The Zeitgeist List · coaching

John Jenkins

Followed Jack Pardee. John Jenkins held Houston at Power Program III for 3 seasons.

18–15
1990–1992 · 1 stint
Houston
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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 careerHOUSTONPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyHouston, 1990: 10-1, Power Program III1990Houston, 1991: 4-7, Power Program III1991Houston, 1992: 4-7, Power Program III1992-1.7One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 1st career season — faster than 57% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #1 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

Houston, 3 seasons
−1.7
Power Program III → Power 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.

3–0 against his rivals. Just 1–2 against Grant Teaff.

Rivalry record
3–0
100.0% · 1 rival
One-score games
3–6
33.3% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Rice3–0100%
The toughest matchup
vs. Grant Teaff1–2
3 meetings, 1990–1992
’90 W’91 L’92 L
33% 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
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Power Program
4–6 40.0%
National Program
3–5 37.5%
Regional Program
10–3 76.9%

Coaching career

1990–1992
Houstoncaretaker
Power Program III → Power Program III
John Jenkins held Houston at Power Program III for 3 seasons.

2nd-best Houston tenure of 16 by the numbers.

Followed Jack Pardee (1987–1989) · succeeded by Kim Helton (1993–1999).

9 NFL Draft picks: Andre Ware (1990), Lamar Lathon (1990), Alton Montgomery (1990), Alfred Oglesby (1990), Craig Veasey (1990), Reggie Burnette (1991), David Klingler (1992), Glenn Cadrez (1992) + 1 more

18–15