The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jim Carlen

Followed Paul Dietzel. Jim Carlen moved South Carolina from Regional Program I to National Program II in 7 seasons.

The builder
107–69
1966–1981 · 3 stints
West VirginiaTexas TechSouth Carolina
← all coaches

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 careerWEST VIRGINIATEXAS TECHSOUTH CAROLINANational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelWest Virginia, 1966: 3-5, Regional Program I1966West Virginia, 1967: 5-4, National Program IIIWest Virginia, 1968: 7-3, National Program IIIWest Virginia, 1969: 10-1, National Program III1969+1.2Texas Tech, 1970: 8-4, National Program III1970Texas Tech, 1971: 4-7, National Program IIITexas Tech, 1972: 8-4, National Program IIITexas Tech, 1973: 11-1, National Program IITexas Tech, 1974: 6-4, National Program II1974+3.6South Carolina, 1975: 7-5, Regional Program I1975South Carolina, 1976: 6-5, Regional Program ISouth Carolina, 1977: 5-7, Regional Program ISouth Carolina, 1978: 5-5, National Program IIISouth Carolina, 1979: 8-4, National Program IIISouth Carolina, 1980: 8-4, National Program IISouth Carolina, 1981: 6-6, National Program II1981+10.6One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 2nd career season — faster than 33% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #402 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

West Virginia, 4 seasons
+1.2
Regional Program I → National Program III.
Texas Tech, 5 seasons
+3.6
National Program III → National Program II.
South Carolina, 7 seasons
+10.6
Regional Program I → National Program II.

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.

14–15 against his rivals. Winless in 4 tries against Joe Paterno.

Rivalry record
14–15
48.3% · 6 rivals
One-score games
30–30–6
45.5% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
1–10
9.1%
Rivalry ledger
Georgia2–529%
Clemson2–433%
Texas1–420%
Baylor4–180%
Pittsburgh3–175%
Oklahoma State2–0100%
The toughest matchup
vs. Joe Paterno0–4
4 meetings, 1966–1969
’66 L’67 L’68 L’69 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
1–10 9.1%
Power Program
12–19 38.7%
National Program
30–23 56.6%
Regional Program
51–14 78.5%

Coaching career

1975–1981
South Carolinacaretakerborderline
Regional Program I → National Program II
Jim Carlen moved South Carolina from Regional Program I to National Program II in 7 seasons.

7th-best South Carolina tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Paul Dietzel (1966–1974) · succeeded by Richard Bell (1982–1982).

7 NFL Draft picks: Clarence Williams (1977), Steve Courson (1977), Kevin Long (1977), Rick Sanford (1979), George Rogers (1981), Willie Scott (1981), DeWayne Chivers (1982)

45–36
1970–1974
Texas Techcaretaker
National Program III → National Program II
Jim Carlen moved Texas Tech from National Program III to National Program II in 5 seasons.

11th-best Texas Tech tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed J.T. King (1961–1969) · succeeded by Steve Sloan (1975–1977).

3 NFL Draft picks: Denton Fox (1970), Andre Tillman (1974), Lawrence Williams (1975)

37–20
1966–1969
West Virginiacaretaker
National Program III → National Program III
Jim Carlen held West Virginia at National Program III for 4 seasons.

11th-best West Virginia tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Gene Corum (1960–1965) · succeeded by Bobby Bowden (1970–1975).

25–13