The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jules Sikes

Followed George Sauer. Jules Sikes raised Kansas from Regional Program III to National Program II.

35–25

1948–1953 · 1 stint

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.

Reached National Program in his 3rd career season — faster than 25% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #454 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Kansas, 6 seasons

+12.5

Regional Program III → 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.

6–6 against his rivals. Just 1–5 against Don Faurot.

Rivalry record

6–6

50.0% · 2 rivals

One-score games

5–11

31.2% · margin ≤8

vs. Blue Blood or better

0–4

0.0%

Rivalry ledger

Kansas State5–183%

Missouri1–517%

The toughest matchupNemesis

vs. Don Faurot1–5

6 meetings, 1948–1953

’48 L’49 L’50 L’51 W’52 L’53 L

Performance by opponent class

Blue Blood

0–4 0.0%

Power Program

1–4 20.0%

National Program

13–11 54.2%

Regional Program

15–6 71.4%

Coaching career

1948–1953

Kansasbuilderborderline

Regional Program III → National Program II

Jules Sikes raised Kansas from Regional Program III to National Program II.

5th-best Kansas tenure of 21 by the numbers.

Followed George Sauer (1946–1947) · succeeded by Chuck Mather (1954–1957).

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