The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jim Young

Followed Ed Cavanaugh. Jim Young moved Army from Regional Program V to Regional Program III in 8 seasons.

Peak, then fade
120–71
1973–1990 · 3 stints
ArizonaPurdueArmy
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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 careerARIZONAPURDUEARMYPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelArizona, 1973: 8-3, Regional Program I1973Arizona, 1974: 9-2, National Program IIIArizona, 1975: 9-2, National Program IIArizona, 1976: 5-6, National Program II1976+7.8Purdue, 1977: 5-6, National Program II1977Purdue, 1978: 9-2, National Program IIPurdue, 1979: 10-2, National Program IPurdue, 1980: 9-3, National Program IPurdue, 1981: 5-6, National Program I1981+2.4Army, 1983: 2-9, Regional Program V1983Army, 1984: 8-3, Regional Program VArmy, 1985: 9-3, Regional Program IVArmy, 1986: 6-5, Regional Program IVArmy, 1987: 5-6, Regional Program IVArmy, 1988: 9-3, Regional Program IIIArmy, 1989: 6-5, Regional Program IIIArmy, 1990: 6-5, Regional Program III1990+7.3One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 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).

Arizona, 4 seasons
+7.8
Regional Program I → National Program II.
Purdue, 5 seasons
+2.4
National Program II → National Program I.
Army, 8 seasons
+7.3
Regional Program V → 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.

12–13 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Terry Donahue.

Rivalry record
12–13
48.0% · 4 rivals
One-score games
36–23–2
59.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
3–8
27.3%
Rivalry ledger
Air Force3–538%
Navy5–362%
Indiana3–260%
Arizona State1–325%
The toughest matchup
vs. Terry Donahue0–3
3 meetings, 1976–1980
’76 L’79 L’80 L
0% win rate across a real, 3-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
3–8 27.3%
Power Program
10–15 40.0%
National Program
16–21 43.2%
Regional Program
66–21 75.9%

Coaching career

1983–1990
Armycaretaker
Regional Program V → Regional Program III
Jim Young moved Army from Regional Program V to Regional Program III in 8 seasons.

9th-best Army tenure of 17 by the numbers.

Followed Ed Cavanaugh (1980–1982) · succeeded by Bob Sutton (1991–1999).

51–39
1977–1981
Purduecaretaker
National Program II → National Program I
Jim Young moved Purdue from National Program II to National Program I in 5 seasons.

7th-best Purdue tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed Alex Agase (1973–1976) · succeeded by Leon Burtnett (1982–1986).

10 NFL Draft picks: Scott Dierking (1977), Dave Lafary (1977), Blane Smith (1977), John Skibinski (1978), Keena Turner (1980), Dave Young (1981), Mark Herrmann (1981), Calvin Clark (1981) + 2 more

38–19
1973–1976
Arizonacaretaker
Regional Program I → National Program II
Jim Young moved Arizona from Regional Program I to National Program II in 4 seasons.

10th-best Arizona tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Bob Weber (1969–1972) · succeeded by Tony Mason (1977–1979).

7 NFL Draft picks: Jackie Wallace (1973), Bob Crum (1973), Bob McCall (1973), Marty Shuford (1973), Mike Dawson (1976), Theo Bell (1976), Scott Piper (1976)

31–13