The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Gene Stallings

Followed Bill Curry. Gene Stallings kept Alabama a national power for 6 seasons.

The empire-builder
97–61
1965–1996 · 2 stints
Texas A&MAlabama
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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 careerTEXAS A&MALABAMADynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelTexas A&M, 1965: 3-7, National Program III1965Texas A&M, 1966: 4-5, Regional Program I1966Texas A&M, 1967: 7-4, National Program II1967Texas A&M, 1968: 3-7, National Program II1968Texas A&M, 1969: 3-7, National Program II1969Texas A&M, 1970: 2-9, National Program II1970Texas A&M, 1971: 5-6, National Program II1971+4.4Alabama, 1990: 7-5, Blue Blood1990Alabama, 1991: 11-1, Power Program I1991Alabama, 1992: 13-0, Blue Blood1992Alabama, 1993: 9-3, Blue Blood1993Alabama, 1994: 12-1, Blue Blood1994Alabama, 1995: 8-3, Blue Blood1995Alabama, 1996: 10-3, Blue Blood1996+6.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 8th career season — faster than 26% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #71 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Texas A&M, 7 seasons
+4.4
National Program III → National Program II.
Alabama, 7 seasons
+6.0
Blue Blood → Blue Blood.

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.

16–16 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Steve Spurrier.

Rivalry record
16–16–2
47.1% · 4 rivals
One-score games
37–30–2
53.6% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
2–1
66.7%
Rivalry ledger
LSU7–6–150%
Texas1–614%
Auburn5–271%
Tennessee3–2–150%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Steve Spurrier1–5
6 meetings, 1990–1996
’90 L’91 L’92 W’93 L’94 L’96 L
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
2–1 66.7%
Blue Blood
1–11 8.3%
Power Program
24–22 52.2%
National Program
37–18 67.3%
Regional Program
27–8 77.1%

Coaching career

1990–1996
Alabamasustainer
Blue Blood → Blue Blood
Gene Stallings kept Alabama a national power for 6 seasons.

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

Followed Bill Curry (1987–1989) · succeeded by Mike DuBose (1997–2000).

25 NFL Draft picks: Keith McCants (1990), John Mangum (1990), George Thornton (1991), Siran Stacy (1992), Kevin Turner (1992), John Copeland (1993), Eric Curry (1993), George Teague (1993) + 17 more

70–16
1965–1971
Texas A&Mcaretaker
National Program III → National Program II
Gene Stallings moved Texas A&M from National Program III to National Program II in 7 seasons.

18th-best Texas A&M tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Hank Foldberg (1962–1964) · succeeded by Emory Bellard (1972–1978).

9 NFL Draft picks: Randy Matson (1967), Mo Moorman (1968), Rolf Krueger (1969), Tom Maxwell (1969), Larry Stegent (1970), Billy Bob Barnett (1970), Ross Brupbacher (1970), Dave Elmendorf (1971) + 1 more

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