rivals. Winless in 4 tries against Joe Paterno.

Rivalry record

0–4

0.0% · 1 rival

One-score games

7–6

53.8% · margin ≤8

vs. Blue Blood or better

0–1

0.0%

Rivalry ledger

Pittsburgh0–40%

The toughest matchup

vs. Joe Paterno0–4

4 meetings, 1976–1979

’76 L’77 L’78 L’79 L

0% win rate across a real, 4-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

2–12 14.3%

National Program

5–11 31.2%

Regional Program

5–2 71.4%

Coaching career

1976–1979

West Virginiacaretaker

National Program II → National Program II

Frank Cignetti held West Virginia at National Program II for 4 seasons.

9th-best West Virginia tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Bobby Bowden (1970–1975) · succeeded by Don Nehlen (1980–2000).

2 NFL Draft picks: Ron Lee (1976), Artie Owens (1976)

17–27