The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jack Murphy

Followed Frank Lauterbur. Jack Murphy slid Toledo from National Program II to National Program I in 6 seasons.

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1971–1976 · 1 stint
Toledo
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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 careerTOLEDOPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelToledo, 1971: 12-0, National Program I1971Toledo, 1972: 6-5, National Program I1972Toledo, 1973: 3-8, National Program II1973Toledo, 1974: 6-5, National Program II1974Toledo, 1975: 5-6, National Program III1975Toledo, 1976: 3-8, National Program III1976-5.3One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

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).

Toledo, 6 seasons
−5.3
National Program I → National 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.

6–5 against his rivals. Just 1–3 against Don James.

Rivalry record
6–5
54.5% · 2 rivals
One-score games
8–7
53.3% · margin ≤8
Rivalry ledger
Bowling Green2–433%
Northern Illinois4–180%
The toughest matchup
vs. Don James1–3
4 meetings, 1971–1974
’71 W’72 L’73 L’74 L
25% 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
Power Program
1–1 50.0%
National Program
6–12 33.3%
Regional Program
17–10 63.0%

Coaching career

1971–1976
Toledocaretaker
National Program II → National Program I
Jack Murphy slid Toledo from National Program II to National Program I in 6 seasons.

1st-best Toledo tenure of 13 by the numbers.

Followed Frank Lauterbur (1963–1970) · succeeded by Chuck Stobart (1977–1981).

3 NFL Draft picks: Tony Harris (1971), John Saunders (1972), Gene Swick (1976)

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