The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Fred Akers

Followed Leon Burtnett. Fred Akers slid Purdue from National Program III to Regional Program I in 4 seasons.

Peak, then fade
108–75
1975–1990 · 3 stints
WyomingTexasPurdue
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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 careerWYOMINGTEXASPURDUEDynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelWyoming, 1975: 2-9, Regional Program I1975Wyoming, 1976: 8-4, Regional Program I1976+2.7Texas, 1977: 11-1, Blue Blood1977Texas, 1978: 9-3, Blue BloodTexas, 1979: 9-3, Blue BloodTexas, 1980: 7-5, Blue BloodTexas, 1981: 10-1, Power Program ITexas, 1982: 9-3, Power Program ITexas, 1983: 11-1, Power Program ITexas, 1984: 7-4, Power Program ITexas, 1985: 8-4, Power Program ITexas, 1986: 5-6, Power Program I1986-1.2Purdue, 1987: 3-7, Regional Program I1987Purdue, 1988: 4-7, Regional Program IIPurdue, 1989: 3-8, Regional Program IIPurdue, 1990: 2-9, Regional Program III1990-8.2One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 3rd career season — faster than 49% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #48 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Wyoming, 2 seasons
+2.7
Regional Program I → Regional Program I.
Texas, 10 seasons
−1.2
Blue Blood → Power Program I.
Purdue, 4 seasons
−8.2
Regional Program I → Regional Program III.

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.

19–16 against his rivals. Just 1–4 against Bill Mallory.

Rivalry record
19–16–1
52.8% · 5 rivals
One-score games
40–22–3
61.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Oklahoma5–4–150%
Texas Tech8–280%
Texas A&M5–550%
Indiana1–325%
Colorado State0–20%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Bill Mallory1–4
5 meetings, 1975–1990
’75 L’87 L’88 L’89 W’90 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
7–10 41.2%
Power Program
25–34 42.4%
National Program
28–17 62.2%
Regional Program
45–12 78.9%

Coaching career

1987–1990
Purduecaretaker
National Program III → Regional Program I
Fred Akers slid Purdue from National Program III to Regional Program I in 4 seasons.

14th-best Purdue tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed Leon Burtnett (1982–1986) · succeeded by Jim Colletto (1991–1996).

5 NFL Draft picks: Rod Woodson (1987), Jerrol Williams (1989), Calvin Williams (1990), Steve Jackson (1991), Scott Conover (1991)

12–31
1977–1986
Texasinheritor
Blue Blood → Blue Blood
Fred Akers inherited a Blue Blood Texas and won with it.

3rd-best Texas tenure of 12 by the numbers.

Followed Darrell Royal (1957–1976) · succeeded by David McWilliams (1987–1991).

41 NFL Draft picks: Raymond Clayborn (1977), Ernest Lee (1977), Rick Burleson (1977), Earl Campbell (1978), Brad Shearer (1978), Alfred Jackson (1978), Russell Erxleben (1979), Johnny "Lam" Jones (1980) + 33 more

86–31
1975–1976
Wyomingcaretaker
Regional Program II → Regional Program I
Fred Akers moved Wyoming from Regional Program II to Regional Program I in 2 seasons.

10th-best Wyoming tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Fritz Shurmur (1971–1974) · succeeded by Bill Lewis (1977–1979).

2 NFL Draft picks: Lawrence Gaines (1976), Aaron Kyle (1976)

10–13